Stripping wire in the "middle" for DCC power bus?

[Anonymous]

OK, so I've read the Kalmbach DCC book, and I've read articles in the magazine and online about using a 12 - 14 AWG bus to power the layout. What I haven't seen is any explanation about how you strip the coating off the bus to attach the feeder wires. So you just do two cuts with a regular wire stripper, and then use a hobby knife to cut off the covering between the cuts? Or is there some kind of fancy wire stripper that does it all at once?

Thanks again for your help, folks!

[rexhea]

You need to buy a pair of wire strippers (I like "Ideal") that have individual gauge slots in the jaws. Then put your 12 or 14 gauge wire in its slot and clamp down through the insulation. Move your stripper to the left and then right, pushing the insulation back about an inch. Wrap your feed wire tightly around the bus wire and then solder and tape (hard to stay on a small connection. wrap well). It will help you solder the connection if you tin the wires first. This is heating and applying a ltitle solder to each wire before wrapping the connection. Stagger the connection points to give added protection against short.
REX

[michealfarley]

Some people don't like them, but I use the blue "suitcase connector" that is manufactured for automotive use. They are made for 12-16 gauge wire, and can carry the heavy load of an automotive battery, so your 14-16V, 5-10A DCC bus should be no problem. There's also a smaller version for 18-22 gauge wire that is a pink color.

The way they work is, a flat piece of metal with two grooves that sits in the plastic "Suitcase". When you squeeze the connector with a pair of pliers, the metal strips both wires and makes positive contact between them. They are about $5 for a box of 25. If you've seen any recent articles by Dave Barrow on wiring his dominos, you'll see the little blue connector at each wire splice.

I've never had a real problem with these, and if you have a bad joint, take the old connector out and put a new one in. They are not expensive to replace at all.

[der5997]

I guess the "Ideal" type is your answer to the "Is there a special stripper?" question. However, I've not found it necessary. Just the two cuts with the ordinary wire strippers, and a CAREFUL use of the hobby knife. I try to carve along the insulation , baring the wires in several passes, rather than going for the whole length at once. Also, I've not found an inch to be necessary, more like 1/2 to 1/4 inch. So long as your cuts at the ends (with the stripper) get down to the wires,( AND DON'T CUT THROUGH THEM) then the insulation remaining after your carving should be able to be peeled back and drop off. This should leave you with bare wires. Tin these before wrapping your feeders to them. It stops any fraying, and replaces any metal lost by the odd wire cut by your stripper and left with the peeled off insulation.
Have fun, and be careful with that knife![:P]

[Anonymous]

I use almost the same method as Rex and Der5997. I use my stripper to cut the two ends of the insulation, then I use my Exacto knife on the side off the blade to slice/cut from one end to the other. remove the two halves of the insulation and you are ready to solder.
Those suitcase things are great but not on my layout. I try to make everything fail safe. You may have a bad connection with one of those things but never a good solder joint.
That's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

[Anonymous]

Thanks -- I just bought one of those wire strippers with the pre-set holes at Radio Shack, so I should be set. Once I finish painting the layout room (and the next time, I'll remember to ask she-who-must-be-obeyed if she wants the room painted BEFORE I build the benchwork [banghead]), I'll be ready to start stringing out the power bus.

[Sperandeo]

Hi Joe,

If you're going to use a wire stripper, the kind to get is an automatic stripper, You slip the wire into the appropriate size jaw and squeeze the handles, and it cuts and pushes back the insulation even in the middle of a wire. It's a much better tool for all kinds of stripping jobs, and usually costs about 20 bucks at any well-stocked hardware store. There's a picture of one on page 100 of my book, "Easy Model Railroad Wiring."

That said, I use "suitcase" connectors (or IDCs, for insulation displacement connectors) for tapping feeders into bus wires. If you use the Scotchlok brand from 3M, the brown no. 567 connector fits 10-12 gauge wire on the "run" or through side, and 14-18 gauge wire on the "tap" or stub side. I've found these completely reliable for layout use, and much faster and easier than stripping, soldering, and taping a bunch of connections. Suitcase connectors are covered on pages 100-101 of "Easy Model Railroad Wiring." The most convenient way to buy them in quantity is online, and I get them from Mouser at www.mouser.com.

A good, inexpensive tool for installing IDCs is the Robo-Grip cam-action plier. Channel-locks work too, but not as well.

Good luck,

Andy.

[Sperandeo]

Hi Joe,

If you're going to use a wire stripper, the kind to get is an automatic stripper, You slip the wire into the appropriate size jaw and squeeze the handles, and it cuts and pushes back the insulation even in the middle of a wire. It's a much better tool for all kinds of stripping jobs, and usually costs about 20 bucks at any well-stocked hardware store. There's a picture of one on page 100 of my book, "Easy Model Railroad Wiring."

That said, I use "suitcase" connectors (or IDCs, for insulation displacement connectors) for tapping feeders into bus wires. If you use the Scotchlok brand from 3M, the brown no. 567 connector fits 10-12 gauge wire on the "run" or through side, and 14-18 gauge wire on the "tap" or stub side. I've found these completely reliable for layout use, and much faster and easier than stripping, soldering, and taping a bunch of connections. Suitcase connectors are covered on pages 100-101 of "Easy Model Railroad Wiring." The most convenient way to buy them in quantity is online, and I get them from Mouser at www.mouser.com.

A good, inexpensive tool for installing IDCs is the Robo-Grip cam-action plier. Channel-locks work too, but not as well.

Good luck,

Andy.

[Anonymous]

I decided to use termianl strips from Radio Shack. They have worked very well.

