CAT cables used to power layout?

Depending upon the run length, CAT 5/6 should be fine for switches. As for accessories, it "depends". LED lighting, you should be OK.

Don't use it for track power, much too light a wire!

So far, all accessories are newer LED lighting...switches are Ross with DZ2500's.

I can stay with 16/18ga speaker wire for track power. It has worked well so far. How much difference would it make to solder power leads to the track, and replace the track clips? Is that the best option?

I was able to get a pretty constant speed throughout both conventional and command loops (command slightly better) with just a connection near the power source and 1 additional clip half way around each loop.

BTW John, my scale N&W1218 received the Cruise Commander/Super Chuffer makeovers and a tweek or two of the smoke unit you recommended this summer. It's a beast! Fantastic upgrades!

Thank you for your advice!

Lion L

Lion L 226E posted:

So far, all accessories are newer LED lighting...switches are Ross with DZ2500's.

The Ethernet wire will work fine for those, that's what I'm stringing for a lot of mine.

Lion L 226E posted:

I can stay with 16/18ga speaker wire for track power. It has worked well so far. How much difference would it make to solder power leads to the track, and replace the track clips? Is that the best option?

Soldering is almost always more secure, how much so depends on the integrity of the track clips. 

Lion L 226E posted:

BTW John, my scale N&W1218 received the Cruise Commander/Super Chuffer makeovers and a tweek or two of the smoke unit you recommended this summer. It's a beast! Fantastic upgrades!

Thank you for your advice!

Thanks you, always love to see a happy customer.

All my Fastrack switches, uncouplers and accessories are wired with CAT 5 cable. If you put two conductors in parallel you get the equivalent of AWG 21, four in parallel are AWG 18. I use two conductors in parallel for some accessories on long runs. I will comment that all my accessories are on "home runs," as are my track feeders (star wiring.) I don't care for using busses and common conductors once you get outside the control panel. Your mieage may vary.

Don't tell anyone, but I have four sidings that are each powered by four conductors in parallel for each rail. Those runs are short and the sidings are short, so I am never going to draw much current through them. The main lines are 14 gauge, however.

I use CAT 5 for all of my switches and indicator lights.  The picture below shows an adapter that I made to connect the CAT 5 cables to the wires coming from my control panel. 

Here are some circuit boards that control the turnouts and indicator lights on my layout. They all have RJ45 jacks to connect the CAT 5 cables.

Thanks all! I have a pretty good idea where CAT5 could be a nice improvement... And where it isn't practical. Big help.

Lion L

johnf posted:

I use CAT 5 for all of my switches and indicator lights.  The picture below shows an adapter that I made to connect the CAT 5 cables to the wires coming from my control panel. 

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Here are some circuit boards that control the turnouts and indicator lights on my layout. They all have RJ45 jacks to connect the CAT 5 cables.

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John, that is wonderful work.  I, too, use CAT5 cable for switches and indicator lights.   I have spools of the stuff sitting around from doing homeruns in my house from the attic for telco and other things.

Although, I do not have board made up like you did.

Hmmmmm..gives me an idea.

Again, nice work

I use old cables with 25 twisted pairs for accessory & switch control and other odd uses. It was free from out of our old office telephone system... so far, so good!

I like the custom circuit boards, I'm going to have to consider that for my new layout.

Some 22 ga, most 24 ga.  limited power available as the cables become longer.  There are tools, and (wiring diagrams) for installing the RJ 45 jacks. Most Cat5, Cat5e and advanced cables are 8 conductor,   Most of this cable is twisted pair, which can be an advantage. Some is shielded.    IMO, Mike CT. 

David and GRJ,

The circuit boards were fun to make, and they definitely simplified the wiring. I started with a few simple projects to learn the DipTrace program, but I quickly expanded my list of projects as I started to get comfortable with the process. 

John

All my products have been produced using DipTrace, I looked at two or three other PCB packages, but DipTrace was the most intuitive, so I went with it.

One of my first projects will probably be a clone of the junction box that Lionel makes for the DZ-2500 switch machines.  I figure I can use CAT5 cable from each switch to the main panel, simplify any wiring.