Quick disconnect for wiring and bus wire question

[cbow1978]

I am going to start building my layout soon but I have some limitations which have led me down this path to ask this question. So a little background, I could potentially move around the country so I want something that can ultimately be broken down easily. And I am limited in space except for my basement where the doorway is only 30 inches. So my solution is to make a series of ~28" wide tables by 3-5' depending on where that particular piece will go. Since it needs to able to be broken down easily, is there a way to have a quick disconnect for the wiring or some kind of plug from on piece of bench work to the other so I would have to cut the wire and then rewire at my new location? Or is there someone with way more experience than me know of better way to do what I want to do?

As a secondary question, the layout I designed is a parallel loop that has several crossovers. Can I run one bus wire to power the left hand track for both tracks and another bus wire to power the right hand track for both tracks with feeder wires running from the single bus wires for each left/right track?

Hopefully I've made sense with my questions. I'm working midnights now so the brain doesn't always function the best.

Thanks, Chris

[richhotrain]

cbow1978

Since it needs to able to be broken down easily, is there a way to have a quick disconnect for the wiring or some kind of plug from on piece of bench work to the other so I would have to cut the wire and then rewire at my new location?

As a secondary question, the layout I designed is a parallel loop that has several crossovers. Can I run one bus wire to power the left hand track for both tracks and another bus wire to power the right hand track for both tracks with feeder wires running from the single bus wires for each left/right track?

Chris, there are all kinds of male/female quick disconnect electrical connectors to choose from to turn your bus wires into a modular system.  Check in the electrical department of your local Home Depot or Lowes.  These quick disconnect eloectrical connectors come in all kinds of sizes depending upon the gauge of your bus wires.

If I understand your question correctly about the bus wires, that is exactly how the bus wires should be handled.  Use two different colors of wire for the bus, one color is used to power one rail and the other color is used to power the other rail.  You will need to drop feeder wires from each rail to its respective bus wire.

Rich

["JaBear"]

Gidday Chris, the local DCC HO  modular group that I'm loosely associated with,use this method,with two bolts, to join their modules together. 

It works for me so must be fool proof.  

Cheers, the Bear.

[cacole]

There are all kinds of quick disconnects available from electronics suppliers and automotive parts dealers.

We use polarized connectors purchased in bulk from All Electronics, a surplus electronics company in Van Nuys, California.  All catalog number(s) CON-20, 30, 40, 60, or 90, depending on how many wires you need to interconnect.

http://www.allelectronics.com 

[Seamonster]

You might want to check out the N Trak web site to see how they do it.  They have modules built by all different people to certain standards and they join them together at meets to create one very large layout.  You can find out how they join their modules, how they treat the joints in the track between modules, and how they do the electrical disconnects between modules.  Click on the "standards" link.

http://ntrak.org/index.htm

EDIT: sorry, I couldn't figure out how to make the link clickable.  You'll have to copy and paste it to your browser.

 

[cuyama]

Making the link clickable
http://ntrak.org/index.htm 

Some specifics of electrical connections are here
http://ntrak.org/ntrak_powerpole_rp.htm  

Many modular groups are now using the Anderson Power Pole connectors.

But modular groups must set up their layouts hundreds of times and must connect to other modules that are built by others. so the need for a quick connect/disconnect standard.

If you are building sections that will only connect to themselves and expect only to move a few times, something simpler and cheaper will also work, such as terminal strips on each section that are joined by jumpers.

[chatanuga]

I was looking for a way to connect the power between my layout sections years ago.  When I started my layout, I'd used solid jumpers between the layout sections, but the thought of unscrewing the wires from the terminal strips didn't appeal to me.  So, one day while doing maintenance on a PC at work, I came across a power splitter and realized that they would be perfect.  I got a bunch of them off Ebay for a cheap price.  I think they came in bunches of 25 each.  Basically, I took the one leg of the Y and plugged it into the plug at the split and then snipped the wires for that plug at the split.  I then snipped the plug off the other leg of the Y, leaving me with a 4-wire connection and a plug in the middle that could easily be unplugged.

The plugs are also labeled so that plug A goes to plug A, B to B, and so on.  I also used the same method when I got walkaround throttles a couple years ago and needed a way to plug them into the layout (at the right in the photo below).

While I haven't had to move yet, the plugs will make it easy to disconnect the sections of my layout.

Kevin

[rrinker]

 Bear's post shows how I physically joined my layout sections. I've already moved, after completing one section, and it worked out well. Most of my layotu is 24" wide, which is plenty, really. One wall is is only 1' wide, because it only has a single track runnign through it.

