Hi,
My name is Patrick, I first got into model railroading 10 years ago as a kid. I bought a DCC trainset and another DCC NYC Locomotive. But due to school and limited space at the time, I wasnt ever able to build a layout and the project was abandoned.
Now I am an adult and would like to pickup where I left off. I have chosen my DCC system, the MRC Prodigy Advance 2, track, Atlas Code 100 Flex Track, and will be reusing my 2 DCC trains from my childhood. So...I am good right? No..... When it comes to wiring, all I can find is information on what wire size to use and whether it is stranded or solid. Nowhere does anyone talk about what KIND of wire. I tried this in my past hobbies and bought some THHN wire, it was TERRIBLE. Super thick stranges and very unflexible. I have no idea what wires to use and I dont want to spend alot of money on something I cannot use.
I joined this community because me and my father need help figuring things out. Please....what wire should I use? Links to existing products that you use and have found successful are welcome. I would prefer something around 12-14 Gauge wire, as this is what I hear is the best on these forums, but again, i have no clue what type of wire, what brand, how its packaged, what the internal wire is like. Nothing.
I always hear people in videos say "just go to a home improvement store and it will be there, it looks like this..." and it isnt....or its really hard to find....I asked an electrical expert at my Home Depot and he acted like I was speaking another language. Couldnt help me at all.
Again, any and all help is appreciated. I am brand new at this and I could really use some veteran advice!
Thanks and God Bless,
Patrick
There are a number of sites that can help, you can start here:
https://www.dccwiki.com/Wiring
https://www.dccwiki.com/Wire_Sizes_and_Spacing
https://www.dccwiki.com/Wire_Types
I use #14 AWG stranded wire with THHN or TWHN insulation for my DCC buss. I also use 35 amp European barrier strips to secure this wire around the front facia of my layout so I don't have to crawl under to do any connections. I strip the wire where it passes through the barrier strip, then connect the 20 AWG track feeders also to the barrier strip for a solid connection. I get the barrier strips from allelectronics.com. Wire comes from Home Depot of Loews.
I am a DCC newbie. DCC is full of it's own jargon and the DCC - Electrical sub forum is full of daunting problems of locos that only run backwards and all sorts of intermittant problems. But you are over thinking this wire problem.
Decide what gauge
Decide solid or stranded
You want copper, some guys use bare copper wire, but you probably want insulated wire. It doesn't have to survive extremes of temperature and function underwater. Pick 2 colors.
My electrical expert in my Home Depot wasn't smart enough to get into community college and isn't old enough to vote. He hasn't heard of DCC and probably has never seen a model railroad.
I would tell him "I want (25')/(50')/(100') of (solid)/(stranded) copper wire in (12)/(14)gauge, what colors do you have?"
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
#14 speaker wire will be a little more flexible than THHN stranded. Both are suitable for your layout. THHN's has less strands that are thicker to attain the same guage wire. Plus THHN insulation is a little stiffer. Your choice on type but if you are looking for flex, go with stranded wire. There are other mor flexible wires out there. You will also pay a premium for the convenience.
Martin Myers
I don't know about the video's but I have a local Home Depot.
For my DCC bus wire I bought a 50' roll of house wire (the kind electricians use to wire homes with) which is relatively inexpensive - it's 14 AWG solid strand wire.
For the wires going from the tracks down to the bus (feeder drops) I use 18 AWG solid "bell wire" - it's labeled as bell wire at Home Depot, I assume for wiring door bells?
I use wire taps to connect them and it's worked out well so far.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I have a roll 12 gauge house wire from some forgotten project that I use for the bus.
I use 18 gauge solid wire from Radio Shack for drops. I use suitcase connectors from 3M (brown) to connect the feeders to the bus.
This is for a large layout, 12x31 feet.
For my smaller test layout 5'4" x 12', I don't use a bus. I have terminal strip and just run 18 gauge solid wire to the track from the center of one side.
Good luck
Paul