Wiring tortoises, what AWG size do you use?

[rrinker]

Right. although you need to double your answer - a 50 foot run has 100 feet of wire in it. But this is why #12 is recommended. Repeat the calculation for #18 wire. A lot of people say "but I used #18 with my DC power pack, why won't it work for DCC"

--Randy

[grayfox1119]

Good idea on the rolls of wire by Rex and Randy. I am about to buy some wire, and after your experience Randy, 500 foot roll will NOT be too much will it!!!

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grayfox1119

...most people use #12 gauge wire for the power bus for the tracks, # 14 gauge for the track feeders from the power bus.

Wow! #14 for track feeders? You must be using code 400 track.... (Stops and ponders....) I use #16 for a sub bus network off of the main bus, then use very short runs (less than 1', most under 6") of, 20 or 24 to the tracks. See Alan Gartner's website for suggested size wires in DCC. http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track_2.htm He recommends #14 as the largest for G Scale. For HO the largest recommended is #20 and for N #22. Maybe you were talking about the sub bus running from your main bus and I missunderstood what you were refering to?????

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grayfox1119

Good idea on the rolls of wire by Rex and Randy. I am about to buy some wire, and after your experience Randy, 500 foot roll will NOT be too much will it!!!

Nope, I bought a 500 foot rooll of red #12, a 500 foot roll of white #12, and a 500 foot roll of the red and white #20.

Used about half of it so far on the 8x12 part. Wait til I start building around the rest of my walls..

[richhotrain]

I use DPDT switches with all of my Tortoises. They work fine. I do not use the ones with Center Off feature. Just flip the switch and all works quite well.

[TBat55]

The use of heavy gauge bus wire for DCC is to overcome the resistance of nickel silver rail. The longer the piece of rail between feeders, the more resistance and losses (voltage and data).

Now, to route power from either rail to the frog using a Tortoise is a very short distance. Not much resistance. Current is negligible ("flea power").

I use Romex 12 or 14 gauge for bus (~20'), something like 20 gauge for feeders (~1'), and solid 24-28ga for Tortoise power routing. In some case I've used the very small black wire with rail joiners attached (Atlas terminal joiners?) for feeders and/or power routing. No noticeable problems.

I suggest you thing more about soldering the X's to your DPDT switches. Use shrink tubing to prevent shorts.