I’m getting ready to start a garden RR and was wondering how the wiring is usually routed? I have an area 10’ x 60’ and last season I ran some outdoor 110v outlets to it.
My question is this:
Do you run the low voltage wiring from the transformer staright across the area to the different points of track
or do you run it under the road bed?
Also, if you do option 1, how deep do you bury it? Do you use PVC or direct burial?
TIA!
The answers to your questions are going to depend on climatic conditions as well as soil type and other factors. Personally, I use on-board battery power and radio controlled DCC to avoid track wiring and cleaning problems altogether. I have seen recommendations from other people on this forum to put wire in PVC pipe, run the PVC beside your track all the way around, and to feed power to the track every 10’ or so. After reading all of that advice, and knowing how rock-hard the soil is, I decided to avoid wiring. It would take a ditch witch to lay wiring in Arizona dirt.
good question milehi I’m starting a garden RR and I had wiring questions to I was told to use 18gauge wire and PVC piping under ground and to use a buildung tocover the wires form the weather. KNIGHT WHISTLE
Hi guys,
The best way is to have bonded track so your electrical continuity is through that rather than having a cable laid under the track with connections evry 10’ or so. If you are using LGB then the bond can be either wire soldered accross the joint or physical clamp. If it’s Aristo then I find the built in screw clamp is great. This means you only need one point of connection from the controller which helps if you start isolating blocks, ie run arounds. It also keeps it nice and simple if you get a stretch of track where the loco stalls, you will be looking for a bad rail joint rather than digging around for a broken cable joint. Main thing is, enjoy what you have. You can look at all the other options when you’ve got trains running.
Cheers,
Kim [#welcome]
[tup]
Hello MileHi,
As stated,track continuity is the most important thing.The track is basically a great big wire that carries the voltage.Get that right and there will be no need for extra feed wires except for isolated track sections.I sometimes solder between joints but have recently bought some Aristocraft track and have used their screwed track joiners.So far,so good.If anything can put up with British weather it must be good!
I also don’t bother with test meters across the track ect.If the train runs ,it’s OK
Troy
I run 12g outdoor wire under my track in the 3" shallow trench I dug for the roadbed. I have a feeder wire bussed off of that about every 3-5 ft just for overkill, screwed in with marine terminal connectors. I don’t use PVC conduit as I worry about retaining moisture in the conduit itself leading to accelerated corrosion. I also run Aritocraft track and like the screw joints, but I also like having triple redundency so nothing spoils my enjoyment of the trains. Overbuilt as it is, I would have to have a TEF (Total Existence Failure) to lose continuity to the point where the trains won’t run. My track has survived quite a few hurricanes and salty sea air with no problems. The important point is to do something and get the trains rolling. [oX)]
T Jack,
Don’t forget the raccoons, you might be able to offload some here!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup][(-D]
That’s true kimbrit, I could equip the 'coons with miner hats and train them to burrow underground to install and repair wiring on existing trackage. All they would need is a wiring schematic and little tool belts with multi-meters. That opens up a whole new martket. Good thinking![oX)]