Layout Dropper Wires

[landscapes]

Hi

 

Can anyone please advise or help.

 

I am building a model railway layout consisting of 9 baseboards each 1200mmx600mm, there are a total of 27 turnout points to the layout.

 

All baseboards are demountable as a house move is one the cards in a few years time.

 

I am running copper clad sleeper strips along the entire 600mm length about 250mm in from the edge so the longest length of any dropper wire will be approx 1000m.

 

I have purchased 100 meter reels of 7/02mm wires in both Red, Blue and green for this purpose, can anyone please advise is 7/0.2mm wires sufficient for my purpose or should I consider changing to 16/02mm wires?

 

Any help or advise greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

 

David

[spamcan61]

I'd have a read of this discourse on the subject:-

 

 

[Dungrange]

1 hour ago, landscapes said:

I am running copper clad sleeper strips along the entire 600mm length about 250mm in from the edge so the longest length of any dropper wire will be approx 1000m.

 

My understanding is that 7/0.2 wire is considered okay for 'short' dropper wires, which are normally taken as up to 300 mm in length and above that 16/0.2 is more appropriate (which is what you are describing).  In my case, my longest dropper wires will be at least 2m, but the consensus on the thread linked to above is that dropper wires of 2 - 3 m are okay in 16/0.2 and there is no specific need to up the wire to 24/0.2, which is what I was considering.

 

In your case, I'd be tempted to either go with 16/0.2 or since you already have the 7/0.2 wire, double up the connectors (ie if you twist two 7/0.2 wires together to produce a single dropper, then you'll have 14 strands, which should be close to the situation that you'd have with 16/0.2).  However, I'd only propose that since you already have reels of 7/0.2.  If you're going to need to buy more wire, buy 16/0.2.

[landscapes]

4 hours ago, Dungrange said:

 

My understanding is that 7/0.2 wire is considered okay for 'short' dropper wires, which are normally taken as up to 300 mm in length and above that 16/0.2 is more appropriate (which is what you are describing).  In my case, my longest dropper wires will be at least 2m, but the consensus on the thread linked to above is that dropper wires of 2 - 3 m are okay in 16/0.2 and there is no specific need to up the wire to 24/0.2, which is what I was considering.

 

In your case, I'd be tempted to either go with 16/0.2 or since you already have the 7/0.2 wire, double up the connectors (ie if you twist two 7/0.2 wires together to produce a single dropper, then you'll have 14 strands, which should be close to the situation that you'd have with 16/0.2).  However, I'd only propose that since you already have reels of 7/0.2.  If you're going to need to buy more wire, buy 16/0.2.

Hi

Many thanks for the reply and explanation 

 

David