I've been dropping feed wires every 3 feet or so. My track is 3 loops of 30 feet. I'm using #12 for the main and #16 for the drops. Are there any limits on how many drops I can put on the feeder?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Imo, every 3' is overkill. I ran a 14 GA buss with 14 GA feeders about every 10' and have consistent voltage across my layout.
@RickO posted:Imo, every 3' is overkill. I ran a 14 GA buss with 14 GA feeders about every 10' and have consistent voltage across my layout.
Absolutely, i.e. every 3 feet is DEFINITELY overkill, especially if you plan on using MTH DCS control. On our layout, I had power feeders to the center rail about every 8 feet, and then had to cut gaps in the center rail in order make sure that the DCS "signal" didn't "fight itself". Worked out fine.
The rails conduct electricity without problem. Track joints are the problem. Oxidation and rust increase the resistance of the joint causing problems. The number of joints between drops is what counts. I try to use long (36 inch) straights to minimize joints.
Since you already have drops every 3 feet, no problem. Connect every other one. Tape up the ends of the unused drops. You have them there if needed. The hard thing to do is put in drops after the track is laid and ballasted.
Thank you for your help, gonna be a lot easier under the table
