RailPro User Group

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tommy Mac on May 08, 2017, 07:50:15 PM

Title: Wire
Post by: Tommy Mac on May 08, 2017, 07:50:15 PM

Need some help? I ready to install the system an having some issue with type of 16ga. wire to get. I assume ( there's a loaded word) not all wire is equal?

Thanks for your help!

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: Alan on May 09, 2017, 05:51:45 AM

You are correct not all wire is equal however for wiring a RP layout you can safely assume all wire is equal. Pretty much any insulated 16 ga wire will work.

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: Tommy Mac on May 10, 2017, 09:07:36 PM

Thanks for the reply !!

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: Carter on November 10, 2017, 10:30:15 AM

Hi, Don't use solid conductor wires, 1st. hard to work with, 2nd vibration can cause a breakage, 3rd, may have trouble with solid wire locking into the Railpro Power Unit connections. Solid wire does not easily compress so you may over tighten the connection and cause damage to the termination point.

My 2 cents.

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: carrson on November 10, 2017, 10:43:58 AM

yes.. agree completely with Carter's reply...I used 14 ga. for my buss and 18 for the drops... I tinned the ends of the bus
 and filed them smooth to fit nicely into the power supply terminals...maybe overkill with the gauge of wire but that is what I used...

Larry

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: MtRR75 on November 10, 2017, 08:21:04 PM

 I also used 14 gauge stranded wire for my bus.  I only needed 16 gauge, but Home Depot had 14 gauge stranded cheaper than any source of 16 gauge that I could find.  And they had it in 4-5 colors.

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: TwinStar on November 10, 2017, 09:43:25 PM

I use 14 ga stranded for my bus and 24 ga solid for my feeders. Nine years of Free-mo without a single broken wire.

Title: Re: Wire
Post by: Alan on November 11, 2017, 12:53:23 PM

12 AWG solid for my buss, 24 AWG stranded for my feeders. Working great.