FT 036 Switch Power and Wire Gauge

I use standard telephone/data 4 conductor wire 22 gauge solid conductor. This matches the size and colors used in many switch motors today. Look at the link to Platt Electrical supply www.Platt.com . In the search window add item 96238. It comes in 500' rolls at .06 cents a foot or $30 bucks for the 500' roll they also offer the same wire in 2 conductor 22 ga red/black for .04 cents a foot $20 bucks buys you a 500' roll. To connect the wires I use snap lock connectors available at HD and Lowes under the Ideal product line,see the attached picture.

Hi Steve

Thanks for the link to DZ switch wire.  Please tell me what you are calling snap lock connectors.  I think they are what I call suitcase connectors.  To use you them, I insert two wires of the correct gauge, fold down and lock in with a spade type connector.  Did you use a 3 or 4 unit terminal board to connect to your power supply?

Thanks

Tommy

Constant voltage is fine. I've powered 7 fastrack switches at 18v for 10 years now without issue.

IMO its a whole bunch of extra work to put switches on auxillary power, they detract little if any track power with the LED illumination and at the same time handle 18v just fine.

The owners manual states: " the switch operates best at 5-18v"

Beeman,

The scotchlock connectors were made for telecommunications type wire usually 22-24 ga. They come in three styles "UG", "UR" and "UY". Most anyone who worked for telcos in the outside plant department , Line , Splicing, I & R used these very frequently. " UR " style will accept wire from 19 to 26 ga. and you can connect 3 conductors per connector. Do not confuse these with "suitcase" connectors. The Telco's used pliers made for installing this type connector. Although you can use a set of long nose pliers

I would not recommend this type installation. If you do not have the tool you can use a set of adjustable pliers and get a solid connection with them. Using regular long nose pliers is difficult because the top piece does not set evenly when you try to compress the connector. You can visit my website for more documentation. www.montanarailpower.com

Thanks for the wire gauge info. 

A quick follow up question to my original post.

How difficult is it to dissemble and more importantly reassemble the switch controller - 4 screws.  Are wires soldered inside the controller or are they clip connected.  Are there springs waiting to pop out.

Thanks in advance

Ireland,

    Sense you are running FT, consider upgrading your switches to Command Control, eliminate all wiring of the switches all together, by running them with either TMCC

Cab1 or Legacy Cab2 remote control, from track power.  Further set your Transformer at 18 Volts, Run DCS & TMCC or Legacy, your new FT CC switches will work like a charm.  In the future all new Lionel FT switches, will be produced Command Control anyway.

PCRR/Dave

Thanks PCR for suggestion. 

However, RR is too small and I am too old and have too many competing interests to really invest in CC.  I have a combination of manual and remote FT switches and need to extend several controllers to new transformer platform.  I wish to avoid pulling old switches out and uprooting scenery etc.  Disconnecting wires at the Controller and adding additional wire negates the need to pull out existing turnouts. 

Have you or any other reader taken apart the controller and I so, would you let me know if there are any surprises.  Thanks.

Possible problems with Scotchlocks used to directly connect the DZ machine to telco wire might be:

1) the DZ wires are stranded and scotchlocks are more for solid wires and the blades might have problem cutting through the insulation and getting a good bite on stranded.

2) DZ motors do have problems from time to time.  Personally, I uses Euro block connectors to connect the three DZ wires to the switch machine "home run" wires.  That way I can quickly disconnect the motor by unscrewing the EuroBlock screws.  Saves having to fuss with crimp tools and the Scotchlocks and having the DZ wires get shorter and shorter.  On my layout I have some diodes and resistors on these blocks to keep the DZ motor LEDS lit as I don't use the DZ controller to complete the lighting circuit. But this is just my preference.

Hi Sam, the rrman,

Can you enlighten some of us on your use of the Euro block connectors.  Where to buy, how to hook up, etc.?  I'm starting to plan my Ross switches hook up to my AIU on my DCS learning layout and I'm looking at options  Need all the help I can get.

Thanks

Tommy

Hi Tommy,

Here is one example from Digikey. http://www.digikey.com/product...FB/ED3000-ND/2720747

I buy them as strips of 12 then cut them into three, 4 screw piece "chunks". My hook up is using four wires from my switchboard (14VAC, motor reverse, motor normal, common (or ground) ).  I attach my diodes and resistors to complete the LED lighting circuit, and the red&green wires going to the Ross derail rails to one side of strip and just the motor leads to other side, making it easy to detach motor leads, since there would never ever be a reason to change other side of block

On my switchboard, I use full 12 position strips and jumper 14VAC and common from a separate transformer to each position then run separate motor normal, motor reverse wires from AIU to position.    What this does is allows me to reorder turnouts as my "huge, vast" empire grows and change.  Also everything is orderly and extremely easy to troubleshoot (yeah, right!!)

And that's my method, good/bad/ugly, my story and I'm sticking to it.  Hope this was helpful.

I have installed 6 DZ 1000, 6 DZ 2500 and 4 DZ 1008 on my two displays I use. I wire both up almost identical using the wire and connectors shown. Both were wired to help show model railroaders some methods to wire their layouts. I am happy to say I wired both completely using the items I mentioned and when the wiring was completed both the displays worked flawlessly without having to correct or trouble shoot any wiring. You can use the European style terminal strips also and they will work. Having used the scothlock connectors for over forty years I feel quite comfortable how and when to use them and what wires to use them with. On my display I try to show some common switch machines manufactured recently and most of these operate using the wire and connectors I suggested. I recently setup the display at a show and once the kids came by and discovered the control buttons for all the switch motors it was non-stop switch motors throwing all day and not one equipment malfunction. If you visit my website at www.montanarailpower.com you will see I also offer the 12 position European style terminal strips also. Ireland if you would like you can find my reach telephone number on the website, I'd be happy to talk with you about your concerns. As I pointed out earlier there is no need buy a set of pliers used only for installing this type connector. A standard set of adjustable pliers will work fine.   

Hi Steve,

Ah yes, the good old punch down "66" blocks.  In another life, I did telco PBX work after college. Fun banging down 25 pair cable all day long (blue,orange,green,brown, slate, over and over again).

This is certainly a unique application of those blocks to RR work.

Nice to know Sam , geeez I'd like to know how many I cut down through the years...well maybe not! Yes if you know the 66 blocks it takes 8 of the 12 position terminal strips to equal what one 66 block will do. My website shows you how to connect 16 z 1000 switch machines and control buttons on one block with a pair to spare. I use the spare pair for Switch machine power& ground. If you use the Z2500 you can do the same but only room for 8 motors and control buttons plus you have built in wire management using the 89B brackets to route your wires in.