my layout is L shaped; 3ft by 10ft.; in the lastest nscale the article on dcc wiring recommends 28awg for feeder wire and 12awg for bus wires. however, I cannot find any match with available suitcase connectors. any thoughts?
My recommendation is don't use suitcase connectors.
Learn to solder, and solder them. I think solder is a much more reliable connection although not as easy. Once you learn how to solder, it will be a skill that you will always use.
However, with such a small layout, you don't really need to use AWG 12 for the Bus. You could use AWG 14 or 16 and all will be OK. You can also use AWG 22 for the feeders. As long as you keep the part soldered to the rail small, and paint them when done, they won't show.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I agree fully with Mac...12 gauge is for house wiring where you plug toasters and water heaters in to a circuit. Much heavier than you need. 16 gauge would be just great for the lengths you need for a bus, and you really should use 20-22 gauge for the feeders if you would rather listen to the experts who teach this stuff on line. I wouldn't dream of using 28 gauge. That's the gauge you would find in a small battery-operated musical toy.
-Crandell
I model in HO scale. I use 12ga house wire for my buss, which would be over kill for your layout, but I have long wire runs. I use IDC/Suitcase connectors to connect the buss wire to terminal strips. I run my track feeder wires, in my case 18ga, from the track to the terminal strips.
With your layout, I would just use the terminal strips. They should work fine. I get mine at Radio Shack. In the past I have used 18ga wire for my buss for a 12' x 12' modular HO layout in a spare bed room. I bought the wire at Radio Shack and also Menards as I use two colors for the buss, with the same colors for the feeders. This helps keep tack of the wiring.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
You should be fine with 16ga bus and 20 - 22 ga feeders. Soldering is the best connection. If an IDC is preferred, 3M #558 should do the trick. We use 12 ga bus and 18 ga feeders on NTRAK modules. That RP has some overkill purposely built in.
BTW, comparing 12 ga for 120VAC 30 amp house circuits is not the same as for 12 - 16 volts 5 amp DCC circuits. Voltage drop is what counts. 5% drop on that house circuit will still run a toaster oven. 5% drop on low voltage may yield some very odd responses from decoders.
Martin Myers
With a 3x10 layout, even if you locate the DCC system at one end with the layout stretching out for 10 feet, #16 wire will be plenty for the bus. #28 is a little light for feeders, that's telephone wire. Might be perfect for Z scale. I use #20 for HO, #22 would be good for N.
This section of Allan Gartner's site has great information on feeders, with evidence from actual testing: http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track_2.htm . The rest of Allan's site is packed with useful information on DCC.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
thanks for your help everybody. great responses!