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N Scale Decoder Wiring - What Guage?

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  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 7,500 posts
Posted by 7j43k on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 3:14 PM

I just picked up a whole assortment of colors of wire from ESU.  It appears to be the same stuff they use on their decoder wiring.  It's 36 ga and they rate it for 2 amps.

 

Ed

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 12:18 PM

I use 30ga multi strand wire and 34ga magnet (single strand) wire from TCS for powering the lights in my HO locomotives. The magnet wire is amazingly strong.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Products/Supplies/Wire/Wire.htm

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 257 posts
Posted by RR Baron on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 11:57 AM

Ultra-flexible 28AWG wire  

 

RR Baron

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 129 posts
Posted by Canalligators on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 11:33 AM

https://www.solaris-shop.com/content/American%20Wire%20Gauge%20Conductor%20Size%20Table.pdf

You can ignore all the columns except AWG and Max Current.  Sometimes I run heavier wires than needed due to flex in use or other physical stresses.

Amazing what you can find on the web.

Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY
  ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority and CSX Intermodal.  Interchange with CSX (CR)(NYC).

CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield

  • Member since
    April 2014
  • 3 posts
N Scale Decoder Wiring - What Guage?
Posted by ESzczesniak on Friday, March 24, 2017 8:24 PM

What gauge wiring do you recommend for wire leads/lights on N scale locomotive decoders?  I was putting in some decoders on my Atlas Dash 8-40CW's that need some wire extensions for the ditch lights and my go to "small guage" wire of telephone cord wires stripped out was massive.  From looking it up, this should be 22 or 24 gauge stranded wire. 

I see 30 gauge wire fairly readily available, but did find 36 gauge as well.  Any thoughts on what's reasonable?  I'm looking more for the lights/accessories than the motor, so current rating is probably less of a concern. 

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