Connecting small gauge wires reliably or "Terminal Block" equivalent for distribution of 20 gauge (or smaller) wires

I used these on my layout with great success.  http://www.alliedelec.com/sear...sults.aspx?term=cmb4

I would use the non insulated spade connectors and probably strip the wires long and fold over the wire that's inserted into the crimp part. Then you could also heat shrink a short piece if you think you need insulation, but it's probably not necessary in most cases. The bare terminals are easier to crimp hard. Make sure the pointed side of the die is pressing into the back side of the crimp area and not the part where the crimp area has the joint. Works better.

I remove the screw from the terminal block and solder the wire to the terminal

Soldering is difficult to change. And a good crimp and tight terminal screw are probably the least problematic of possible power issues.

PLCProf posted:

Personally, I am not big on lugs, they are just extra connections to cause an issue, so I try to work around them where possible.

I use the WAGO 222 connectors for my under-layout connections. They are easy to apply in tight places, and are UL listed for wires from AWG 12 through AWG 28, solid and/or stranded. They hold the wire tighter than heck. There are accessories available to mount them if you don't like them flopping around. They are also re-usable and do not spoil the end of the wire like solder does. There is also a 221 connector, but it is listed only for sizes 12 through 24.

Yeah, they aren't free, but they are reusable. Here's a picture of a 5-way unit, there are also 2s and 3s.

Both genuine and "knock-offs" are readily available on-line. I have used some of the knock-offs and can't say I have had any trouble with them. The genuine ones also work fine of course.

Interesting.  So how exactly do you use them in a bus situation?

George

cjack posted:

I would use the non insulated spade connectors and probably strip the wires long and fold over the wire that's inserted into the crimp part. Then you could also heat shrink a short piece if you think you need insulation, but it's probably not necessary in most cases. The bare terminals are easier to crimp hard. Make sure the pointed side of the die is pressing into the back side of the crimp area and not the part where the crimp area has the joint. Works better.

Thank you Chuck.  My first thought was along these lines, as well.  I'm certainly open others suggestions as well.

I'm also trying to find a crimp tool that relies more on mechanical advantage than brute strength.  My hands are a bit arthritic and not as strong as they used to be.

George

jmiller320 posted:

I used these on my layout with great success.  http://www.alliedelec.com/sear...sults.aspx?term=cmb4

 

Ooh, didn't see this first time.  I'll check this out as well.

Thanks,

George

If the wire is real small, I stick a 16 gauge wire in the terminal along with the small wire I need, crimp it, then clip off the 16 gauge wire at the back end of the terminal.  That way there's enough wire mass to hold it in there. 

You can also just solder a bigger wire to the one you need, or if you have a bunch of wires in need of the same connection, crimp a few in the same terminal. 

Another option is to solder all your small wires to a local bus wire, then connect that wire to a terminal block.

There's lots of ways to do this....

G3750 posted:

PLCProf posted:

I use the WAGO 222 connectors for my under-layout connections. 

Yeah, they aren't free, but they are reusable. Here's a picture of a 5-way unit, there are also 2s and 3s. 

Thank you for the lead!!!! I'll be ordering a couple hundred WAGO 2 PORT LEVER NUTS 222-412 CAGE CLAMPS. Just what I need to make up my power feeds. I have been dreading soldering these things!!!

Could someone please explain how/where/when these Wago 222 connectors would be used on a layout.  When would a 2,3 or 5 connector be used. 

Thanks, Mike

As a junction. e.g. a splice in a standard bus wire and drop. More than one accessory at one spot. Star wiring,

Do a forum search for "Wago lever nuts" and you'll see several threads.  Here's a re-cycled photo from this thread:

The nickel is shown for scale since sometimes the published dimensions aren't enough to appreciate the size of these until you see/touch them.  As noted above there are carriers to screw-mount these so they don't dangle/flop around. 

As for a bus situation asked earlier, you are essentially creating a "Y" (3 wires coming to one point) so you could use the 3-terminal version. 

I like these because they have test hole for inserting a voltmeter probe to measure the voltage at the connector...very handy when troubleshooting voltage drops along a bus.

These are Ideal small Grey connectors (71B).  These connectors would still require double over and twisting of very small conductors for an adequate connections.

Connecting a DZ 1000 switch motor.

You can insert multiple 20-28 ga. wire in the euro's.  Just twist the wires together, do not solder, then insert.

bruce

See Toy Train Layout Wiring - Wire Management    Includes this information and more.

All Electronics carries these or similar at reasonable prices.

These  PC Mount blocks have a screw clamp and are used for very small wires (twist together).  Screw clamps are more reliable than wire nuts exposed under the layout.

Surplus electronic supply places frequently have surplus  PC Mount barrier terminal strips.

Barrier Terminal Blocks can be purchased with 2 to 16 positions.   Use blocks with screws that hold down a binding head.

Since I'm pretty good at soldering, even up-side-down, I simply screw solid brass wood screws near each other, one for positive and the other for negative. I thus have a main pair of buss wires from the low voltage transformer (10 to 11 volts DC) soldered to the base of the brass screws, then simply solder all the really small "telephone wires" from the building lights to the brass screws. Simple, and nothing ever come loose.

PLCProf posted:

Personally, I am not big on lugs, they are just extra connections to cause an issue, so I try to work around them where possible.

 

I feel the same way, anything to avoid crimp connects. I only use them where absolutely necessary. Not only an extra place for problems, but the good ones are not exactly cheap and add quite a bit of expense if used in quantity.

On to G3750 (the OP), personally, I mostly use the Euro style terminal strips (they are available in assorted sizes for different wire sizes and can be cut to whatever size you want). From time to time, I also use several of the others mentioned by some of the posters above, the Wago connectors posted by PLCProf, the terminal strips posted by JMiller320, wire nuts posted by MikeCT and the terminal strips posted by Susan Deats. These are all good options (IMO). 

The longer black ones posted by Susan Deats are very similar to the ones you are using in the photo in your post, but do not require any crimp connectors. They have a square clamping washer under the terminal screw (I think that's what she referred to as binding heads, and probably the proper term) that grips the stripped wires themselves very tightly. 

For the hole and setscrew type connections on thin wires, there are solid tip male terminal connectors for crimping/soldering . The set screws can easy cut thin wire when set hard, or just not grab anything so small well. The terminal provides "bulk".

This is a random shot of the crimp type I reach for when I can, and the shape of the crimp tool that gives the long tabs a guide to curve back in on themselves at the crimps center, then grabs the insulation too.

   Shrink tube on this is my prefence if I'm going to get fancy and really worry about much outside of "horray it works". I do both depending on my mood or willingness to hunt things that day. I might solder a fine wire at the tip for pull through, but this is king; SAEs favorite, available all over in any head or size around. There's actually a tool anvil shape with a more pronounced centering guide I like much better, but this shape is OK.

(though hot water's way is impressively simple)