[rexhea]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sperandeo

Hi Joe,

If you're going to use a wire stripper, the kind to get is an automatic stripper, You slip the wire into the appropriate size jaw and squeeze the handles, and it cuts and pushes back the insulation even in the middle of a wire. It's a much better tool for all kinds of stripping jobs, and usually costs about 20 bucks at any well-stocked hardware store. There's a picture of one on page 100 of my book, "Easy Model Railroad Wiring."

That said, I use "suitcase" connectors (or IDCs, for insulation displacement connectors) for tapping feeders into bus wires. If you use the Scotchlok brand from 3M, the brown no. 567 connector fits 10-12 gauge wire on the "run" or through side, and 14-18 gauge wire on the "tap" or stub side. I've found these completely reliable for layout use, and much faster and easier than stripping, soldering, and taping a bunch of connections. Suitcase connectors are covered on pages 100-101 of "Easy Model Railroad Wiring." The most convenient way to buy them in quantity is online, and I get them from Mouser at www.mouser.com.

A good, inexpensive tool for installing IDCs is the Robo-Grip cam-action plier. Channel-locks work too, but not as well.

Good luck,

Andy.

Thanks Andy for the web site for IDC connectors. I didn't know that they made them for the smaller size wire. The #567's are .30 cents each/100 count order. Heck, I'm willing to try connectors instead of stripping and soldering. My bones pop and growl every time I go under my layout. So anything to help get in and out quicker.[:D]

REX

[jwmurrayjr]

Rex,

I'd certainly vote for the connectors (suitcase, tap-in). They're fast and neat and work great.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sperandeo

Hi Joe,

If you're going to use a wire stripper, the kind to get is an automatic stripper, You slip the wire into the appropriate size jaw and squeeze the handles, and it cuts and pushes back the insulation even in the middle of a wire. It's a much better tool for all kinds of stripping jobs, and usually costs about 20 bucks at any well-stocked hardware store. There's a picture of one on page 100 of my book, "Easy Model Railroad Wiring."

That said, I use "suitcase" connectors (or IDCs, for insulation displacement connectors) for tapping feeders into bus wires. If you use the Scotchlok brand from 3M, the brown no. 567 connector fits 10-12 gauge wire on the "run" or through side, and 14-18 gauge wire on the "tap" or stub side. I've found these completely reliable for layout use, and much faster and easier than stripping, soldering, and taping a bunch of connections. Suitcase connectors are covered on pages 100-101 of "Easy Model Railroad Wiring." The most convenient way to buy them in quantity is online, and I get them from Mouser at www.mouser.com.

A good, inexpensive tool for installing IDCs is the Robo-Grip cam-action plier. Channel-locks work too, but not as well.

Good luck,

Andy.

Thanks, Andy! I in fact ordered your book online here yesterday -- LHS didn't have it in stock and didn't know when they'd get it in.

I have 14 gauge wire for the bus, and 20 for the runs to the track ; I'll check the Mouser website to see if there are Scotchloks to fit those wires. I would prefer to do as little soldering as possible. [:)]

Ok, I checked the Mouser site, and it looks like the red #905 is the one I need; 18-14 run and 22-18 tap. I'll order a bunch and see how they work.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if anyone has suggested this, but wouldn't it be easier to use self-adhesive copper tape? I use this for long cable runs as it's easier to keep under control than wire - you just stick it to the underside of the board. For DCC I'd suggest running a pair of copper strips under the rails as a power bus, soldering the track feeders to them.

[cwclark]

i think it's just as easy to use a terminal strip and wire the entire side of it at each screw with jumper wires...it took me only 45 minutes to wire a 20 element terminal block with a pair of wire cutters, a pair of wire strippers, and a screw driver....the other asset in this is that i can number the wires accordingly and go directly to an electical problem if i have one...I keep a notebook with drawings of my wiring diagrams in them for each electrical system using a numerical wire list...Chuck[:D]

[ClinchValleySD40]

With all of the hundreds of drop feeders I've had to attach, I could not imagine soldering them. The "suitcase" connectors (actually IDC's) are the only way to go.

I use the brown ones, 12/14ga buss with 18ga drop feeders.

If you go to Mousers site (www.mouser.com) you can find them on page 869 of the new catalog. Item number 517-567.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, all! I decided the IDCs were the way to go, and ordered a hundred of # 517-905s from Mouser yesterday. That should be enough for my layout, but I know where to get more if I need them. [:)]

[Anonymous]

This was very very helpful to a rookie. Thanks to all

[grayfox1119]

I agree with Chuck. Terminal strips are cheap and very effective, they mount quickly anywhere, and with a battery powered screw gun, it takes less than a minute to mount them. I use fork lugs with turned up ends which lock under the tightening screws so they stay in place. For those that feel that they can come loose with vibration, you can use lock or star washers if you wish for added tightness. We used them extensively in the military and never had a problem under far worse conditions than MRR layouts will ever be subjected to. And as Chuck stated, it is very easy to trace electrical problems.

***

[ClinchValleySD40]

Originally posted by grayfox1119

I agree with Chuck. Terminal strips are cheap and very effective, they mount quickly anywhere, and with a battery powered screw gun, it takes less than a minute to mount them. I use fork lugs with turned up ends which lock under the tightening screws so they stay in place. For those that feel that they can come loose with vibration, you can use lock or star washers if you wish for added tightness. We used them extensively in the military and never had a problem under far worse conditions than MRR layouts will ever be subjected to. And as Chuck stated, it is very easy to trace electrical problems.

***

Sorry, I don't understand. We're talking attaching drop feeders from the track to the main power buss. I use these terminal strips extensively for things like switch machines and such, but would never think to use them for drop feeders. Nothing is easier and quicker than IDC's. Takes about 5 seconds to attach a drop feeder the the buss wire.

Can you elaborate on how you're using the terminal strips to attach the drop feeders?

Larry

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