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Wire Choice with DCC

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  • Member since
    April 2005
  • 116 posts
Wire Choice with DCC
Posted by kfleeman1 on Thursday, December 1, 2005 11:43 PM
What is the best gauge of wire to use for connecting LEDs to DCC decoders? I want to use the smallest gauge possible without having any problems. The choices are 18, 22, 24, 30, 32, and 40 gauge. Thanks.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 1, 2005 11:58 PM
I use 22. Its plenty small and has no problems.
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Friday, December 2, 2005 6:28 AM
An LED draws only 30mA or less, so the smallest guage you have would be plenty sufficient. The wire on some decoders is between 32 and 40 and that will even handle an incandescent bulb at 12 volts.
  • Member since
    April 2001
  • From: New York State, US
  • 110 posts
Posted by Janafam on Friday, December 2, 2005 4:19 PM
Your decoder wire is a good guide, it's probably 32.
Janafam
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • 116 posts
Posted by kfleeman1 on Friday, December 2, 2005 4:20 PM
I am going to buy the wire, I don't already have it. I think I'll go with 30 gauge, maybe 32.

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