Need Information on Properly Wiring My Layout


G

GuilfordRailman

Well-Known Member
I will be starting track work soon on my 1 ft x 6.5 ft HO scale shelf switching layout and need some help with understanding the difference in wiring gauges and which is best for my setup. I lack knowledge in this area and could use some help. Here is a basic schematic showing how many feeders I plan to wire into the track plan:

1 x 6.5 ho scale exhibition layout wiring diagram.png

The layout is going to be DC and is meant to be portable and therefore splits into two sections. There is a 4-position terminal strip for the left section and an 8-position terminal strip for the right section. The other 4-position terminal strip is for connecting the wiring from both the other terminal strips into one that can be easily connected/disconnected using spade connectors. Finally, the main power supply will feed into the bottom 4-position terminal strip as seen above. My main questions are what gauge wire should I use for the main power supply, and what gauge should I use for the feeders? I was thinking 24-gauge for the feeders and maybe 18 for the main power supply. Any thoughts?
 
18 gauge and 24 gauge are about right. I use 22 gauge for the feeders just because I had a lot of it from when they installed wifi at work and ripped out a lot of wire. Use 18 gauge between the power supply terminal strip and the outlying ones. Depending on what you actually use, I think that the 4-position and 8-position terminal strips are overkill, as you can connect more than one wire to each terminal.
 
santafewillie said:
18 gauge and 24 gauge are about right. I use 22 gauge for the feeders just because I had a lot of it from when they installed wifi at work and ripped out a lot of wire. Use 18 gauge between the power supply terminal strip and the outlying ones. Depending on what you actually use, I think that the 4-position and 8-position terminal strips are overkill, as you can connect more than one wire to each terminal.
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I was thinking it might be overkill too but I wasn’t sure how to go about separating the wiring “regions”. I thought it would be best to have a terminal strip on each section to allow easy connecting/disconnecting between those and the main power supply when setting up the layout. Not sure if that makes sense…
 
Just food for thought..........

Most wiring books suggest 14 ga as bus wire (stranded) and 18 to 22 ga for feeders.
For me, I use 12 ga stranded pure copper ( not copper clad ) for main bus and 18 ga solid for feeders. But my layout is three levels in some areas and is 14'-9 x 36'-0.

For the layout size you have and running straight DC, the wire sizes you mentioned should work but are minimums in my opinion.

John
 
westtexjohn said:
Just food for thought..........

Most wiring books suggest 14 ga as bus wire (stranded) and 18 to 22 ga for feeders.
For me, I use 12 ga stranded pure copper ( not copper clad ) for main bus and 18 ga solid for feeders. But my layout is three levels in some areas and is 14'-9 x 36'-0.

For the layout size you have and running straight DC, the wire sizes you mentioned should work but are minimums in my opinion.

John
Click to expand...
I have read in the past that 14 gauge was suitable for bus wires but I wasn’t sure if that would still be the requirement for a layout as small as mine. It seemed to be a common gauge across larger layouts vs. smaller ones.
 
migalyto said:
I would look at putting feeders on every leg of those turnouts as well (3 pairs per turnout). If you run smaller locos, you don't want any stalling.
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That’s true, I forgot to consider the size of the locomotives. However, I did forget to mention in the original post that I plan to wire jumpers between the point blades and the stock rails to help maintain electrical power. Since I plan to do this, I wouldn’t need 3 feeders per turnout still right?
 
GuilfordRailman said:
That’s true, I forgot to consider the size of the locomotives. However, I did forget to mention in the original post that I plan to wire jumpers between the point blades and the stock rails to help maintain electrical power. Since I plan to do this, I wouldn’t need 3 feeders per turnout still right?
Click to expand...
Then you should be electrically solid with the jumpers.

Wish I would have gone that route with all my Pecos.
 
GuilfordRailman said:
I will be starting track work soon on my 1 ft x 6.5 ft HO scale shelf switching layout and need some help with understanding the difference in wiring gauges and which is best for my setup. I lack knowledge in this area and could use some help.

The layout is going to be DC and is meant to be portable and therefore splits into two sections. There is a 4-position terminal strip for the left section and an 8-position terminal strip for the right section. The other 4-position terminal strip is for connecting the wiring from both the other terminal strips into one that can be easily connected/disconnected using spade connectors. Finally, the main power supply will feed into the bottom 4-position terminal strip as seen above. My main questions are what gauge wire should I use for the main power supply, and what gauge should I use for the feeders? I was thinking 24-gauge for the feeders and maybe 18 for the main power supply. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
18 ga. power and 24 ga. feeders are fine as virtually everyone else has suggested. Especially if you already have some in stock.

