Can I use screws into underside of table instead of terminal strips?

[Anonymous]

I have 12 gauge wire to run buses from my transformer outputs (a total of 10 outputs) under the table to provide power for 6 tracks and a bunch of accessories. I will tap onto the 12 gauge bus wires with 16 gauge feeders going to track (a feeder will go up to track for every 4 to 6 sections). I'm using Lionel tubular track, running conventional with 2 modern ZW's and a KW. Problem is that the terminal barrier strips for 12 gauge size spade lugs are about $8.50 each if you buy them in lots of 25 strips (12 pairs of positions per strip). In the Greenberg book, Wiring your Lionel layout, Intermediate techniques" the author shows a picture of the underside of his train table, and he seems to be just driving screws up into the underside of the table and attaching spade lugs to each other that way (i.e., no terminal strips). Is that OK? Doing it that way could save me a few hundred dollars! My concern is that I am assuming that wherever I connect wires, I will have heat. Could that burn the plywood?

Your thoughts...would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

There shouldn't be any appreciable heat unless you are overloading the wires or have very poor connections.. If the wires are overloading and overheating they may melt barrier strips. If you don't want to use barrier strips there are other ways to connect wires including twist lock or crimp style locks, solder, .... DRY wood is a decent insulator especialy at low voltages. If it gets wet .....

Main advanage of the terminal blocks are it's pretty easy to keep track/inventory and it is very easy to move stuff around.

[Chris F]

The terminal strips used in Lionel's showroom layout in Michigan consist of wooden boards (1 x 4's, I think) with wood screws. The layout uses four ZW's, is about 15 years old, and (AFAIK) hasn't suffered any fires.

[Anonymous]

I have used brass screws with brass screw dishes (those things used to make flat heat screws sit above the surface) for 28 years on my layout. That way I can wind a 2 inch stripped end of my mostly 14 ga and 18 ga wires around the screw and the screw dish clamps down on it.

I run a wire with say building lights to a central area and drive a screw. Then hook up 10 or so building wires to it. One wire per light. Also have a Common near by that has a screw and put a wire from that to each building. I have one Common for all transformers (3 LW for trains on 3 loops, 2 - 12v for lights and 1- 14 v for switches) So it is never very far to a common and most accessories and lights need only one switched wire + the common. I write name of the wires on the board where it runs.

The only heat you will get is from loose connections. Keep them tight and heat will not be a problem.

Charlie

[Anonymous]

A good inexpensive barrier strip can be found in the electrical section of Home Depot. Buy some buss grounding bar extensions used in breaker boxes. They have screw terminals and no spade lugs are required. You can saw these to various lenths and get several wires per hole. For separate circuit connections Radio Shack sells European style barrier strips that need no spade termnals.

Dale Hz

[overall]

I go to radio shack and get their 8 position barrier strip along with an 8 position buss bar. I put them together and use them as power distribution for both track blocks and accessories.

George

[lionelsoni]

The pedant's corner: "Buss" is a kiss or a brand of fuses.

[Anonymous]

buss, lower case plural of bus where power is collected, either to receive from a generator/sub-station/transformer,etc, or exist as an efficient means to distribute power to loads.
Us old, obsolete "sparktricians " tended to use the plural buss * to distingush so no one would think we were trying to use a large wheeled vehicle in the system. As regards a kiss,the buss would do so with great effect if one tried it.[:I]



* useage: from Audel's Electric Dictionary circa 1949[xx(].

[Anonymous]

Boo boo!

[lionelsoni]

If you consider that the word comes from "omnibus", meaning "to all", it seems that it is appropriate in both contexts, whether it transports passengers or electrons. I suspect that this common misspelling (in my opinion) originated from the association of the products of the Bussman fuse company with electrical buses and an ignorance of the word's origin. It also seems a bit of a stretch to form the plural of "bus" by adding just an "s", then to use it as if it were singular.

[Jim Duda]

I did mine like Charlie did...
I drilled a pilot hole for the 6/32 RHMS, installed a hex 6-32 nut, then a brass 6-32 wingnut, and used a cordless screwdriver to drive the "assembly" into the 3/4 in. plywood base.

Buzz the heads off the screws after they're attached and use the wingnut to reform the threads. I used ring terminals rather than spade terminals to insure the wires wouldn't pull off. The length of the screw determines how many wires you can attach to these bus posts. If you don't like the wingnut, Lionel Transformer Terminal Post nuts can be used...most are 6-32.

(Click to enlarge)

[Anonymous]

Bob
Not that our discussion has any bearing or value beyond zero, but the useage of "buss'" was prevalent in Navy and Industrial use[Savanah River Project] both in text and shop talk, in regard to the 3-phase 440 Vac copper bars--- phase A, B and C---in main switchboards and in Electric Drive Ship controls. The same was true throughout---in control switchgear for guns, steering,causalty power "jumpers", etc.

My layout has a "buss"[:D][:D]---a #10 Common Return and 3 #12 Hot wires. I am too old, too trivial and too set in my ways to change now---no hope for me.

But my MTH Bus Station has 6 Trailways busses and one Greyhound Bus.[:p]

[Anonymous]

Nice work Jim!

[lionelsoni]

Dewey, I agree with you that this discussion is irrelevant, but, on the other hand, harmless, I think...;-) I don't dispute that "buss" is widely used. I have been irritated by it throughout my 40 years as an EE; and it has obviously been going on longer than that by your account.

By the way, "Leonard" is my middle name too. Also my grandfather's, father's, and oldest son's.

[Anonymous]

Lionelsoni: please don't "cave" on this.

Leonard: Please cite some authority that "buss" has ever been the correct plural of "bus." For that matter, what is the plural of Ms?


As for the original question, perhaps one would be well-advised to consult the agent who carries his homeowner's insurance and/or the local Fire Marshall.

wolverine

[Anonymous]

Wolerine
[:)]I wouldn't get too excited over a trivial discussion of Electrician's slang, I assure you there are much worse distortions than "buss". In any event it never became a problem except in the military where, for simple example, conduit was conduit precisely, rather than "pipe" as many civilian electricians annointed it.

Authority for useage of "buss"----already cited: Audel's Electrical Dictionary. I first saw it in 1949 in power school. I haven't looked in Webster's,etc, I will rely on you to protect and correct to your satisfaction. I agree that useage and correct useage are two different things-----but it matters not at all to me in regard to use of "buss".

Meanwhile if you have a concern on the first issue please adhere to your personal standards on layout wiring and ignore any advice that gravely concerns you. In particular if it leads you to consult with a counterpart of one of my former employers---The Fire & Rescue Division of the N.C. Dept of Insurance.

[Anonymous]

Bob
My father carried the handle of Leonard as well as my youngest son,who originally logged me on here with his first name[I gave up on trying to change it to Dewey}. Our given names of Leonard are all traced to my great grandmother who was a Leonard from Virginia.
Did you work as an EE in the Austin high tech community?

[lionelsoni]

Still do. We make GPS for agriculture, ship pilots, and a little for trains. A further coincidence: I also am a Leonard from Virginia, born at Fort Monroe.