Ron Ron Ron Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 I'm in the process of building a small test board (800mm long), containing two short parallel lengths of track, one to be used with my rolling road and the other as an off-layout DCC programming and test track. I have considered fitting an ESU decoder tester as well, to create a self contained testing workstation. There's also room to fit a SPROG, if I choose to buy one of those at a later date. As I intend to use this board with both a DCC system and with a Gaugemaster DC controller (at different times of course), I would like to use a plug and socket arrangement for connecting and disconnecting either of these power sources. I'm looking for something that will be reasonably robust, to survive regular plugging in and unplugging and for ease of use. The sockets being built-in. Screw terminals are out and the crocodile clips that I currently use are not the best or most elegant means of connecting up (IMHO). Current thoughts are using 4mm binding posts with either banana plugs, or spades; or C7 power cord connectors. If I'm not mistaken, the latter are rated at 2.5 amps. I'll be using separate connectors for each track and for the other ancillaries. Any thoughts on these ideas, or other suggestions would be most welcome and appreciated. Cheers Ron . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meil Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 See RS 897-1004 and 144-4107 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 3, 2020 Author Share Posted July 3, 2020 11 minutes ago, meil said: See RS 897-1004 and 144-4107 Thanks. They've got the power rating, but I'm not sure those are suitable? How would they be mounted, or built-in and are they only designed for occasional disconnection, rather than frequent cycles of plugging and unplugging? The board wiring will be hidden underneath and I'd ideally like something like sockets, visible on the board surface, or edge. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John ks Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 Have you considered using switches See the following posts in Electrics(non=DCC), currently at the bottom of page 2 Test track wiring help By Monkeyhead, March 3 As for plugs Banana Plugs or 1/4" mono Jacks could be suitable John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 6 hours ago, John ks said: Have you considered using switches See the following posts in Electrics(non=DCC), currently at the bottom of page 2 Test track wiring help By Monkeyhead, March 3 As for plugs Banana Plugs or 1/4" mono Jacks could be suitable John Thanks, John, I hadn’t spotted that thread and I usually dislike seeing duplicate topics, where a member hasn’t bothered to look and see if their question hasn’t already been discussed. This time it was me !!! I had thought about switches, but as the DCC system and DC controller wouldn’t be permanently connected and would only be plugged in when needed, considered them completely superfluous. I’ll have a think about it again though, but I’m almost certain that they are not really needed. I’m hoping to use 3 pairs of jumper wires (one pair for the DC controller and two pairs for DCC) that, in the case of the DCC system, be used to plug into this test board and also into my layout(s). My thinking is that when using the test board for DCC, I can simply plug the programming output to one track and the track output to the rolling road. A switch wouldn’t serve any purpose. My original question revolves around what type of plug and socket to use. I had thought about XLR’s, but wasn’t sure of their suitability for this sort of application. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 I use pluggable terminal blocks Rapid Electronics parts 21-2840 and 21-2864. Solder the sockets to a piece of stripboard mounted on your test bench or layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 9 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said: My original question revolves around what type of plug and socket to use. I had thought about XLR’s, but wasn’t sure of their suitability for this sort of application. . XLR are fine for this job. In 3 and 4 pole they are cheap, and I expect a bit of thinking could come up with a wiring scheme for a plug which allows the different DC/DCC systems to connect to the rails required on the test-track with its single socket (one socket = no mistakes). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin Liddiard Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 I currently use "MATE-N-LOK" connectors which are available from 2 to 15 ways. The use latching plastic connectors into which crimped pin terminals are inserted (they can also be soldered to the wires). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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