Different type of feeder connector...….


PrairieKnight

Active Member
I used suitcase connectors on the first part of my layout to connect the 22 gauge feeder wires to the 14 gauge bus wires. Although they seemed to work alright at the time I installed them, I did not have a real good feeling with folding the end of the 22 gauge wire over after stripping the end so that I had enough thickness of the 22 gauge wire inside the connector so that it would catch and hold inside the connector as I was clamping down on both wires to close the connector. I was searching on YouTube to see what other connectors might be out there for me to use in my addition to the existing layout. I found a video with the below wire connector. This looks much more secure. It uses the clamping of the bus wire but then you crimp the feeder to a connector and fit it into a sleeve making a connection with the bus wire that is clamped in the suitcase part of the connector. I have never seen this type of connector before. So.... has anyone out there had any experiences with this type of connector? What are they called? Can I find them at Lowes or Home Depot? And two things I need to mention. I am having trouble finding suitcase connectors at the aforementioned stores and..... I have no soldering skills :rolleyes:

In this picture from the video: The red horizontal wire between the fingers is the bus wire. The yellow vertical wire is the feeder wire.

Feeder.jpg
 
Using Google, do a search for t-tap wire connectors. You'll find there are several types from different manufacturers. I'm not sure who makes the ones you found!

- Jeff
 
I have been using T-tap connectors all along, and they work out better. The problem I had was I was using a 12G wire for the bus, and 22G for feeders. They didn't have the right connectors for that wire combination.
 
I found them! Jeff, I did the Google search and found where they were sold on Amazon. But they only sold them in bundles of sixty with three different sizes. The reviews I read looked as if there were a number of the bundle of sixty that did not get used because of the difference in the three sizes included in the bundle. I went to a couple stores listed in the Google search and found them at Auto Zone. Mike, I can see where fitting the two different wire gauges you mentioned might be an issue. The ones I found should fit my 14 gauge bus wire just fine. I am thinking that I may have to double up the stripped end of the 22 gauge wire before crimping it into the male connector. These that I found at Auto Zone are made by Dorman. They are not the cheapest, but I can see where they would work better then the suitcase type connectors. Thank you for the replies gentlemen.

Auto Zone.jpg
 
I found them! Jeff, I did the Google search and found where they were sold on Amazon. But they only sold them in bundles of sixty with three different sizes. The reviews I read looked as if there were a number of the bundle of sixty that did not get used because of the difference in the three sizes included in the bundle. I went to a couple stores listed in the Google search and found them at Auto Zone. Mike, I can see where fitting the two different wire gauges you mentioned might be an issue. The ones I found should fit my 14 gauge bus wire just fine. I am thinking that I may have to double up the stripped end of the 22 gauge wire before crimping it into the male connector. These that I found at Auto Zone are made by Dorman. They are not the cheapest, but I can see where they would work better then the suitcase type connectors. Thank you for the replies gentlemen.

View attachment 34313
 
That's a great find. I always had problems with the "suitecase" connectors that were big and bulky. T Tap connectors on google search shows lots of options.
 
There is another variant of this type of connector. They are called Posi-Taps:

1550269652911.png


Web page: https://www.posi-products.com/posiplug.html

They come in many varieties, allowing different combinations of Tap (bus) and Accessory (feeder) wire sizes. The model above seems most likely to be useful for model railroad wiring -- 14-16 gauge bus with 18-24 gauge feeders. Up to 4 feeders can be powered from each tap. No tools, crimping, or soldering are required. Anyway, it's another option!

I continue to use suitcase connectors (properly called IDCs = Insulation Displacement Connectors), which I bought before I learned about Posi-Taps. With IDCs, it's critically important to choose a model designed for your combo of bus and feeder wire sizes.

- Jeff
 
Jeff,

I appreciate you telling me about the Posi-Taps. I had never heard of them until y our post. They look very easy to use on the You tube video. I will be ordering these online. Thanks again.
 



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