I want to purchase and install wall-mount panels on my fascia. The problem is finding compatible wall-mounts for the 6-wire cable. Via another chat line it seems the best way to go is to use the Digitrax UP5 which apparently gives a stronger port for the continuous insertion and withdrawal of the jacks. I am wondering what the rest of you are doing. I would like to avoid making my own cables.
Thanks, Ron K.
Maybe yes, but the stuff is expensive as aitch as add-ons. I just purchased a second DT400 so my brother can play along, and I am most definitely broke.
Would Radio Shack have something that will pass for that cable?
I personally would go woth the UP5 pannels. I had 3 on my layout in a 10x11 around the walls. That was more than enough and they are only $15 each. The UP5 will extend the loco bus by adding an inturrupt into the system you dont get that by using a standard phone pannel. If you have more than one controller on the same daisy chain of pannels the signals will either not get through or both controllers will be set the same (basically become mirrors of each other). I dont recommend doing this, I dont know if it will hurt the system or not but I dont think it could be all that good for it.
Went to Radio Shack and they had nothing to meet my needs. Had some RJ12 connectors but no 6-conductor flat cable. They said they haven’t carried this in years. Heard they sell some of this at Home Depot, but I don’t want self-assembly. Also concerned about reliability over the long run.
Ron K.
I’ve actually collected quite a few UP3s off ebay. They may be getting harder to find lately, I haven’t looked. But you can usually find them for a bit less than UP5s, and they are essentially the same without the side RJ12 port.
RJ12 cabel is at Home depot WITH ENDS, DO NOT USE THEM as they come Pin 1 must be Pin 1 not pin 6 when you reach the other end. Flat 6 conducter has been hard to find, just use the round and BE CAREFUL of the ends when you krimp. There is a SHORT cabel in the Digitrax starter sets with both ends, just build it the same.
I an sure that some one will chime in and clean this up for me.
I use CAT 5e wire with Ideal brand RJ12. I just use 6 of the 8 twisted pairs. I had 250 ft remaining from my house rewire.
Any electronics store (not radio shack) should have RJ12 cable, connectors and crimper. I made all of my own cables, it is very simple, just reverse the connector on the two ends. I have UP5’s for main runs, but also bought some wall jacks at Lowes and installed them in my two staging yard areas. I used the third jack on the UP5’s to run to these. I don’t believe you can daisy chain off of them because of the reason stated by SMassey. They are only temp until I order more UP5’s.
Oh ya the cable was .07 per foot, connectors were 12 for 2.99 and the crimper was 12.99.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
I use the UP5 and feel it’s a good way to go…
Go to www.LoysToys.com
Loy has a very good price @ .12/ft. on the RJ12 cable…and you order the length you want and have the ends/connectors installed for (I think) $1.00 per connector…Really hard to beat that deal, even with a stick!
Our local Radio Shack (Port Townsend, WA) has the 6 conductor cable in 25 foot lengths, and the various connectors. They have a tool for stripping the ends and crimping the connectors. After the first couple you get the hang of it and it is no sweat! I do use the UP5 for the ease of connecting more than one throttle to it at once. Besides the DT400, which is my master throttle, for general running and guests I use the UT4 which is easy and cheaper!
George is right about using the ready-made cables. But, I take advantage of this. I bought the good METAL crimp tool at Radio Shack (my RS had it over with the computer stuff, NOT with the phones! The one by the phones was the cheapy plastic one.). Over by the phones they had the 6-pin ends. I picked up a pack of those. I bought a 6-wire pre-made cable, 50’ at WalMart. If it’s JUST for throttles it actually will work - for the first one! Bu connecting boosters together with an improper cable like that will cause themt o be outof phase and you’ll get a short every time a train crosses the gaps between power districts.
Anyway, I simply cut this longer cable tot he length I needed and for at least 2 of the sections I only had to crimp on 1 more end to match the existing one. Don’t be afraid to make these cables, it’s nearly foolproof. Just cut the wire squarely at the end. The crimp tool has a sripper in it, WITH a physical stop to get the right length stripped off. Slide the wire into the end. Unless you really fiddled with the stripped end (only the outer jacket gets stripped, not the individual wires inside) they will slide right into place. Put the plug in the crimp tool and squeeze to the stops. All done. The flat wire used for Loconet is SUPER easy to work with, it’s not nearly as complicated as trying to line up twisted pair cable into a plug for Ethernet cabling.
I also rcommend you use the actual UP5 and not just generic jacks. If it’s just a small layout and there’s only 1 throttle you can get away with the plain jacks, but as the cable run gets longer and you have more throttles you will need to power them. This is not all that easy with generic jacks unless you really know what you are doing. With the UP5 it’s all built in, you just need to plug in a wall-wart (and for yet another source of power it has 2 screw you can connect to a nearby track bus).
–Randy
I just got off the phone from ordering this very same cable and “facia” plate from Loy’s Toy’s He has 2 kinds i a little more fancy than other but for the price I let them make the cable and “get it right” . They are a good source for Digitrax or at least have been for me