new beginner question

[bristolman]

I've read other people saying to run 14 awg to power feeders to various sections of the track . do you run another set of 14 awg to feed the ac power to the switches for your turnouts if you have them ?
mike

 

[Larry]

Are you talking about the Buss wires to your mainlines?
I run 14ga. for the Buss(2) & for the drops from the rail to the Buss I run 18 to 22 ga.
The switch machines I believe use 22 to 24ga. & most have a molded 3 wire that comes w/most switch machines.
All of this is for DC. Hope this helps.

 

[trailrider]

I ran some common household 12AWG main bus for DC and another pair for AC, in case I wanted (which I do run some) DCC locos, with the AC for twin coil switch machines. Longest run is about 40 ft around the walls of my 14 x 14 room. Since the layout is in the form of a reversed letter "G", I couldn't run wires half-way in the opposite direction. The 12AWG is probably overkill, but I had a bunch on hand. Drops from there run around 18 to 22 AWG, depending on the application. Sort runs from the drops to the actual coils of the switch machines is much thinner, but the short runs don't cause much drop.

 

[bristolman]

puzzled

i thought the 16 v ac hookups on my transformer were for the switches ? wrong ?
mike

 

[sd24b]

I've read other people saying to run 14 awg to power feeders to various sections of the track . do you run another set of 14 awg to feed the ac power to the switches for your turnouts if you have them ?
mike

I run 16ga. for my switch machines(twin coil). I run 20/22ga for my mainline with 26ga. drops. DC layout. Phil

 

[CbarM]

I know this might be a stupid question, but can I run my layout on DCC, but use an old power pack hooked to a series of switches to operate my powered turnouts, or does it all have to be run thru DCC? I think it can be done either way, but just looking for a solid answer...

 

[trailrider]

I know this might be a stupid question, but can I run my layout on DCC, but use an old power pack hooked to a series of switches to operate my powered turnouts, or does it all have to be run thru DCC? I think it can be done either way, but just looking for a solid answer...

You can certainly use a separate power pack to run your switch machines...I do. I found a pure 18VAC power pack (no DC or variable), and use it for my switch machines. Just be sure you don't have any electrical connection between the coil wires and the DC for the track. You CAN use the auxilliary contacts on the switch machine to route power to the turnout frog, however. Or you can wire those aux contacts as coil cutoffs for the coils.

 

[pacbelt]

I second Trailrider! I even use one of my old Tech 3 transformers to power my building lights.


Carmine, modeling the HO Scale Pacific Belt RR since 1975!