05-01-2009, 11:19 AM
Oooohhh, Jones plugs, terminal blocks, spade connectors!!! That's asking for trouble and a lot of unecessary expense.
First some basics. There are two types of connections with an optional third to be made between modules - the track power buss, your DCC signal (in Digitrax that's called the LocoNet) and an optional power supply (110 volts, 12 volts, or whatever) to power accessories on the modules. I will only deal with the first two - the track power buss and the DCC signal.
Track Power Buss
The track power buss consists of two wires that run the full length of the module. The wire consists of a minimum of 14 AWG wire. Some module clubs are even using 12 AWG wire. The best source of wire is stranded trailer hookup wire available in spools of 25' or 100' and usually in seven different colours - white, black, red, green, yellow, blue, brown. Choose two colours for the track power buss. Run the two wires the whole length of the module. More on how to connect the track feeds later on. BTW, I use stranded copper wire throughout.
To connect the track power buss from one module to the next, you will need some connectors. The most reliable, cheapest, and easiest are 2-wire trailer connectors. I can pick up 10AWG trailer connectors for about $3 a pair. If you use Jones plugs, you go down to about a 16 AWG (I can see that I might be starting a discussion on this latter point). Jones plugs are getting harder to find. Trailer connectors are available from your local automotive supply store. You can also use a 4-wire trailer plug but you will be restricted if you want to reverse modules end for end.
I solder and shrink tube all of my connections - no exceptions!! Terminal blocks and spade connectors will oxidize over time. And they are an unecessary expense. Soldering 14, 12 or 10AWG wires requires a 100 - 140 watt soldering gun. Not one of those 20 - 40 watt small pencil soldering irons. There are two ways to solder the track power buss to the trailer connector. Strip the wire off of all ends of the wire, slide some shrink tubing over the ends, wrap the respective ends together, add some rosin flux, apply the heated soldering iron and add the solder. When the soldered joint has cooled off, slide the shrink tubing over the soldered joint and apply heat to the shrink tubing (I use a BBQ lighter to shrink the tubing). That's the simple way to do it.
However, you may find it a bit difficult to wrap those thickness of wires together without some strands getting loose. So, I use a "butt-edge" crimp connector - you can find them at the same place you found that spade connector. They consist of a tinned copper sleeve covered in a coloured plastic insulator, and come in several sizes for different AWG wire sizes. You can identify the wire size by the colour of the plastic - yellow for 10-14 AWG, blue for 16-20 AWG, etc. I use the yellow butt-edge crimp connector because I'm connecting 10AWG and 14 AWG wires.
First, I remove and discard the yellow plastic insulator - I won't need it. A Phillips screwdriver will push the tinned copper sleeve out of the plastic. I usually do this mass production so that I have a dozen or so copper sleeves always on hand. At the bench, I crimp the copper sleeve onto one end of the trailer plug wire. I then solder the copper sleeve to the trailer plug wire. Repeat the process for the other trailer plug wire. I then slide a 1" - 1½" piece of shrink tubing onto the two wires. Trailer plugs come in pairs so repeat this process on the other half of the pair. I then tape the two halves together so that I have a complete set (two pieces) for each module. As I'm using an assembly line, I make up about half a dozen pairs of these trailer connectors all at once.
To install the trailer connector onto the module track power buss, I simply crimp the trailer connector onto the track power buss wires, solder the connector-wire assembly. Let the joint cool, slide the shrink tubing over the soldered joint, apply heat and shrink the tubing.
I now have a soldered joint that will conduct the track power without any problems. Connecting and disconnecting the trailer connector repeatedly won't weaken any wires and I know that the power that come down the 14 AWG wire will be transferred over to the next module through the 10 AWG connector.
For a better idea of how it works, visit this page on my website
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railwaybob.com/Modules/TrackBuss/TrackBuss01.html">http://www.railwaybob.com/Modules/Track ... uss01.html</a><!-- m -->
Why do I use 10 AWG trailer connectors? Simply because that was what was on sale. If you can find 14 AWG trailer connectors, then use them.
