Solder works on all wire sizes.
Posi-taps are the way to go, can be bought in bulk and are reusable, over and over again.
GauchoEvery connection adds resistance and it maybe a point of failure.
I hear you, but I only ran about 20-25 feet of bus wire in total.
Not that I'm an expert like most of the others here, but when I installed the bus wires and droppers, I did the following.
I ran two 12 gauge bus wires (+/-) in parallel around the layout. I then used suitcase connectors to pull off a short 12 gauge feeder to a terminal block. I then connected 22 awg feeders to the terminal blocks and soldered them to the tracks. I haven't had to do it yet, but it allows me to easily disconnect the rail feeders from power if need be.
I sure others would do it differently, but this worked at our house.
I think it is a 1/4 inch male tab (or disconnect), similar to those shown on page 121 of the following: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/592240O/03-termnl-kitstools-vemd-2009-catalog.pdf
Thanks for correcting me. The t-tap is readily disconnectable, the suitcase is not.
As Tom said, and I ignored, it is a 2 piece system. One half looks much like a suitcase connector but there is no pic of the other half on the 3M site
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyThe post after Tom's in this necro thread told you what the number was 905. It's still the same number.
No, it is not. The 905 is a suitcase connector, http://www.newark.com/3m/905-box/terminal-wire-tap-splice-crimp/dp/46F4358?mckv=5LM9n3Tw_dc|pcrid|77034545953554|plid|{placement}|kword|+3m%20+905-box|match|b&CMP=KNC-BUSA-SKU-MDC&DM_PersistentCookieCreated=true
The item "Tom" mentioned was a T-tap connector, for example http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/137031O/3m-scotchlok-sse-tap-connectors-951-952-953.pdf, a different style.
The post after Tom's in this necro thread told you what the number was 905. It's still the same number.
Yes there are a lot of knock off products that look like the 3M product, also known as a scotch connectors. We know the 3M products work because a lot of people use them. Are the ones from Cheapistan just as good? Your guess is as good as mine.
This is not a direct answer to your question but i recently came across thes connectors that i think could be useful. Just one more way to skin a cat.
Hello Tom.
Can you tell me what the 3M T Tap product number is? There seems to be alot of the same type but with different product numbers. I also run a 14 gauge bus with 22 gauge feeders and want to buy the perfect connector.
Thank you.
Mike D.
Warminster, PA
Yah say yah want cheep connectors?
Do what I do. Use wire nuts.
They're available at any hardware or home center to work with all but the tiniest wire gauges, generally are reusable, are easy to modify circuits with, provide a reliabel connection, etc, etc.
Strip wire to the correct length, insert, and twist. Quick and easy. Visual inspection generally tells you the connection is good.
What's not to love about the humble wire nut? I've always been suprised NOT to read about others using them, but maybe it's a little like having a car up on concrete blocks in a weedy front yard or something...only you can hide it all under the layout where no one can see it?
For tie-ins to my bus (12 gauge THNN), I cut the insulation back and solder 16 gauge brown lamp cord to feed the circuits underneath (it was wired as a 2-cab DC layout originally). Then I slather them with liquid electric tape.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
BroadwayLion Suitcases are for baggage on an airplane. On RAILROAD, nothing beats solder. Cheaper. With thousands of connections anything but solder is out of the question. LION uses nails as binding posts, they keep the cables neat and organized. LION uses copper colored (anodized) nails, a box of about 300 costs less than $3.00. For main power bus LION uses BARE wire, him solder to it where him likes. ROAR
Suitcases are for baggage on an airplane.
On RAILROAD, nothing beats solder. Cheaper. With thousands of connections anything but solder is out of the question. LION uses nails as binding posts, they keep the cables neat and organized. LION uses copper colored (anodized) nails, a box of about 300 costs less than $3.00.
For main power bus LION uses BARE wire, him solder to it where him likes.
