Strange, not a single mention of the October 2007 MR article that actually discusses this very issue.
Look at Page 78, the DCC Corner column that covers Good Wiring Practices to get a true perspective on your options. It is a good article by Mike Polsgrove and worth a read.
Oh, and on Page 51 there is an under-layout picture that shows lots of suitcase connectors on Steven Barkley’s layout.
Amen to that. I run all my cables that way. I drill a hole from the top down, and do all my connections to the track first, then feed the cable through the hole, cross it underneath the layout by way of the loops (and cable ties), and then finish the connections sitting in a chair. No way am I going to do soldering upside down under the layout. (I did plenty of that when I was still doing electrical assembly work for a living and physically I want no more of that)
Woodlandtoots
Jim, I sent the Posi-Tap folks an email asking about their product and this is the reply.
“They are great for Model RR, but, only with stranded. It would be worth it to change to stranded wire for the time you will save.”
JaRRell
Posiplug connectors are 50 cents to a dollar each, while 3M suitcase connectors at an auto supply store will cost you 15-20 cents each. Big price difference between the two technologies. For model railroading, I can’t see the reliability of posiplug would be 5 times better, so the “return on investment” isn’t there.
I’ve used 3M suitcase connectors on my HO Siskiyou Line for over 10 years now, with not one failure ever. And we run op sessions each month, so the layout is used to run trains regularly.
As to whether or not you would trust building an airplane with these, I also expect wire nuts used in house wiring are NOT used in airplanes either, but that doesn’t stop house electricians and it’s allowed by code.
Joe, you said the prime thing in one sentence, that you use 3M suitcase connectors. Many of the suitcase connectors sold in auto supply stores are cheap knock-offs of the 3M product and don’t work even half as well. I found this out through personal experience with the cheaper products. The 3M connectors work well, the knock-offs don’t.[:)]
If I had answered this thread yesterday I would have given them my unqualifed approval. Tonight I’m not so sure, since I spent most of this morning rewiring a failed suitcase connection. Last year when I relocated a wall in the basement I also installed a new 120v outlet. Having used suitcase connectors with success on my layout, I decided to employ them in a little house wiring. After running a length of Romex up to the ceiling box where all of the existing outlets merge, I used the connectors to tie the new lines into an existing pair of lines. At the time it seemed to be a more elegant solution than peeling the electrical tape off of the existing wire splices and resoldering them. Well it worked for about a year, but this AM when I went to fire up the PC in the basement, I discovered I had no power! Odd given the fact that there were no tripped breakers, and every other outlet in the basement was working. Starting with the outlet itself I traced the dead circuit all the way back to the ceiling box. Apparently one of the suitcase connections failed. I ripped them both out, peelled off the tape and soldered the leads onto the old wires. The outlet and the PC is back in operation. So it appears that you should not employ these devices on heavier guage wires.
I don’t believe that either the suitcase connectors or the soldering are code approved for what you are using them for, in 120V wiring.
On the subject of wiring I have a stupid[D)] question, I am setting up my wiring this weekend. I am just using the two wires from the zepher right now but going to do wiring since I am runing more trains.
My questions is when you run the two bus wires, the black and the red what do you do with the ends? I know one end goes into the terminal but the other end? Do you loop it or cap it off or what? This is my first layout and I am no pro. Can some one post a picture of your wiring? I have a 5x9 with two main line ovals with multiple switches. Thanks
For that size of layout, there’s no problem just taping off the ends and tying them up out of the way.
Ok thanks, sorry for my ignorance. I am not good with electrical.
At least soldering the connections will hold a lot longer than those connectors. Wire nuts would be best.
There are types of buses where that isn’t the answer, no need to apologize for asking!
Ok thanks for the help I am going to start my wiring, it will be a good fun. I am going to not use the suitcase connectors even though I have some. I have used them to power guages on some drag cars I built with my Dad. They can have issues but usually they have not given me any trouble.
Joe, I don’t think there’s much difference in cost between the good quality 3M suitcase connectors and Posi-Taps. Another offset to the cost is that you can connect up to three 18 gauge and four 22 gauge to one bus using one Posi-Tap. It’s also nice, when you don’t get the connection right, not to have to waste a connector. They are usually used with stranded wire but I’ve used them with solid bus wire without a problem. I think the only issue would be solid wire that’s too big to be twisted together and fit in the small half of the Posi-Tap.
If you’re a confirmed suitcase user, far be it from me to disuade you. I’d ask you just to try a box of 10 Posi-Taps, especially for lighting wiring, and see if you can’t get things done a lot faster and have work that is at least as reliable as the suitcase.
Yes, that could be true. But neither is appropriate for the task. As much as a lot of the code seems silly, I rather suspect that there is a history of fires behind every rule.
You’re right. I’ve seen quite a few house fires started by wiring that was supposedly up to code.
These kind of stories scare the hell out of me !!! [:O] I do electrical work on the side and have rewired more than a few homes. The things I find are amazing - IF you’re not well versed in proper 110v wiring, either learn it or get help - too many bad things can happen.
DO NOT “THINK” / “GUESS” / “ASSUME” IT SHOULD WORK - YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Mark.
I admit, in retrospect the suitcase connections were a dumb idea. But as for the soldered connections, well they came courtesy of the electrician who wired the place when it was built in the 1970’s. All of the connections, including the one I added, are inside a grounded, UL-approved, metal junction box. Of course I’ve found other things in this house where I had to ask myself; “How did that ever get past the building inspector?”
I don’t know if you’re still interested, but I got this link in a email from Micro Mark:
Someone at Micro Mark must read this forum , I got that same Flash message this morning.