Wiring electric switches a long distance away

 Years ago I found a good size spool of phone wire lying in the road. Not sure what I'd ever do with it. Although it has 4 wires you can use just 3. I've used it for track signals. Should work for wiring turnouts. I think it's 22 gauge and should work fine on turnout motors even with long runs.

I use thermostat wire form Home Depot or Lowes. Comes in 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and maybe more conductors. Reasonably priced. It's cheaper in the fixed length spools, but they also sell it by the foot.

It is #18 solid so I think you should be fine with going 40' for switches operators.

Pretty sure the DZ1000 comes with a linkage for GG, Ross & Atlas. Mine came with 3 different linkages and I think that is the switches they were for. I am using a DZ1000 on an Atlas switch and it works very well. Very reliable, no problems so far in about 9 months.

Edit: I uused a euro style terminal strip to connect the t'stat wire to the DZ1000. That was the only thing I didn't like about the DZ1000 was the tiny wires they used on them. They work just fine, they are just a pain to work with, IMO.

Note that you only need 2 wires between controller and switch.  Connect the center terminal of the motor to a hot feed running around the layout.  Connect the center terminal of the contro9ller to transformer ground. 

DZ1000s throw Gargraves switches reliably.  I have about 25 of those combinations.  DZ1000 uses so little current 22 gauge wire is fine.

If you have a number of switches in one area, you can run one common wire to the area and tie the common wire for each switch machine to it.  Then run the two hot wires from the switch machine the 40 feet to your toggle.  That’s what I do.

Seven of my Gargraves switches are thrown by DZ1000 machines.  Five of them came from Gargraves with the DZ1000 already installed and for two of them, I installed the DZ1000.  I’ve had no problems with any of them.

I think the others have it pretty well stated, but I'll sum up as I have similar views.  

1.  You can use just 2 wires and a shared 'common'.  This common can be run around to the various switch machines, then run back to the accessory transformer, or linked to the rail common.  Either way will do the job, but make sure your transformers are in phase if connecting to track for common... You should probably do that anyway even if the lines remain isolated.  

2. Phone wire or thermostat wire will work fine for switches.  If you plan to use the same wire for any lights or accessories, I'd go with the thermostat wire, as it should be a much heavier gauge.  Therm wire is usually 18-20 gauge where as phone wire is typically 24-26.  cheaper phone wire is also fairly difficult to work with, so if the cost isn't a major concern between the two types, I'd go with the thermostat type wire. ( For other folks, older telephone wire was much thicker gauge and easier to work with, but the modern stuff is quite small.)  one other thing to consider.  The phone wire will be much more flexible, as it seems to be very fine stranded wire these days, where as the thermostat wire seems to be all solid wire.  

3.  I have no experience with the machines in question, but others seem to believe they will work out just fine for you.  

You do not want to provide common to the switch motors, or hot to the controllers.  The way I suggested above permits you to add a non-derailing feature to switches where desired, by connecting a short section of insulated outside rail to the appropriate wire on the switch motor

Watch out, some of those switch machines had some weird requirements, only because of the LEDs. Suggest you check the manual for the DZ-1000.

It should not affect the choice of wire, other than the number of conducters.

I don't have an issue sharing the common with the outer rails. Sharing the 'hot' can have several issues, like voltage out of spec. Another advantage to running a 'constant hot' is the lights will work even though the block is off.

quote:

Note that you only need 2 wires between controller and switch.  Connect the center terminal of the motor to a hot feed running around the layout.  Connect the center terminal of the contro9ller to transformer ground. 

If you do this, and use four conductor wire, such as the phone wire that Dave C. mentioned, then you can double up, and use two conductors on each of the two terminals. That would reduce any voltage drop.

RJR is right of course.  I started out with NJ International machines and still have several so instead of wiring for non-derailing, I used the auxiliary contacts on the switch machine to send power only to the switched rail.  Obviously you can’t do that with a DZ1000.

NJI switch machines are a different animal, in that they need a lot of current.  18 gauge is a necessity for decent operation.  I'm replacing mine with DZ1000s.

I still use good old Telco 4 conductor 22 gauge solid wire for switch motors. this has worked fine since I started using in in the 1960s (Ma Bell).Today I buy my supplies from Platt Electric, www.Platt.co .In search window enter code 96238 for 4 conductor. Comes in 500' roll @ .07 cents a foot. If you want the same thing in 2 conductor ( Red & Green), enter code 96222 also comes in 500' roll for $20.00. Forty foot wire runs to power your switches with this will work fine.