betamaxJust remember to get the right type of crimp on connectors. They are made for solid or stranded wire, and work best with the wire they were designed for.
I'll second what betamax said. Look very closely at the 6P6C plug. For stranded wire the spade has two flat points that pierce the center of wire. For solid wire (Cat3/5) the spade has three points with the center prong offset. The prongs will go on opposite sides of the solid wire core displacing the insulation.
HTH
Dave
From Mt Pleasant, Utah, the home of the Hill Valley and Thistle Railroad where the Buffalo still roam and a Droid runs the trains
CharlieM90I did similar. 1000' roll of Belden cable (good quality) for around $50 (if I remember correctly). Useful not only for making up loconet cables on the spot but I also use it to cable my tortoise machines.
Me too but I had not considered it for the switch machines... thanks for the idea.
Dennis
CDN Dennis
Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada
I bought them at Menard's, I suspect many big 'home improvement' stores would carry them.
Just remember to get the right type of crimp on connectors. They are made for solid or stranded wire, and work best with the wire they were designed for.
Once you buy a length of cable, the crimpers (get good ones, not cheap ones) and the connectors, you can make whatever length of cable you need, whenever you need it. Cheaper in the long run too.
Mr. Holt,
I just acquired a Digitrax DCS51 All-In-One Throttle/Command Station/Booster . One of the components that came with it was a LT1 LocoNet Cable & Decoder Test Kit. The document in that bag for the LT1 mentioned testing LOCONET Cables. I went to the Fry's Electronics store in Tempe AZ. There I found 6p6c Connectors - 100pcs for $11.99. I found flat phone 6 conductor cable 100 ft. for $9.99. I made my first three foot cable for approximately $00.60 cents. I did buy a crimping tool [$16.99 - I can use it for other connectors as well]. You can find Fry's Electronic at www.frys.com.
Model: BBT-125-6-100 Fry's.com # 1990434 $11.99 for the 6p6c connector
DC-W6-50SV FRYS.com #1544853 $4.99 for 26 gauge 50 foot flat phone wire [also in 100 foot rolls]
fire5506 I bought a 1000 foot roll flat 6 wire, 6p6c plugs, crimper and some misc. double connectors from Monoprice.com and everything including shipping came to about $95, it was the best prices I could find then and since.
I bought a 1000 foot roll flat 6 wire, 6p6c plugs, crimper and some misc. double connectors from Monoprice.com and everything including shipping came to about $95, it was the best prices I could find then and since.
I did similar. 1000' roll of Belden cable (good quality) for around $50 (if I remember correctly). Useful not only for making up loconet cables on the spot but I also use it to cable my tortoise machines.
Richard looking at MP 242 while working for the FEC Rwy.
I have purchased 6 conductor phone cable from both Menards and Home Depot. I bought a modular jack crimping tool from Amazon. I had trouble finding the modular jacks untill I learned that they are RJ25. Radio Shack, Home Depot and Amazon sell them. I buy the 100 and 50 foot six wire modular phone cable and cut it into shorter lengths for Loconet cables. I flip one of the jacks to keep the cable in sync, and mark the ends with red ink so I know that the cable has been converted from phone to Loconet.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
Monoprice. For ALL your cables - TV, network, etc. No one sells cables for less. If you don't want to invest in a crimp tool, this is the place to do. They will list both types of cables with 6p6c plugs - make sure you order DATA types to use as Loconet cables. Pretty much every cable in my home theater stack also came from Monoprice, I've ordered there several times. No Loconet cables, I make my own - I snagged every cord when we switched out phone systems at work and have a box full. When I need a new Loconet cable I snip off one end and crimp on a new one in the correct data orientation.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yeah, if you're going to be a model railroader these days, you'd might as well get used to ordering some stuff online and waiting for it. And, you should get used to buying a specialty tool now and then so you can do things like this.
As one of those old dogs (64) I love the satisfaction of learning new tricks. Given the choice between buying something pre-made and buying the parts and tools and doing it myself, I usually go for the parts and tools.
But....have you looked into computer shows? They used to be more common than they are now, but if there is one in your area, you might find a few tables where the dealers sell cables. Before home wireless became big, I wired several rooms in my house with Cat-5, and the shows sold pre-made cables cheaper than Home Depot sold the bulk wire and plugs.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
TA462I bought a 100' role of phone cable and the crimper at Home Depot. I'm surprised Lowes doesn't carry it, our's does. You were probably asking the wrong guy.
That would be my answer, too. All of the big-box home improvement stores in my area (H.D., Lowes, Menards) carry all the necessary stuff to assemble LocoNet cables.
But, depending on what's available in your area, you may have to visit several places to get everything you need. And, don't rule out places like Wal-Mart, etc. They often have 6p6c premade phone extension cords you can use. Just cut off one end (or cut the cord into two appropriate lengths, if you need more than one LocoNet cable) and crimp a plug on the free end in the proper orientation.
At allelectronics.com the 6 wire telephone cable is 50 ft for $4.50, the modular plugs are 10 for $3 and the crimper is $14. The premade telephone cables from RS are wired pin 1 at one end to pin 6 at the other. Digitrax loconet cables need them wired pin 1 to pin 1. So it will be better and cheaper to buy the material now and make your own as you need them.
I order mine from All Electronics and they are very inexpensive, but they only come in 7 and 15 foot lengths. They are about $2.00 each. Make sure they are the ones wired straight thru for data and not the crossed wired ones for telephones.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
OK, I've been to Lowe's, Radio Shack, Office Depot and Orchard Supply Hardware and none of then sell RJ-12 6 conductor/6 pin cables. The only thing anyone carries is 4c4p cable.
Short of mail ordering something from Digi-Key, any other suggestions? My plan is to eventually buy a crimper tool and make my own so they are all nice and neat and of the correct length, but for right now I've got a new PR3 and DCS100 sitting here I'd like to try out. Nothing worse than having to wait another week to try out a new toy 'cause all the "pieces" aren't here ..... :-)
Keith