Ideas for easy disconnect lighting

[Reformed Grownup]

I am in the process of adding lights (DCC controlled) to a couple of my HO locos (BB F7 and SW7). Wiring the cab light on the SW7 is going to be a pain to accomplish - even with the cab removed from the hood. Sooooo...I would like to rig it so that I can "unplug" the lighting leads from the decoder so that the bulbs/LEDs remain in the shell when I remove the shell from the chassis.

 

I see that Walthers has these Miniatronics micro-mini connectors "on sale" for $8.98, but I I can't see spending that muc for 2 tiny sets of plugs.

 

Scale shops offers these connectors, but I can't tell from the pictures whether they would suit my needs or even fit for that matter.

 I somewhere seem to remember someone using SIPPs as connectors, but I can't find them locally (here in the sticks).

 

Does anyone have a "handyman" (CHEAP) solution? Something I might find at Radio Shack ( I know I said cheap...but at least I wouldn't have to pay shipping) or some other local big-box (Wal*mart/Lowes/HD)

 

Thanks in advance!

[Texas Zepher]

For years I've just used "milled" IC socket connectors from the local electronics store that look very much like the "Scale Shops" shown in the picture.   I solder the wire to the pin and put heat shrink tubing over them.  For a pair I use another larger heat shrink tube.  

I've also tried and used the Minatronics plugs with various degrees of success.  Generally I am disapointed with how easily they are to "accidentally" disconnect.

Radio Shack does not carry the milled pins anymore. 

[Reformed Grownup]

For years I've just used "milled" IC socket connectors from the local electronics store that look very much like the "Scale Shops" shown in the picture.   I solder the wire to the pin and put heat shrink tubing over them.  For a pair I use another larger heat shrink tube.  

I've also tried and used the Minatronics plugs with various degrees of success.  Generally I am disapointed with how easily they are to "accidentally" disconnect.

Radio Shack does not carry the milled pins anymore. 

Great, so the Scale Shops connectors are something to consider. Thanks.

 

Does anybody have any idea of the sizes of these things? Walthers list "miniature" and "sub-miniature" ....well that's a whole heaping lot of help... why not little and littler?

Seriously, anyone with knowledge of dimensions is welcomed to join in. I need something that will fit under the hood of the SW7 (I'm detailing the cab - no room there)...small is good, smaller is better, but tiny it too little (a case of giant dopey fingers).

Thanks again

 

Thanks

[nedthomas]

The Scale Shops connectors look like standard IC socket headers so the pin spacing would be (.100) inches. Ten pins to the inch. Hope this helps.

[Reformed Grownup]

The Scale Shops connectors look like standard IC socket headers so the pin spacing would be (.100) inches. Ten pins to the inch. Hope this helps.

That does help - I'm assuming that's "miniature", and that "subminiature" might equate to "painfully small"?

Thanks

[jim22]

You would need a few of them, but I used solid telephone wire and computer jumper blocks.  Push the ends of the wires you want to connect into the same block.  In my case, I used one to connect rail power to a decoder so I could disconnect it from a second decoder in the same engine for programming.  Cost: $0 if you have a few scraps of wire and a handful of jumper blocks.

Jim 

[BlueHillsCPR]

These might work.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=83858

Another possibility would be the pin connectors like those found in computers to connect front panel displays, speakers, etc. to the motherboard.  Just throwing ideas around.