Hope you understand this post.
Bob M.
First some basics. There are two types of connections with an optional third to be made between modules - the track power buss, your DCC signal (in Digitrax that's called the LocoNet) and an optional power supply (110 volts, 12 volts, or whatever) to power accessories on the modules. I will only deal with the first two - the track power buss and the DCC signal.
Track Power Buss
The track power buss consists of two wires that run the full length of the module. The wire consists of a minimum of 14 AWG wire. Some module clubs are even using 12 AWG wire. The best source of wire is stranded trailer hookup wire available in spools of 25' or 100' and usually in seven different colours - white, black, red, green, yellow, blue, brown. Choose two colours for the track power buss. Run the two wires the whole length of the module. More on how to connect the track feeds later on. BTW, I use stranded copper wire throughout.
To connect the track power buss from one module to the next, you will need some connectors. The most reliable, cheapest, and easiest are 2-wire trailer connectors. I can pick up 10AWG trailer connectors for about $3 a pair. If you use Jones plugs, you go down to about a 16 AWG (I can see that I might be starting a discussion on this latter point). Jones plugs are getting harder to find. Trailer connectors are available from your local automotive supply store. You can also use a 4-wire trailer plug but you will be restricted if you want to reverse modules end for end.
I solder and shrink tube all of my connections - no exceptions!! Terminal blocks and spade connectors will oxidize over time. And they are an unecessary expense. Soldering 14, 12 or 10AWG wires requires a 100 - 140 watt soldering gun. Not one of those 20 - 40 watt small pencil soldering irons. There are two ways to solder the track power buss to the trailer connector. Strip the wire off of all ends of the wire, slide some shrink tubing over the ends, wrap the respective ends together, add some rosin flux, apply the heated soldering iron and add the solder. When the soldered joint has cooled off, slide the shrink tubing over the soldered joint and apply heat to the shrink tubing (I use a BBQ lighter to shrink the tubing). That's the simple way to do it.
However, you may find it a bit difficult to wrap those thickness of wires together without some strands getting loose. So, I use a "butt-edge" crimp connector - you can find them at the same place you found that spade connector. They consist of a tinned copper sleeve covered in a coloured plastic insulator, and come in several sizes for different AWG wire sizes. You can identify the wire size by the colour of the plastic - yellow for 10-14 AWG, blue for 16-20 AWG, etc. I use the yellow butt-edge crimp connector because I'm connecting 10AWG and 14 AWG wires.
First, I remove and discard the yellow plastic insulator - I won't need it. A Phillips screwdriver will push the tinned copper sleeve out of the plastic. I usually do this mass production so that I have a dozen or so copper sleeves always on hand. At the bench, I crimp the copper sleeve onto one end of the trailer plug wire. I then solder the copper sleeve to the trailer plug wire. Repeat the process for the other trailer plug wire. I then slide a 1" - 1½" piece of shrink tubing onto the two wires. Trailer plugs come in pairs so repeat this process on the other half of the pair. I then tape the two halves together so that I have a complete set (two pieces) for each module. As I'm using an assembly line, I make up about half a dozen pairs of these trailer connectors all at once.
To install the trailer connector onto the module track power buss, I simply crimp the trailer connector onto the track power buss wires, solder the connector-wire assembly. Let the joint cool, slide the shrink tubing over the soldered joint, apply heat and shrink the tubing.
I now have a soldered joint that will conduct the track power without any problems. Connecting and disconnecting the trailer connector repeatedly won't weaken any wires and I know that the power that come down the 14 AWG wire will be transferred over to the next module through the 10 AWG connector.
For a better idea of how it works, visit this page on my website
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railwaybob.com/Modules/TrackBuss/TrackBuss01.html">http://www.railwaybob.com/Modules/Track ... uss01.html</a><!-- m -->
Why do I use 10 AWG trailer connectors? Simply because that was what was on sale. If you can find 14 AWG trailer connectors, then use them.
Hope you understand this post.
Bob M.