We just completed our annual clean-up and accessories check-out on the O27 layout. A couple adjustments but, overall, nothing really to do, that is, except maybe replacing the contactors with the insulated sections of track.
Had some visitors. One, whose name I shall not mention, looked under the layout and promptly advised me that my wiring technique was "old fashioned".
For years, I have had a wire running from a separate transformer supplying power to the accessories. I cut the wire to the needed length, attach the wire from the accessory to that wire and join it to another length of the original wire and continue onto the next accessory.
He told me that there are clip attachments that can be used. Just place them on the main wire and attach the joining wire. (No cutting or splicing) His "club" uses them all the time.
I thanked him for his observation and left it at that.
Here's my question:
The main wire from the transformer is 14 gauge and the wires from the accessories appear to be @ 20 gauge. Can those attachments that he mentioned work with wires that are so different? (I think that I had seen something like that in the past but I seem to remember that the gauge wires had to be closer in size)
As always, many thanks.
They are "insulation displacement connectors" (IDC), but commonly called "suitcase" connectors. Their main advantage is that they do not require cutting the bus wire. Many other methods require that you have provided extra bus-wire length to accommodate the connectors. It is a nuisance to find suitcase connectors to attach small-gauge taps to a large-gauge bus. One workaround would be to connect a short tap of the same gauge as the bus, then transition to the smaller gauge with a wire nut.
Bob Nelson
You are referring to tap splices, AKA suitcase connectors. They are mostly available in two sizes. Blue, connects 14-18 gauge wire and Red- connects 18-22 gauge. I mostly use the blue ones because I use 14 gauge bus lines for power and 18 gauge feeders to the track.Unfortunately, if you are trying to splice 14 to 20 that will not quite work. You will have to change to 18 gauge wire to the accessory and go with blue or 18 gauge bus and use red.
I made a video on how to use these connectors, enjoy,
f3WYD7teKIA
Here's a connector that accepts a male Faston, which can of course be on a tap of any wire gauge. All the hits I get for these seem to be Swedish, e.g., http://www.mekonomen.se/bil/forbrukning/elmaterial/kabelskor/skarvklamma-pa97979sv
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month