Is 18 gauge wire ok to wire switches with?

[Necrosaro420]

Would 18 gauge do the job, or do you guys have any other recommendations?

 

[BN8002]

for wiring turnout motors or as feeders?

if you are using it for feeders, thats going to be too thick..if you are using it to wire turnout motors that will be fine.

 

[Jon NFL]

Absolutely, perhaps, never.
My computer's thought perceiver is not working - give us a little more info :]

 

[Necrosaro420]

Will just be to wire up turnouts, structure lighting, etc, nothign to the track. Really have no clue what a feeder is =)

 

[Larry]

When you buy a turnout motor switch it usually comes w/wires all connected together.
3 wires in diff. colors for the turnout motor. Those wires are 22 to 24ga. That's what I've been using for years. A feeder wire is what you connect to your track w/solder to run to a Buss wire under the layout. The buss wire carries current from feeder to feeder to your transformer. If you have a small layout you don't need many drops/feeders for your track. On my layout I have them on every other 3ft pc. of flex track to a 14ga. Buss wire.

 

[tankist]

i use #8 gauge when wiring my electric oven and cook top. rated for 40Amps. if it can handle an oven i'm sure it will be fine for switch machines as well.

but seriously, #18??? unless you have plenty of it just laying around it is overkill. old roco turnout i have is wired (soldered from factory) with not even #24 and the wire didn't melt yet

 

[trailrider]

The main reason for using heavier gage wire is to prevent a lot of current loss on long wire runs. Once you get to the turnout machine itself, the thin wires of which the solenoid coils are made are short enough not to be a problem. As was posted, if you have a bunch of the 18 ga. laying around, and 24 ft. runs from the control panel, then, by all means, use the 18 ga. Otherwise, 22-24 ga. will do just fine. Feeder wires to the track is another story. You aren't going to be able to solder 18 ga. to the track very easily. Again 22-24 ga. will probably do from the track to a bus of heavier wire. Keep the "pigtails" that are soldered to the track as short as practicable (probably around 6-inches. These can then be soldered or suitcase connectors used to heavier gage wiring to the control panel. It is the long run that creates increased resistance, so the short leads shouldn't cause any problems

 

[kz9]

I used 18-3 thermostat wire for all my switches. I can get 500' rolls for $20 tho.