Tortoise Wiring - ? Gauge

[JMB]

Hooking up 20 Tortoise Switch Machines for my N-Scale layout.

Will power with a 12v DC transformer (retired from a former HO layout).

Using Cross-Wired DPDT Switches & Red/Green LED's in series with the motors.

What gauge wiring do you recommend I use for this system?

(My DCC Bus is 14 ga with 22 ga feeders to the track.)

Many thanks for any advice!

...John

[Bill54]

I use telephone hook up wire.  It is solid 22 or 24 gauge I believe and it works just fine. 

Bill

[jbinkley60]

I use 24ga CAT5 cable with punchdown blocks.  Tortoises draw around 15ma.  Pretty much any wire thicker than a hair will work.

 

[tomikawaTT]

I use 24ga CAT5 cable with punchdown blocks.  Tortoises draw around 15ma.  Pretty much any wire thicker than a hair will work.

With that 15ma power requirement, 24 gauge is overkill unless your feeder runs the length of a basketball court.

Of course, wire smaller than that is rather difficult to find, and also rather fragile when you put your head into the under-table spiderweb...

I've been known to power KTM rocksmasher twin-coils through #24 wire.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[joe-daddy]

I use 24ga CAT5 cable with punchdown blocks.  Tortoises draw around 15ma.  Pretty much any wire thicker than a hair will work.

 

Jeff, Thanks for sharing your website address.  Examined your approach to wiring and find I took a similar approach to wiring turnout controls and signals.  Like you, I use Cat5 however, instead of 66 blocks I use a patchpanel with a 110 block in my DCC drawer as I have over 30 detection blocks and the feedback system requires home run wiring. I use a levitron RJ45 socket at the far end plugged onto an RJ45 end of the cable.  I then punch wires to the socket (actually a mini 110 block).

For Turnouts, I use Wabbit/Hares that require only connection to the DCC bus.  I use a PC operated CTC panel to control all turnouts remotely and local pushbuttons at each turnout location when manual switching is desired.

Glad to see others using network wiring capabilities for their Railroad.

My blog has more information and pictures on the approach I used on the C&SF. 

http://wwwjoe-daddy.blogspot.com/2008/04/dcc-drawer.html 

 

I don't know why the picture does not work, as it shows up perfectly in edit mode??  

Thanks to the experts who advised me on how to fix this! 

 

 

[UpNorth]

Spaces in name are being dropped.

 

[BlueHillsCPR]

I don't know why the picture does not work, as it shows up perfectly in edit mode?? 

I would take the spaces out of the filename.

I also intend to use cat5, a punchdown distribution panel, leviton quickports, etc. for wiring... pretty well everything except track buss. If you have the tools and know how it's a very neat easy to manage wiring system. IMO.

EDIT: YEah, like Upnorth said!

[JMB]

This is why I love these Forums!

Simple question on wire gauge quickly answered.

And then the experts get on board & open up a whole vista of possibilities.

Is there a reference or source of info on utilizing network wiring for our layouts?

Love the concept but do not have any practical experience with this type of wiring (except for my home LAN with 3 computers).

Always willing to learn!

...John