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Often enough I see topics where help is requested selecting wire gauge size for wiring our layouts.

There are several wire size calculators on the internet but nothing specifically for us train guys and gals.

Hopefully the attached Excel sheet may help.

 

Its easy to use; you just input the supply voltage, design amperage load, lightest AWG you want to try, the allowable voltage loss in the run, and it does the rest. There is also a toggle for one way, or out and back.

It displays the max run lengths for 4 optional wire AWG sizes, and warns you if any are deemed too light for safe use.

 

The sheet is done in Excel 2007, so it should be good to use on this and any newer version of MS office.

It is protected so as to prevent inadvertent tampering with cells that might render it useless.

The password is "OGR"; so you can easily unlock it to make any changes you wish.

 

DISCLAIMER: The attached spreadsheet is provided free of charge to OGR forum members and guests, for their own use exclusively. It is not to be sold or re-distributed in any form. The author makes no guarantee as to its accuracy or usefulness for any purpose whatsoever. No liability is assumed for any difficulties resulting from the use of this spreadsheet or its contents.

 

It is a "work in progress", so if you have any suggestions for correction or improvement, by all means let me know. My email is in my profile.

 

Rod

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Looks good Rod.  I'd consider changing the color of all the stuff at the top since you said the users should only modify the yellow entries.

 

Another point, to make it compatible with a maximum number of people, consider saving it in Excel 2003 format.  I'm sure there's nothing in there that would be affected, and I know people still using the old version.

 

I think there should be a place to post stuff like this where it's readily accessible.

 

 

 

 

Last edited by gunrunnerjohn
Originally Posted by gunrunnerjohn:

Looks good Rod.  I'd consider changing the color of all the stuff at the top since you said the users should only modify the yellow entries.

 

Another point, to make it compatible with a maximum number of people, consider saving it in Excel 2003 format.  I'm sure there's nothing in there that would be affected, and I know people still using the old version.

 

I think there should be a place to post stuff like this where it's readily accessible.

 

 

 

 

Good feedback John; thanks.

The protected version allows only the changing of the 5 main yellow highlighted input cells, so hopefully nothing in the upper data table will get messed up.

If I get any requests for earlier Excel versions I will certainly save it back to that and repost it.

Thanks Ken and rtr12 for your kind words.

 

Rod

 

Originally Posted by gunrunnerjohn:

I think there should be a place to post stuff like this where it's readily accessible.

Definitely, this would be a great idea! Something like the 'Sticky's' for the DCS and Legacy reference materials that I believe you talked them into. Maybe you could drop Rich a suggestion.  

 

I have suggested this about some other posts, but so far no luck. There are some threads floating around here that should really be saved somewhere and located so they can be readily found when needed. There is truly a lot of good information around here if one can just find it again.

Originally Posted by Matt A:

Good job. You really 1up'ed the post I did here:

https://ogrforum.com/t...11#36766446979280111

 

I use Microsoft's compatibility pack to view the 2007+ .xlsx files on Excel 2003. Its free.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us...ad/details.aspx?id=3

 

Matt,

i had not been on the forum until lately, and did not see the topic you linked to. My apologies. Lots of good info in that topic, including your post IMO. 

I just automated the wire selection process a little! 

 

Rod

I note that the amp ratings you give--15 for 14 gauge and 20 for 12 gauge--are the National Electric Code ratings for NM cable, what is usually used for house wiring, and is directed towards wire overheating.  When my wife plugs in her iron, 10 amps, on a 15-amp circuit, lights on that circuit noticeably dim.  But the voltage drop doesn't mean much on that circuit.  But, if I put a 10 amp load on an 18-volt line and get a similar voltage drop, the effect will be substantial.

 

Thus, if I am going to pull 10 amps for a power district, using either 14 or 16 gauge wire I needn't worry about overheating the wire, but I would use 14 because the effect of voltage drop at the lower train voltages has substantial effect

Originally Posted by RJR:

I note that the amp ratings you give--15 for 14 gauge and 20 for 12 gauge--are the National Electric Code ratings for NM cable, what is usually used for house wiring, and is directed towards wire overheating.  When my wife plugs in her iron, 10 amps, on a 15-amp circuit, lights on that circuit noticeably dim.  But the voltage drop doesn't mean much on that circuit.  But, if I put a 10 amp load on an 18-volt line and get a similar voltage drop, the effect will be substantial.

 

Thus, if I am going to pull 10 amps for a power district, using either 14 or 16 gauge wire I needn't worry about overheating the wire, but I would use 14 because the effect of voltage drop at the lower train voltages has substantial effect

RJR;

Good comment.

It all comes down to what is a tolerable voltage drop.

I suggest no more than 2 volts loss for track feeds @ 18 VAC for command use, because you are not likely to notice this drop in normal train ops.

But that loss would be too much for a 6 or 12 volt service, as you note.

For these I generally try to limit the loss to 1 volt or less.

 

Rod

Originally Posted by Rod Stewart:
Originally Posted by Matt A:

Good job. You really 1up'ed the post I did here:

https://ogrforum.com/t...11#36766446979280111

 

I use Microsoft's compatibility pack to view the 2007+ .xlsx files on Excel 2003. Its free.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us...ad/details.aspx?id=3

 

Matt,

i had not been on the forum until lately, and did not see the topic you linked to. My apologies. Lots of good info in that topic, including your post IMO. 

I just automated the wire selection process a little! 

 

Rod

No apologies needed. I liked your spreadsheet

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