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Using terminal strips for DCC wiring

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  • Member since
    February 2015
  • From: Ludington, MI
  • 1,862 posts
Posted by Water Level Route on Thursday, February 10, 2022 12:15 PM

dtabor
Thank you sir, this makes total sense. Thank you!

You are welcome.  I'm glad you were able to find my reply amid all the side conversation and that it was useful to you.

Mike

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, February 10, 2022 2:05 PM

Run a main bus harness, tap it with t-taps, and run tap to a terminal strip.  From terminal strip run feeders (if you need to)

Advantage: Makes maintenance and modifications a lot easier.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • 25 posts
Posted by Trainguy1988 on Thursday, June 30, 2022 10:03 AM

I have a similar question regarding wiring for DCC using terminal strips. I was informed in another model railroad forum that I could easily connect all my feeder wires (for the main oval, turntable service tracks, turntable bridge track, and DCC controller) to a terminal strip without any worries, though it was also recommended that I use an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) and bus wires. The type of track I'll be using is sectional, with predetermined lengths of track molded to a plastic roadbed, so I'm wondering if I would need to add a bus wire/additional feeders or if the terminal strip would work just as well.

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • 25 posts
Posted by Trainguy1988 on Thursday, June 30, 2022 10:03 AM

dtabor

Based on my last question, some mentioned terminal strips for wiring a DCC system. Most of what Ive read/watched shows a continuous buss line and the feeders attached every 3-6' along that, and the best practice is to keep the feeders as short as possible for less power loss. Wondering what the advantage of a terminal strip is and how that works with feeders. It seems if I have a terminal strip in a certain place, that the feeders from that strip to the track would get long. Do you use a small terminal block at each feeder point? Seems that would be a ton of terminal blocks if you had a long main line. There are some youtube videos showing terminal blocks/strips but I cant find one that shows the whole process of wiring the actual feeder points.

 

I have a similar question regarding wiring for DCC using terminal strips. I was informed in another model railroad forum that I could easily connect all my feeder wires (for the main oval, turntable service tracks, turntable bridge track, and DCC controller) to a terminal strip without any worries, though it was also recommended that I use an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) and bus wires. The type of track I'll be using is sectional, with predetermined lengths of track molded to a plastic roadbed, so I'm wondering if I would need to add a bus wire/additional feeders or if the terminal strip would work just as well.

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