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Wiring a portable layout for DCC what kind of connectors would you recommend for transferring power between boards


Richard

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Hi everyone. I hope to be commencing the building of a new portable layout in the coming weeks. the layout will have three separate boards and I was looking for some wisdom as to which connectors would be most suitable for transferring power between each baseboard ie din or d connectors. I will be using an NCE Power Cab as after having had a play with most of the systems on the market the Power Cab was the system I felt most comfortable with. As time goes by I hope to be able to expand the layout to include a fiddle yard, but for now it will be an end to end. I look forward to any replies and hopefully gleaming more knowledge and experience from those more knowledgeable than myself on the subject.

 

TIA

 

Richard,

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Depends on how you are going to wire the layout really, if you are using a 2 wire bus (as I do) then I use Anderson PowerPole connectors to interconnect the boards which are supremely reliable.

 

For multiple wire systems then the D-type is one we I have used on club layouts over the years to great effect.

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Hi

As you're DCC then possibly only two bus wires are required to pass board to board? If so, then these dc connectors would be ideal. Link to Connectors

However, if you have more then the two bus wires to pass board to board and depending on the total wire count, 9 or 25 pin D connectors could be used (consider doubling up pins that are used for the DCC bus) or even these 8 way multi pin connectors. Socket and Plug

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Hi Richard

 

I am currently involved in 2 O gauge projects that will be wired for DCC. One of the factors in selecting connectors for the DCC bus and an auxiliary power supply bus for accessories was the current capacity of the connectors. If your system is higher than 4 or 5 amp rating then you will find little to choose from on the market. In the end we decided on Speakon connectors as used in the audio industry. These are very robust and have a current capacity much in excess of the 8 amp DCC system that will be used. 4 core mains cable with a 10 amp capacity (it was very cheap on offer in B&Q!) will be used for the jumper cables.

 

You may also need to consider whether to fit a separate controller bus (eg Railcom or Loconet) so that throttles (and some types of accessory module) can be connected at different locations in your baseboards. The standard for these tends to use RJ12 connectors and 6 core cabling - be careful not to use cheap 4 core telephone extension cables!

 

So, think about future expansion of your DCC system and try to plan ahead even if it means spending a bit more at first to give you flexibility later.

 

Regards

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I use these:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/components/connectors/multiway-connectors

 

I use 5 pole connectors, two for the Bus, two for 16Vac power (so accessories aren't drawing on the power from the bus, and one for the overhead although it isn't currently live. The idea for that would be to have it connected to one of the bus wires at a single point where it could be switched, as some brass locos I own have live bodies and could short out unless placed on the layout the same way round.

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Hi Richard,

 

I operate a thre wire DCC sysytem, common, track and accesories.

 

My inter baseboard connectors are the simplest of the lot, the tree 8mm bolts that join the baseboards together.

I use T-nuts on both sides with copper tape trapped underneath, then soldered to the T-nuts.

The T-nuts on one side have been blinded - drilled through to remove the thread.

 

I have had no problems with power transfer. I just make sure that the odd occasion a bolt gets a drop of oil,that the lubricant will conduct electricity.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

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You may also need to consider whether to fit a separate controller bus (eg Railcom or Loconet) so that throttles (and some types of accessory module) can be connected at different locations in your baseboards.

That's a very good point Bill.

However (forgive me for putting on my Pedants hat), "controller bus" probably isn't quite the correct term, even though I know what you mean.

Also, RailCom is something else and not a Cab/ Throttle/ Command/ Communication bus. Maybe you were thinking of XpressNet ?

 

Regards

Ron

 

.

 

 

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I will concur with using the Speakon connectors. They are robust enough for the rough environment they will be used in, cheap, and will take 2.5mm bus-sized wire. I use the four pole versions with the main DCC track bus on the primary pair, and the auxiliary power on the secondary pair, the 2-pole version is compatible if you do not need the auxiliary bus.

 

The connectors and suitable flexible 2.5mm 4-core (or 2-core) wire are available from Rapid, and you can even buy ready made patch cables.

 

Speakon connectors at Rapid

 

They have a nice twist and lock action so will not pull out accidentally and do not have exposed pins so there is no risk of shorting.

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I use These DC power connectors and their associated sockets. Quick and easy to fit and by using a different size for each bus I don't get them muddled up. The other advantage is that they are readily available from many places.