However, for no bigger than your layout is, even 20 ga. wire for the main power supply would be more than sufficient. What's the furthest you're going to be away from your power pack to any point on your layout? 3-1/2 feet max. maybe? Heck, for that short a distance, you could probably do away with the power supply wire altogether and just use 24 ga. wiring. Or split the difference, and use 22 ga. wire for everything.

I know I would. But that's me. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, and you'll be fine. 👍
 
GuilfordRailman said:
That’s true, I forgot to consider the size of the locomotives. However, I did forget to mention in the original post that I plan to wire jumpers between the point blades and the stock rails to help maintain electrical power. Since I plan to do this, I wouldn’t need 3 feeders per turnout still right?
Click to expand...
No, simplest solution if your unsure is just to make up a small test section and try, but as @migalyto posted, you should be good to go without.
 
GuilfordRailman said:
I will be starting track work soon on my 1 ft x 6.5 ft HO scale shelf switching layout and need some help with understanding the difference in wiring gauges and which is best for my setup. I lack knowledge in this area and could use some help. Here is a basic schematic showing how many feeders I plan to wire into the track plan:

View attachment 174428
The layout is going to be DC and is meant to be portable and therefore splits into two sections. There is a 4-position terminal strip for the left section and an 8-position terminal strip for the right section. The other 4-position terminal strip is for connecting the wiring from both the other terminal strips into one that can be easily connected/disconnected using spade connectors. Finally, the main power supply will feed into the bottom 4-position terminal strip as seen above. My main questions are what gauge wire should I use for the main power supply, and what gauge should I use for the feeders? I was thinking 24-gauge for the feeders and maybe 18 for the main power supply. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
That is a whole lot of feeders for a layout that size. What brand and type of turnouts are these? Looks like wiring for power routing type, that you don't want to be power routing.

Edit - Never mind. Looked it up on the other thread. They are Atlas Custom line.
Considering that and this is broken into two pieces, I still contend that is a whole lot of feeders for a layout this size. If this were mine I would run one set of feeders to each piece. Specifically to the base of each of the main turnouts. That is unless one just likes to run wire. Either gauge of wire will work, I would use 18 or 20 gauge.
simplified wire.jpg
 
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Iron Horseman said:
That is a whole lot of feeders for a layout that size. What brand and type of turnouts are these? Looks like wiring for power routing type, that you don't want to be power routing.

Edit - Never mind. Looked it up on the other thread. They are Atlas Custom line.
Considering that and this is broken into two pieces, I still contend that is a whole lot of feeders for a layout this size. If this were mine I would run one set of feeders to each piece. Specifically to the base of each of the main turnouts. That is unless one just likes to run wire. Either gauge of wire will work, I would use 18 or 20 gauge.
View attachment 174640
Click to expand...
I could simplify the wiring a little. The left module could stay a single wire due to where the layout will actually split (red circle in diagram), but the right would need two at a minimum since the upper track will be almost completely electrically isolated except for when my DIY barrel bolt track connectors are in place to lock the track segments together.

IMG_6107.jpeg
 
GuilfordRailman said:
I could simplify the wiring a little. The left module could stay a single wire due to where the layout will actually split (red circle in diagram), but the right would need two at a minimum since the upper track will be almost completely electrically isolated except for when my DIY barrel bolt track connectors are in place to lock the track segments together.

View attachment 174641
Click to expand...
On the right side, simply jumper over from the hookup track to the upper track. This should provide positive power to the upper track, and assuming you have jumpered all turnouts per your post #9, you should be good for the entire layout.
 
Mixed Freight said:
On the right side, simply jumper over from the hookup track to the upper track. This should provide positive power to the upper track, and assuming you have jumpered all turnouts per your post #9, you should be good for the entire layout.
Click to expand...
I agree, it's the simplest solution with minimum wiring required.
 
GuilfordRailman said:
I could simplify the wiring a little. The left module could stay a single wire due to where the layout will actually split (red circle in diagram), but the right would need two at a minimum since the upper track will be almost completely electrically isolated except for when my DIY barrel bolt track connectors are in place to lock the track segments together.

View attachment 174641
Click to expand...
Yup, I missed that one.
 
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