https://www.amazon.com/Southwi...&s=hi&sr=1-3
Oddly is says single strand but the pic shows different... IS there a reason some call it Primary Wire?
A link would be useful so we could see what you're talking about.
Truthfully, as a rule, the wire on Amazon may not be the best quality. I bought THNN wire from Home Depot, at the time it was like $44 for 500 feet of # 12 pure copper wire. You do NOT want CCA (Copper Coated Aluminum), it doesn't solder well, and it's not as good a conductor either.
John, please see link above.
That looks like copper wire, but they say solid and the reviews say stranded, so I don't really know what it is.
LOL, my thoughts.
I've used the Southwire #14 gauge stranded wire from Amazon over the past year without problem. My purpose was to add additional "home run" lines from a distribution point and feeders to an existing layout. In my case, I use black and white for AC.
The problem with Amazon wire is that the description is totally messed up. It states the wire is 10 gauge (not true) and is single strand (not true).
But the wire is stranded, crimps well, solders well and measures 14 in my wire gauge.
Bruce, you feel it's "up to snuff?" It appears its good wire but I really want to be sure. It also doesn't say it THHN so how is the casing/insulation feel? Do you think it's true 14 ga?
The "Primary Wire" I buy at Lowes is stranded.
Mannyrock
@Hp289 posted:Bruce, you feel it's "up to snuff?" It appears its good wire but I really want to be sure. It also doesn't say it THHN so how is the casing/insulation feel? Do you think it's true 14 ga?
Here are a visual comparison of the 25 year-old 14 gauge wire I originally used (black) and the recent "Amazon" wire I just added (white)
I then separated out the strands to verify that there were 19 each (yes!) and each strand measured 0.36 mm on my digital caliper for both types of wire.
Here is the label on the Amazon wire:
Here is the label on the original wire I used:
My "old" wire could probably hold up better outdoors or in automotive use because of the type of insulation used but that is obviously not an issue for train use. The only other comparisons would be ohms/foot and metallurgic tests for copper pureness.
But in general answer to your question, it appears that the Amazon wire is up-to-snuff for 20 VAC, 10 Amp-ish train use.
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I would like to get on my never seize band wagon again,Please bear with me.We have a chain of Auto Parts stores here in CA. called "Oreillys " They have a copper based never seize product that I like to use. I take a palm sized piece of scrap corrugated cardboard and put about a tablespoon of the goo on the cardboard and let the oil get absorbed by the corrugated overnight. I have about a 16 X 20 layout and use Gargraves track. I dip the ends of each connecting pin [all 3 ] microscopicgly sparingly [as little as possible] in the copper. I run a stranded 16ga wire to a point in the track as far as possible from the transformer and another as close as possible to the transformer. With 2 feeds and one loco I am never farther than 8 feet from a feeder wire.
@Bruce Brown posted:I've used the Southwire #14 gauge stranded wire from Amazon over the past year without problem. My purpose was to add additional "home run" lines from a distribution point and feeders to an existing layout. In my case, I use black and white for AC.
The problem with Amazon wire is that the description is totally messed up. It states the wire is 10 gauge (not true) and is single strand (not true).
But the wire is stranded, crimps well, solders well and measures 14 in my wire gauge.
FWIW I used the same wire as well (Southwire)....14 gauge stranded for Star-wiring which will be connected directly to the track and I have one bus line using the same wire for my accessories and lighting which will be controlled by on/off switches. For the bus line I have 16 and 18 gauge to wire directly to lights and accessories.
-Greg
Well, I was at Lowes and some of this was marked down and with my vet discount it came out to almost reasonable, so I bought a small batch of wire to start out. I'm figuring a loop (bus) of the white for track 1, and a loop of the red for track 2. One loop of the Green wire for both of the other loops to use as a ground. Based on my plan (see previous pics) I figure about 8 feeder drops per track, then 2 more drops per siding for the 6 sidings makes 12 more drops. Total feeder drops should be about 28. The 14 ga THHN for the bus, and the 16 ga primary wire for the feeders. The roll of red/white 20 ga on the left is to power the 10 Ross switches probably in a home run setup. Powered off accy only new ZW-L. I think. Experts please steer me if I'm wrong.
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Gunrunnerjohn
Just wanted to again thank you again for the information you provided on the bus wiring. I was able to complete the wiring on my layout, three loops. Iused 14g wire for the bus and 18g for the drops from the track. Success !! I ran three trains on each loop. Not only did the run with no hiccups, there no no voltage drops as each train ran on each loop.
I also understand where I went wrong with DCS wiring. DCS will be part of the next phase of my layout.
I also learned a lot from this.
Thank you once again !!!
Steve
We love success stories, glad it all worked out. 
