In the 50+ years I was away from this hobby I learned nothing about electrical matters. Well I'm back to playing with trains and put in my own 'Golden Spike" somewhere around 3 AM this morning. My new layout has about 60' of code 83 track running all over the 'C shaped' platform. The roadbed and track are all down, the platform is a combination of pink foam and open benchwork because I couldn't decide which was better so I did both. The open benchwork half is to be all mountains in which my logging and mining facilities are to be located and the flatland half is where the small town, sawmill, and a few other small industries will be. Since I have a move pending (from Texas to NC) I built this in sections that are detachable (8 sections mostly 2' x 4') and therein is my current question. Since it will be detatched for moving, how do I run the bus wires that will also be disconnected when I separate all the pieces? My own quick and dirty approach is wire nuts at the ends of each section but would it be better to buy a bunch of terminal strips and connect the sections in that manner? My feeder lines will be soldered connected but the bus wires and their needed disconnect/reconnect ability has me pondering. Another problem is the DCC auto reverse gadget (Digitraxx PM 42) and how I'll wire that with a turntable on one end of the layout and a reverse loop on the other. That will possibly impact the bus wiring (2 separate blocks?). I hope someone out there can help this old man who really knows nothing about electricity (except you don't stick your fingers in an wall socket). My power source is a Digitraxx Zephyr, bus wire is what I had on hand (2 100' rolls of stranded 14 gauge- 1 red and 1 white) and the feeders are solid strand 18 gauge which was also found in the garage. The control panel is in the middle of the 'C' in the closed in portion near the junction of the open benchwork and the foam flatlands. Thanks in advance for any suggestions .
Roy
Roy Onward into the fog http://s1014.photobucket.com/albums/af269/looseclu/
LooseClu [snip] Since it will be detatched for moving, how do I run the bus wires that will also be disconnected when I separate all the pieces? My own quick and dirty approach is wire nuts at the ends of each section but would it be better to buy a bunch of terminal strips and connect the sections in that manner? My feeder lines will be soldered connected but the bus wires and their needed disconnect/reconnect ability has me pondering.[snip]
Roy,
While I can't help with your other questions, I can offer my regarding the above...
If I were in your shoes, I would invest in the terminal strips. First of all, they would be easier to connect/disconnect than wire nuts. Second, you won't have any loose wires hanging down that could snag on something during your move. And, third, your wiring will be all that much neater underneath the layout.
Terminal strips.
There are also relatively cheap plug-and-jack connectors that you can pick up at electronics supply places. If you are going to separate the sections frequently, then this would be a good alternative. However, most of these require soldering to attach the leads, and if your reason for the connectors is a one-time move planned some time in the future, then the terminal strips will be less work.
I use a lot of terminal strips, just because they're convenient. They make good distribution points for structure lighting, for example, and they let me easily remove a building if necessary.
You'll be amazed at how many wires you end up with under your layout, by the way.
Another point: It sounds like you are planning to use the same auto-reverser for a turntable at one end of the layout and a reverse loop at the other. While this will work in theory, in practice you may find that you will occasionally short your system out as a train on each end is calling for a different polarity. Invest in a reverser for each. (First, though, investigate the turntable and make sure it really needs an auto-reverser. Many of them handle this automatically.)
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
If you were going to move the layout frequently, like for shows, I'd say connectors, but for the ocassional move, terminal strips. Attach your buss wires to terminal strips at one end, and let them hang loose at the other. I have a sectional layout and this is what I did. I crimped lugs onto the ends of the wires and numbered them with a felt pen on the lugs' insulation. I also numbered the terminals on the terminal strip. That way the right wire will go back on the right terminal. If you don't want to go to the trouble of lugs, just wrap a piece of tape around the wire and write the number on it with a felt pen.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
Put me in the terminal strip camp, not only for inter-module connectors but for everything except rail-to-bus connections. And mount the terminal strips (or blocks) where you can work on them while sitting on a comfortable chair. Standing on one's head under the benchwork gets old in a hurry!
I make my own terminal blocks using heavy styrene sheet (acquired by dumpster diving,) machine screws, nuts and (lots of) washers. Each screw is secured with two washers and a nut, forming a terminal stud. By leaving space between rows of terminal studs, there's a clear area for labeling EVERY terminal. Wires can be stacked up to six deep on one stud, with washers between and one nut on top to hold everything secure. (My own layout is wiring-intensive, so my terminal blocks have up to 90 studs!)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with all the electricals along the aisleways)
If the dis/reconnect is only going to happen once, when you move, just wire a continuous buss with some slack at each module junction. When it's time to disassemble for the move, just clip the buss wires. Then, when you reassemble the layout, the slack you built in will give you enough "extra" length to solder the free ends back together.
For the PM42, if you have two reversing sections (turntable and reverse loop), each will require it's own, separate PM42 output. I'd put the PM42 in the center by your control panel and run the output from one section to the turntable, and the output from another section to the reverse loop.
As an alternative, you can get a couple AR1's and locate each of them near it's reversing section.
HTH, Steve
Thanks for all the suggestions. This will be a one time move and I like the idea of leaving enough slack for now followed by adding terminal strips when it is reassembled. Not too sure about dumpster diving but I like the of home made terminal strips with room to say what goes where idea as well. Initially I'll keep it to a minimal track power / PM42 wires only. I plan on leaving the most of the scenery work for after the move but I can't wait to run some trains. Roy