 Width isn't the problem, unless you don;t fasten scenic items, you can always tip them on their sides to get through narrow doors. I originally built the framework to be 2x4 foot sections, but when I put the foam on top I didn;t cut the 8' pieces, so what I really have aare a bunch of 2x8 foot sections. My current place is the second and third (formerly attic) of a house, and to reach the third floor the stairs are narrow, and there are two hard 180 degree turns at the top of each stairwell to proceed down the hall. The 2x8 section was easily carried up by 2 people with no problem. Less jointsm less pain, less potential problem, so I woudl consider that when planning the breaks.

I didn;t cut or otherwise put conenctions on my wiring. There's enough slack to attach connectors so if I do move the layout as-is, I can quickly cut the sections as I take it apart (I also laid the track continuous across the gaps, so the track will need to be cut). Reality is, any new location will probably nt have the same dimensions and so it may not ever go back together as it was, although my hope is that when I move t will be to a palce with enough space to build my 'dream' layout, in which case I could potentially reassemble the existing one in the middle of the room free standing until I finish plannign and start building the "big one". More critically,  won;t be pressed for tiume to dismantle the existing layotu to move out of here, I can just haul it away as is and then take my time salvaging that which is reusable.

                 --Randy

 

[mfm37]

NTRAK links have already been posted so no sense repeating. Electricall, we use the Anderson Powerpoles in pairs. These can also be assembled into blocks with as many plugs as needed. I've got a few modules that are dedicated together that have a dozen plugs assembled into one big plug.  These can be found in many hobby shops that stock RC equipment, mail order through any of the sources listed in the NTRAK specs. That includes the NTRAK  store. Membership not equired.

NTRAK uses C clamps to assemble modules for temporary layouts. They work but for frames that will be only taken apart every once and a while, bolts, nuts, and washers would be simpler and less prone to movement.

For track, take a lesson from the FREMO folks. They lay the track across the joint then cut it with a cutoff blade to separate. One useful tip: measure the thickness of the cut off tool first. Aquire a piece of styrene  close to but not thinner then the blade. Assemble the modules with the shim between. Lay track, cut the joint and remove the shim. Rails will butt.

Martin Myers

[tomikawaTT]

Two suggestions for disconnects, and a suggestion for avoiding them:

Heavy (bus wires) power connection - look into the polarized 3+1 trailer connection sets, available at most auto parts houses.

Lots of #22 wires (switch machines, signals, etc...) - electronic D-connectors.  Don't buy a cable, just get the connector set and solder your own wires to it.  I use these for the connections to a couple of removable yard throats.

OTOH, you can install your wiring with a saggy set of parallel loops across the section joint.  Then make a duct tape sandwich, with the wires between.  If you have to disconnect, use your pruning shears to cut right through center of the duct tape, wires and all.  You can install the quick-disconnect system of choice when you reassemble the layout - secure in the knowledge that the wires have been kept in the proper order.

I really like Bear's elegant solution for bus wires.  Unfortunately, if I used it I'd have a dead short.  My benchwork is built of steel studs...

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[cbow1978]

Thanks  for the feedback Rich.

This is what I was trying to describe but not very well. One black bus wire would power both left rails of each track and one red bus wire would power both right rails of each track. Of course feeders would actually take the power to the respective rails.

I don't think there would be an issue as long as I wire it correctly and make sure the crossovers are done properly.

Thanks again,

Chris

[cbow1978]

I really like this idea and it would work for me since I was planning on bolting the sections together.

Thanks Bear.

[cbow1978]

Thanks for the link. I've bookmarked it so I can research what I ultimately want to do.

[MisterBeasley]

Kevin's post shows not only the plugs he uses for quick-disconnect, but also terminal blocks.  For the needs described, I think the terminal blocks are sufficient.  Each wire can easily be disconnected with a screwdriver, and by defining and sticking to a wiring color code, it's easy to re-connect them.  This is based on the idea, though, that the layout will only be broken down infrequently, say once a year or so, and there aren't too many wires to make this unwieldy.

Also, consider "localizing" power and control for those items which don't span the whole layout.  For example, use a separate power supply for structure lighting for each module, rather than running a layout-wide bus for that.  Put turnout control on the fascia of each module, instead of having a single "master" control panel.

[chatanuga]

MisterBeasley

Kevin's post shows not only the plugs he uses for quick-disconnect, but also terminal blocks.  For the needs described, I think the terminal blocks are sufficient.  Each wire can easily be disconnected with a screwdriver, and by defining and sticking to a wiring color code, it's easy to re-connect them.  This is based on the idea, though, that the layout will only be broken down infrequently, say once a year or so, and there aren't too many wires to make this unwieldy.

Originally, I did use solid wires between terminal strips at the end of layout sections.

However, with 6 cabs, 2 mainline connections, and (in one spot) up to 8 yard tracks, that would be up to 32 wires that I would have to disconnect between layout sections.  Since I rent my townhouse and need to be able to move the layout quickly and easily, replacing the wired connections with plugs was a much better solution.

Kevin

[rdgk1se3019]

Found a more direct link for the powerpole connectors.

 

Powerpole Connectors