I am getting ready to connect my feeder wires to my power supply wires below the table and plan on just stripping an area on the supply wire, wrapping the feeder wire around the bare spot, hitting it with some solder and wrap in elecetrical tape. Do any of you use a better or simpler way? My feeder wires are only about 8 inches long and already made, so running everything to a terminal strip is out… Pictures would be great!
Sometimes I run a commercial power wire and plug it into a conveint terminal track. Most times however I solder two feeders directly to the rails.
I presume the bus wires are virtually underneath the track? Those are still some short feeders. You’ll do yourself a favor by making them somewhat longer, then cutting any excess when you’re ready to hook up.
I used liquid electrical tape to insulate many of my bus connections. It can be sloppy stuff going on, so be neat, but if you’re willing to solder down there, at least the liquid tape isn’t hot if it drips on you.[:'(]
That’s what I do. Try not to nick the copper of your bus wires as you strip them. I used stout solid copper #14 AWG bus wire largely so that minor nicks from stripping the wire wouldn’t weaken it. If you stagger the splices of the north and south rails, then they won’t short together even if you don’t insulate them. Easier than electrical tape, Micro Mark sells a liquid rubber goop that you can just paint on with a small brush.
MoPac BNSF,
I think you’ve got it just right, although you may wish some of them were a wee bit longer. The hardest part of doing it this way (don’t ask me how I know) is getting a good solder joint. Several of my wire connections were a bit hard to reach and/or see so I had to really pay attantion to avoid any cold joints.
Good luck!
I use Posi-taps.
I soldered the feeder wires to the track and to the main buss. If I had it to do over I’d seriously consider the posi tap type connections on the main buss wire, but you’d still have to solder them to the tracks. Hot solder on naked legs (summer time) is not fun at all.
Jarrell
One down-vote for Posi-Taps or anything else that depends on nicking the wire to make contact.
One up-vote for soldering, followed by a coat of liquid insulation. Actually, for the low voltages we use, any solvent-based paint will serve as an adequate insulator. If your wife has some reject nail polish, that’s also a winner.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with soldered connections and terminal blocks)
Sorry, I use the terminal strips that you have already rejected.
I solder my feeders directly to the rails. I use stranded wire so if I lose a strand while stripping it’s still good to go. After tinning the ends, feeders are connected to the buss by European barrier strips which are carrying the buss.
Yes, I have a simpler method, and many will poo-poo this technique, but it works for me.
I just do the first of the three steps that you suggest.
After stripping about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of insulation from the 14 ga. solid copper bus wire, I strip about 1 inch of insulation from the 22 ga. stranded feeder wire and wrap the feeder wire around the bus wire a few times.
That’s it. No solder, no electrical tape. It holds. It works.
Rich
Instead of electrical insulation tape, I use a dab of neutral cure silicon sealant.
Cheers, the Bear.
I do it exactly as you describe. The blue-handles Ideal strippers, or the Klein equivalent, will strip wire in the middle of a run, I do this on the main bus wires, then wrap the stripped end of the feeder around this, and hit it with the soldering gun. Here, big is better. Depending on your wire size, a 40 watt iron probbaly won;t cut it, at least to make quick and easy connections. A 100 or 150 watt soldering gun is a better tool here, quickly heats the wire to melt the solder and as long as you don;t touch the solder directly to the tip, helps keep from dropping blobs of solder on yourself.
I offset the two, so that the bare areas cannot touch and cause a short. I intended to go back and coat them all with liquid electrical tape (easier than wrapping tape around a T connection - but the stuff is pretty stinky until it dries) but never did.
–Randy
You do not know about Posi-taps as they are not suitcase conectors and don’t nick the wire!!!
I use suitcase connectors the ones from 3M. I also use their tool to clamp them on. Never had a problem.
Enjoy
Paul
Re: rrebel: Positaps do nick the wire. Otherwise that little pointed piece in the cap would be of no use and no connection wouldbe made.
Joe
Suit case connectors, there are howto videos on the MRR website.
Good old nail polish. ANd it doesn’t smell any worse than the liquid electrical tape. Bet I could scrounge up a lifetime supply as “I bought this color and I don’t like it” rejects. Could get very colorful under the layout though.
Now THERE’S an idea - just buy the cheapest nail polish you can find, and color code the connections! No one steal that, I’m submitting it! [:D]
–Randy
Hi,
Dropping the feeders (keeping them under 12 inches) and soldering to the buss wires works as good or better than anything else. Wrapping the exposed area is a good practice, although it might not be necessary if the connection is fairly isolated. But, it is better to wrap it with a bit of tape.
BTW, I’ve tried the so called “liquid tapes” and while they have their place, they tend to be messy.
Also, I’ve used various connectors for my wiring, and they too have their place. But again, I’ve found that direct soldering of joints works as good or better.
Each of the methods/systems has their place, for “one size fits all” does not apply here (or anywhere else).
I used to sodder the connection both to the track and the bus wires. More recently, I have switched to MicroMark’s suitcase connectors which can be used to connect the small feeders to the heavier bus wire. It seems like a good system but not quite as foolproof as it looks. I have ruined a few of the connectors trying to secure the connection. Still, I think it is easier soddering under the layout. I think I’ll get better at it with more practice which I will be getting soon. My to-do list includes adding more feeder wires to my track. I didn’t put in enough when I built the layout and now that operations have commenced, I am paying the price.