What wire for turnouts?

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Instead of walking back and forth and manually throwing my remote switches, its time to quit putting off doing the wiring.  This coincides with wiring on/off switches to the sidings for an engine shed and passenger station project I have started.  For this I am using 16 gauge landscape wire from Lowes, 100 ft. for $16.  Guess I could use the same for the turnouts?  The turnouts are Aristo #1 brass, if that is relevant.  The furthest turnout is about 45' from where my power supply hook up is located.  There is a total of 3 turnouts along the way, not sure if any of the connections could be common.  Will have 3 toggles for power to the sidings, and the 3 turnout switches at the control panel end, only I ain't got a control panel!  Any ideas of what to use for a weather proof control panel?

If this would be to wordy to explain, even a website or forum thread reference on any of the above would be a big help.  Don't want to buy a wiring book cause I need the money to buy wire!

Thanks,

Rich F.

[cabbage]

It is not the gauge of the wire that will be your problem -but how you electrically control your turnouts. Most turnout motors operate on a 'pulse' from a capacitor discharge pack -or via AC.

It is the makeing and breaking of the connection that is the most critical -I would suggest that you think about using local (to your turnout) relays to handle the pulse. This should enable you to build module for each of your turnouts -which if they fail can easily be replaced or repaired.

regards

ralph

[Anonymous]

Radio Shack make project boxes which are pretty weatherproof - you would need to use glands on the cable entries or silicone caulk

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032276&cp=2032058.2032230

push button switches or passing contact would be best

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062543&cp=2032058.2032230.2032278&pg=4&parentPage=family

you might need to build an enclosure to keep rain off  unless you could get rubber button caps

[piercedan]

16 guage wire is a lot more robust than what is needed for controlling the LGB EPL drives, or even the Aristo drives.  The power pack suggested for the LGB EPL drives is 18 volt AC at 1/2 amp output.

For my LGB EPL drives, I used ribbon cable as I have 20 conductors in one cable.

EPL drive 25 foot away works just fine and this wire is smaller than 20 guage.

Even when close to the power pack I found the EPL drives sometimes sluggish, so I added the LGB EPL booster and now all my switches are much snappier.

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

The 16 gauge is probably overkill, but relatively cheap, and I wasn't sure what effect a passenger consist of ten illuminated cars (over 10 amp draw) would have on light gauge wiring.  One of the rail clamp manufacturers recommended 16 gauge also, but I didn't question why.  There is an article on Aristo's site where large consists of illuminated cars has fried the thinner wire Aristo used in their turnousts prior to 2000.  From mid 2000 on, the author states Aristo changed to heavier wiring to correct the meltdowns (from the board to the motor).  The author suggested to be safe, modify with 16 gauge, so I went with it for powering options to both sidings and the turnouts.  Upon inspection of my turnouts I did find one with the light gauge wiring, which I replaced.  I know nothing about two rail switches, or if amp demands from the cars/engines are even a factor, but I've been very busy and all the wiring is laid and hopefully will work.  I loosely mounted the turnouts to 1 x 4 treated lumber as I had also read it doesn't take much to bind the mechanisms.  Ironically, the wood will probably warp and end up binding anyway, in which case I will use pvc or some other synthetic.  I have a Bridgewerks Mag 15, but instead of using the constant 24 VAC output, was going to use a transformer from one of the sets I had purchased.  I thought it would be best to use variable AC to get the best response without overloading the motors.  What does EPL mean?  Not sure what the relays are for but am interested.  Anywhere I can get more info?

Thanks,

Rich F. 

[piercedan]

Original question was for the turnout operation which is a small motors requiring less than 1/2 amp.
Your last statement is track power and 16 guage is too small, go with 12 guage for track power especailly for many lit cars and dual engines such as SD-45/Dash9, or PA's.

22 guage is ok for EPL drives to control the trunouts (Aristo motorized switch throws are similiar to LGB EPL drives and do not need large wire.)

Of course if you are just powering the siding from the mainline, 16 guage for a short run will be OK.

Mainline wiring should always be robust and I run 2 pairs of 12 guage outdoor wire from my controller to opposite points of the layout.