ROAR
I agree with LION! - suitcases ARE for baggage on Trains or Planes!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Hi Tom, Where does one find wire with a soft insulation coating? How does one determine the diffference in wire coatings? Could you please provide some sources.
Thank you
Can't beat a good solder joint for both cost and reliability.
Martin Myers
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Expensive? What stores are you looking at?
Amazon sells 100pcs for $12 http://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotchlok-Self-Stripping-QuickSlide-Disconnect/dp/B003KOIBLI
Bob H, I bought scotchlok 905 connecters 14 to 18 gauge on amazon for 15.00 as a box of 50, and also another bag of scotchlok 560B connectors that were a bag of 100 for about the same price. Hope this helps. I didnt find that they were all that expensive, and I am on a fixed income.
I used #905 Scotchlok IDC's and crimped with 12 inch chanel lock pliers using 14 and 18 gauge wire. Never a problem and quick to install. Very reliable and would do it again if needed on expansion, or something new. I do live in a low humidity weather area. Doug
rrinker They are anything BUT cheap. Over $1 each. Can find them on Amazon, NAPA also sells them, They have the exact same problem that the 3M suitcase conenctors have - there is no option for #12 bus to less than #18 tap. I'll stick to inline stripping with my Ideal Stripmaster and a quick shot with my soldering gun. --Randy
They are anything BUT cheap. Over $1 each. Can find them on Amazon, NAPA also sells them,
They have the exact same problem that the 3M suitcase conenctors have - there is no option for #12 bus to less than #18 tap.
I'll stick to inline stripping with my Ideal Stripmaster and a quick shot with my soldering gun.
--Randy
dante I used Vise-Grip plyers on my Scotch-Loks with very good results. Dante
I used Vise-Grip plyers on my Scotch-Loks with very good results.
Dante
We did the same thing at our Club wiring up our Lionel Display back in '91 - we used #12 stranded w/#12 stranded drops - went to an Electrical sypply and purchased the proper Scotch locks (none of the junk knock-offs).
We installed the Scotch Locks and the layout ran great for 5 years - then we would experience slow dows in certain blocks (we are located in a basement in the middle of town) and in trouble shooting the problems the slow dows would go away - without doing anything other then moving the wires around a bit in checking voltages!
It would run well but then another block would begin acting up - then another and so on!
We finally learned to just get under the layout and wiggle the wires and the movement would break the corrosion lose and make contact again!
Kind of embarrising to have the public in for a show and have the layout go down for something as dumb as a bad connection!
When we rebuilt the layout - we soldered every connections - GUESS What - NEVER had a problem since!
Imagine that!
While you may never experience the type of failure we had - if you have lots of drops and your track is soldered - you could have 10% to 20% of the IDCs FAIL and NOT Know IT!
It took our layout almost 7 years to begin having problems to the point we were noticing the problem - BUT How long was it having the problem and we could NOT see the problem?
And anyway - from the number of Posts on the forum - most layouts NEVER last more than a few years anyway!
Thanks for your help. Ron
thanks for the info. Ron
Thanks a lot for your reply. the link was just what i needed. as far as the connectors, it looks like a price issue and personal preferance. would probably lean towards the connectors as i don't personally relish soldering under the layout if I can help it. not getting any younger. Thanks again. Ron.
I agree. I have priced suitcase connectors and there are pricey. I do the inline stripping and soldering method and it works fine for me.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
I am not a fan of IDCs. There are none on my layout. If you decide to use them, invest in the crimp tool. It works better than plyers.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Randy
Just as I thought - they ain't cheap - that is compaired to a roll of 60/40 solder!
I have over 1200 track drops and each of my turnouts has all 3 ends with track drops (4000 feet of track and over 500 turnouts).
That is 5400 drop wires (remember there are 2 drop wires for each track section - for those that are counting) - that seems to be quite a number of Brass engines I could be purchasing if I did that (Less than smart) move.
I guess a $30.00 pound of solder wasn't that expensive after all.