Feeder wire question?

Hello everyone, is it ok to use a feeder wire length of up to 12"? I tried useing 6" wires, but its too much of a problem getting them to rach the bus line sometimes. Thanks!
steve:thumb:
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
Twelve inch wires shouldn't cause a problem,Steve. Are you running your wires directly from the power supply or from feeder wires paralleling the track?
 

tweet469

New Member
I actually solder my feeders (28 ga. phone wire) to 12 ga. stranded wire. They are very reliable and easy to install. I run my feeders to the edge of the layout for easy access and mount it under the fascia with some wire straps from Radio Shack. This works out OK because I,m in a wheelchair and I have to design everything around it. For instance my aisles are 30" wide as it my swing gate to get inside the loop of track on my aroud the wall trackplan. Tweet.
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
Just a "Hello" from me, Tweet. I've often wondered how the wheelchair person handles things like wiring. Sounds like you have developed a plan. I'm just finishing up some revisions to our house to accomodate my wife's wheelchair. It's a a major project.
 
I'm gonna say "no problem"... I tend to think that while wiring "just so" is great as insurance and there's no harm in it, there's a lot of overkill out there in the standard wiring recommendations.

I say that because as construction continues on my new layout, I have run the DCC bus, but not yet gone around and hooked up the feeders. So I'm running the entire thing (300+ feet of mainline, plus 300+ feet of logging branch, plus various sidings, etc.) through a single pair of 22 gauge feeders about 48" long from the command station to the track. And it runs fine.

Obviously I will drop feeders to the bus at regular intervals on the 'better safe than sorry' theory. But I'm surely not going to worry about whether they're 6" (or even 12" long) given the current situation.

Kris
 
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