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i'd use 25 way D connectors, it isn't a good idea to use the same bus for point motor accessories and track power as if you get a track short because a point is set wrong it shuts the whole command station down and you can't then move the point with the controller without moving the loco with the hand of god. use 2 buses and put breakers on each so if you do get a track short on a point you can still change the point and clear the short from the handset. you can use 5 or 6 pins and common them up so you are not relying on ONE pin to carry the current from board to board. also IF?? you need to run a wire you 'forgot' or decide to add something the option is there. the 25 way are the most common and have the largest range of hoods etc which is why i'd go for them and they can be found quite cheaply.

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I to use push fit connectors from maplin come in blocks of 12 so for a two wire bus 1 block does 6 joints or three if 4 wire bus so very cheap but reliable. They are rated at 5amp so will work with most systems.

 

regards

 

mike g

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One question that hasn't been asked yet is how often do you plan on dismantling / moving the layout? If its going to be fairly often you will want something that is robust, can handle repeated cycles of plugging and unplugging. Things like molex connectors are unsuitable for this as they aren't meant to be connected/disconnected on a regular basis. If you are only going to be moving it ocassionally then most cheap connectors with a sufficient current rating will work just fine.

 

Our club uses audio XLR connectors on the modules as they are designed for repeated use/abuse. I've adopted them for my own layout and they are a good cost effective option.

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On our modules, which just have a 2-wire bus crossing the board joint we use simple banana plug jumpers - Maplin even sells RTR jumper cables! http://www.maplin.co.uk/4mm-patch-cord-1443

 

I did consider XLRs for our "internal" board joints, i'm used to them on mics and lighting equipment and as Andrew says they are about as close to indestructable as you can get - but decided standardisation was the way forward.

 

For the main layout which has multiple busses we used these

http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/Connectors-Mains-Power/Miniature-Power-Connector/8-pole-Mains-connector/63560 - not cheap but they get all the busses done in one plug with a nice heavy rating.

 

 

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How do you plan to join the baseboards physically together?

 

I use hinges with the pins removed, the bus wires are connected to the hinges, hence when I connect the boards together and put in the hinge pins, the bus is connected together.

 

Job Done :D

 

No loose wires, no connectors to wear out, nothing extra to think about.

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One question that hasn't been asked yet is how often do you plan on dismantling / moving the layout? If its going to be fairly often you will want something that is robust, can handle repeated cycles of plugging and unplugging. Things like molex connectors are unsuitable for this as they aren't meant to be connected/disconnected on a regular basis. If you are only going to be moving it ocassionally then most cheap connectors with a sufficient current rating will work just fine.

 

Our club uses audio XLR connectors on the modules as they are designed for repeated use/abuse. I've adopted them for my own layout and they are a good cost effective option.

 

 

Andrew

 

As I haven't a more permanent home for the layout it will probably be erected and dismantled twice a week at most. The boards will stored in doors. My father in law and brother in law are builders and when time and money allow I will build a permanent home for the layout. I hope to be able to exhibit the layout from time to time hence keeping it portable.

 

Richard,

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How do you plan to join the baseboards physically together?

 

I use hinges with the pins removed, the bus wires are connected to the hinges, hence when I connect the boards together and put in the hinge pins, the bus is connected together.

 

Job Done :D

 

No loose wires, no connectors to wear out, nothing extra to think about.

 

 

 

 

Hi Tim,

 

Pattern makers dowels will be used for joining the boards along with toggle catches. I must say your solution deserves some investigating.

 

Richard,

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I am not sure what the current rating is (it will not be very high) but the quarter inch jack plug is not ideal for a couple of reasons:-

 

1. There is shorting together of the plug connections while the plug is being inserted and removed.

 

2. There is no locking mechanism to stop the plug being partly (or even fully) withdrawn and causing a short when in use.

 

3. The contacts on the plug are exposed and can easily short on conductive surfaces.

 

It only remains in use for musical instruments, microphones and speakers where the shorting issue is not a problem. For professional use it has been superseded by XLR and Speakon connectors which are much more rugged and much more reliable, and not much more expensive.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi

 

I would like to second this opinion. Please use "proper electrical power connectors". The Anderson PP30 can carry 30 Amps and are designed to be made and broken under power.

 

suppliers are: http://www.torberry.co.uk/

 

If you want wiring standards for, board to board or module, DCC you can't do much better than the following: http://www.ntrak.org...owerpole_rp.htm

 

They are available in lots of different coloured housings and can be slid onto each other to form multi-pole, polarized connectors.

 

Depends on how you are going to wire the layout really, if you are using a 2 wire bus (as I do) then I use Anderson PowerPole connectors to interconnect the boards which are supremely reliable.

 

For multiple wire systems then the D-type is one we I have used on club layouts over the years to great effect.

 

Cheers

 

Godders

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