My question pertains to the gauge of wire that should be connected to a quick connect terminal. In the Lionel FasTrack Book, Mr. Schleicher states that FasTrack has 18 gauge quick connectors. I understand that an 18 gauge quick connector is designed to be crimped to an 18 gauge wire, however, is the gauge size of the connector only for crimping, or is it also a specification of how much current the connector can safely handle (based on the wire gauge size)? Specifically, can you use a 14 gauge wire with the 18 gauge connector, or would the wire have the possibility of carrying more current than the connector can handle? I realize that crimping 14 gauge wire to 18 gauge connectors would not work, however I always solder the connections. I can easily get a 14 gauge wire in the 18 gauge connector by opening up the wire area slightly.
The reason that I ask is that I am sizing the wire for a new FasTrack layout and would prefer to use heavier wire. I suspect that 14 gauge wire is a bit much for a loop that will have a single train running on it and is fused with 10A fuses. I have read that a lot of people use 16 gauge wire as well for track feeder with no problems. Any thoughts on running 16 gauge wire into 18 gauge connectors? Is Lionel telling us that 18 gauge wires are fine for FasTrack wiring?
The wire should be sized according to what the transformer can put out. You are correct in saying that 14 AWG is more than you need for safety with a 10-ampere fuse; but it is indeed only a bit too much. For that current, 16 AWG is the smallest you should use.
I got out and compared some yellow Fast-ons meant for 10 AWG with some blue and red ones meant for much smaller wire. The connector part is identical. So I would not hesitate to solder 14 AWG to one made for 18 AWG. However, it might not be that hard to find the blue ones, which are intended for 14 AWG.
Beyond making the wire heavy enough to be safe, there is the consideration of voltage drop, which is a good reason for using 14 AWG or even heavier, even though your current is limited to 10 amperes. With good connections, track is (very roughly) equivalent to 16 AWG copper wire as far as resistance is concerned. This means that, if you are using multiple feeders to reduce voltage drop, 16 AWG may be only marginally better than no extra feeders at all. I would go (and have gone) with heavier.
You could also simply use a short 18 AWG tap between the track and the 14 AWG feeder with no safety worry and negligible extra voltage drop over the few inches you would need.
Thanks for the info Bob. I will see if the local home store has some of the 3/16 quick connects in the blue variety. The discussion is still good - as I have also used 12 Gauge wire with some of the blue (for 14 - 16 gauge) connectors for routing power through a Scotts Odds-n-Ends TVS-4 Surge Supressor.
Two 16 AWG wires in parallel will safely carry almost twice the current that one will, that is, about 20 amperes, which would normally call for 12 AWG. The resistance will be cut in half, from about 4 milliohms per foot to 2 milliohms per foot, which is the same as 13 AWG. (That size would be hard to find in this country, but is common in Europe, where it is known as 2.5 square-millimeter.)
The business of paralleling wires has its cautions: After about three wires, you have to go to more trouble than you probably want to space them farther apart, so that the air can keep them all cool. Paralleling is allowed by the National Electric Code only in hardship cases involving very large wires because of the risk that one of the wires will come disconnected or cut and no one will notice until the fire starts, or that differences in the connection resistance will lead to unbalance in the current sharing. On the other hand, the Europeans do the equivalent all the time in house wiring. They call it a “ring main”. It’s your call.
I have about 1,000 feet of the 16awg, have had it for awhile saving it for the layout. I cant remember if it is UL 1015, or 1060. But my longest length is only going to be about 6’ max. So it would save some $$
Luther, make sure you check the size of the spade connector prior to buying a lot. I went and purchased 18Ga. connectors, but they were too big. I believe they call for #110 size. If you go to the Fastrack yahoo group, they have information on getting them. They also have a good bit of information on working and reworking some items to work with Fastrack. One example is that for the milk platform that goes with the automatic milk cars, you not only have to remove the ballast siding, but also have to cut the tabs off the track side to make it fit.
I have actually had quite an education in FasTrack connectors today! I had some of the 1/4" connectors lying around - they were obviously too big. I found a place on the web that had some 3/16" connectors so I thought I would try to get some locally to make sure they would fit. A trip to Home Depot and Lowes turned up nothing - they only have the 1/4" deal. The local Radio Shack had some 3/16" (to the tune of $2.00 for 8). I got them home - they were too big as well. I finally found a supplier on the Internet that had some 0.110 connectors - 100 for $4.03. The supplier is Del City should anyone need some.
Del City refers to them as push connectors. I have also seen them referred to as quick connects. I did see them referred to as spade connectors somewhere as well, but I believe spade connectors are actually U shaped - used for screw terminals?
The “female” non-insulated, standard barrel, single crimp, size .110 connectors for .020 tab thickness can be found at the online catalog of McMaster-Carr, page 724. They offer two versions, one for 14-16 gauge wire, the other for 18-24 gauge as I recall. McMaster-Carr calls them “Quick-Disconnect Terminals.” You can order packages of 10 or 100. I think either of these would be suitable for the under-track FasTrack tabs, depending on what wire size you want to use. There are line illustrations.
No guarantees from me though. I ordered some just today and obviously have not been able to try them out yet. The link
takes you to a page that is divided up by product types. Look under “Lighting and Electrical” until you find “Connectors,” and click on it. That will get you close. There are arrows that allow you to page back and forth from page to page.
First off, Bob N., I had learned to call them “Spade connectors” along time ago, and given your authority on the subject, I humbly yield. Goes to show that doing something the wrong way for many years still doesn’t make it right.
Luther, My plan is to make a scratch built milk platform and sit it on the side of the operating track for the milk car. I will use a metal plate on the top of the platform to have the PW milk cans with the magnets stick. I also plan to put a fence (read that something to stop the cans from being launched across the yard). Anyway, I think I will relegate the few milk platforms to a loop of tubular track that I will be adding below the main level of the layout. The plan is to use a number of postwar accessories that don’t quite fit in with the hirail look of Fastrack. I will have the 10 foot tall gateman, the 12 foot tall flagman, and others here for the kids to enjoy.
I ordered the Quick Disconnect Terminals (in two wire sizes) from McMaster-Carr late in the afternoon of 11/20. They were on my front porch when I went out to get the paper Thursday morning, 11/22. Don’t know exactly when they were actually dropped off. New Jersey to Maryland – pretty good service, eh?
They certainly seem to be exactly the right ones for FasTrack.