motor lights etc.
gage wire for grounding motor, wire leads to motor, gage to leds ,I have digitracks decoder wire, but the colors I have and the semantics are ok but no gage readout for me to look at.
John,
30 AWG is generally fine for decoder wiring. Make sure it's stranded wire so that it's flexible.
You can also twist or braid groups of wire to tame them. With 2 wires, I twist; with 3 or more wires, I braid them. It really helps to keep the wiring under control and makes it easier to route them. They generally stay in place better - sometimes w/o the need of any tape.
FWIW,
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Mine are usually just the wires that come attached to the decoder or harness. They're very thin, #26 or #28. I've never had a problem. LEDs take almost no power, and today's motors are similarly efficient.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
30 and sometimes 32 AWG is typical for locomotive decoders. I have some LEDs wired with magnet wire not much thicker than a hair. When it's twisted around each other and painted, it similates the conduit going to the headlight.
Just make it easy on yourself and go by the NMRA color code. That will make future problems easier to diagnose.
Pete.
I've bought Digitrack decoder wire NMRA colors, The only other problem is the motor wiring gage size, do I use the same size as the decoder or something else?
thank all for the responses
big john
I'll look at the decoder wire size I never thought of that .funny that .
thank you I've just bought a Digitrack decoder wiring bundle Now to figure out the motor wire size
John GrayI've bought Digitrack decoder wire NMRA colors, The only other problem is the motor wiring gage size, do I use the same size as the decoder or something else? thank all for the responses big john
If attaching the Digitrax decoder to the motor brushes, use the decoder's orange(+) & gray(-) wires. If attaching track power to the motor, I would go with larger 24 AWG wire.
Tom;
Thanks
Hello All,
John GrayI've bought Digitrack decoder wire NMRA colors, The only other problem is the motor wiring gage size, do I use the same size as the decoder or something else?
In all my DCC decoder installations I use Digitrax 32AWG for everything from LED lights to the motor.
On the decoder, all the wires are the same gauge:
(On a four [4] function decoder.)
No need for any other gauge.
Train Control Systems (TCS) offers 24AWG and 30AWG.
According to TCS the 24AWG "Hook Up" wire is suitable for "buss wiring, large-scale locomotives, or other applications where a heavy wire gauge is necessary."
For a 20-foot length of 24AWG, it's quite expensive at $15.95.
They do not specify an intended use for the 30AWG.
For the 32AWG they state, "...is perfect for any decoder installation."
Compared to the Digitrax 32AWG, 9 color, 10-foot lengths at $17.00, the TCS wire is more expensive at $6.95 per 10-foot length ($62.55 for all 9 NMRA colors).
Hope this helps.
Post Script: To keep your decoder wire organized I recommend using sewing machine bobbins. These are little plastic or metal spools that easily hold 10 feet of 32AWG wire neatly. They have holes drilled in the sides to thread the end of the wire through to prevent unspooling. H.T.H.- -J.J.D.I.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Hi John,
I use TCS 30 ga. for my decoder wiring including the motor feeds and the track power wires.
If I can make a suggestion, you might consider investing in a wire stripper designed specifically for 26 ga and smaller wires, like this:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/jonard-tools/ST-450/1990301
Yes the stripper is rather expensive but IMHO it is worth every penny! It strips the insulation without cutting or damaging any of the wire strands. One of the challenges of stripping fine wires is that it is very easy to cut or score the wire strands. With finer wires there isn't a whole lot of material present so if you inadvertently cut a couple of the wire strands off, the ability of the wire to carry current is significantly compromised. If you partially score a copper wire, the wire may break while you are handling it. If the wire has to flex on a regular basis, it will eventually break at the score mark for sure.
It also easily cuts teflon insulation which is notoriously hard to remove.
I hesitated to spend that much money on a proper stripper for quite some time, but now that I have one, I kick my butt for not buying one sooner.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
jjdamnit sorry for the late post thank you this helps a lot
John
Dave; thanks, I've got a mini wire stripper from harbor freight. cheap but works haha
my light board has front LT FW+ FW- RT then middle M1 M2 rear LT RW- RW+ RT
where the h**l do they go I lost the wiring diagram .stupid my old age I guess,haha
Thank you for the updates.
Are you running DC or DCC control?
What make and model of locomotive is it?
The NMRA color coding for DCC decoders is as follows:
If it is a DC light-only board I suspect the M1 and M2 are the power inputs and are piggybacked to the motor.
Before installing it in the locomotive I recommend using a 9v battery with a battery connector.
You can solder the battery connector wires to the board and then attach the battery to confirm that M1 and M2 are indeed the power inputs and their correct polarity.
Are you using LEDs or incandescent bulbs?
If you are upgrading to LEDs you will need the appropriate resistors. If LEDs are attached to the board by the manufacturer you are good to go.
Post Script: Almost $60.00 for a wire stripper!?! I'll stick with my $25.00 one from Micro-Mark. H.T.H. J.J.D.I.
My $15 Ideal strippers work great. I have two pair: 14 thru 24 AWG & 22 thru 32 AWG. That pretty much covers all my wire stripping needs.