Wiring numerous wires together

[Whislter65]

Hi guys

 

My layout is DCC but this question is basic electrics.

 

All my points have live feeds and will be going to the power bus. The wire I am using is 7/02 alarm wire and each is less that 200mm.

 

Can I add numerous wires into a terminal block and then have a 16/02 wire going from the other side to the bus wire. I want to do this in several places along my layout. By doing it this way I am saving cutting into the power bus and having countless wires running from it.

 

The only other question if the above is yes is what size terminal blocks should I use ......15amp?

 

Will the above cause me any problems?

 

regards

 

[corax67]

You can use terminal blocks but I wouldn't - I have had too many bad experiences where one of a number of wires has pulled out or broken off from the block causing a difficult to trace glitch.

 

A much better solution is to solder the droppers to a length of tag strip that can be screwed to your baseboard - the solder joints will prove far more reliable than the screw terminals in the block.

 

This is the type of tag strip I use :

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/321267100530?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0

[gordon s]

Tag strips are fine for the size of wire you are using.  When it comes to the heavier bus wires, these are perfect for the job.  There is also a 4 way version.

 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/8-way-earth-block/11385

[Whislter65]

You can use terminal blocks but I wouldn't - I have had too many bad experiences where one of a number of wires has pulled out or broken off from the block causing a difficult to trace glitch.

 

A much better solution is to solder the droppers to a length of tag strip that can be screwed to your baseboard - the solder joints will prove far more reliable than the screw terminals in the block.

 

This is the type of tag strip I use :

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/321267100530?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0

These look like the perfect solution and I agree soldering the wires to these would be better Solution. So with these tags I obviously solder all the droppers to each tag but what about the wire from the powerbus. Do I only have to connect it to one of the tags and then the rest is then live?

 

regards

[gordon s]

I use the same tags in other parts of my own layout and they are ideal, but you will need to common up the tags you require as they are each individually isolated pairs.

[corax67]

Here's a (not very good) pic of a bit taken off an old box file layout project :

 

 

The blue and green wires are the two wires for the bus, the droppers would be wired to the empty tags and across the other side of the tags is a length of solid copper wire (stripped from household ring main) soldered to each tag for continuity.

 

I have used this method a lot and (a) it doesn't let me down, (b ) it's easy to wire trace and fault find.

[trustytrev]

Hello,

       A good alternative are rows of brass panel pins appropriately spaced with wires wrapped and soldered as required.Yorkshiremen will like this idea.

trustytrev.