Question About Terminal Strips

[Kisatchie]

Why is this called a "barrier strip"?

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/aec-ts-202.htm

This one isn't

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/aec-ts-203.htm

The reason I'm asking is that I found 25' rolls of 14 gauge wire for my layout bus, but I need closer to 50' and was going to use a terminal strip to connect them. Does it matter which of the two strips shown above I should use?

Thanks for any help.


Hmm... I would have told
Kiz, but he wouldn't give
me any extra bananas...

[davefoxx]

No, it won't matter.  I assume that the term "barrier strip" is used because of the plastic "barrier" between the terminals.  But, both of the terminal strips that you posted links to seem to have that feature.  Just get the terminal strip with enough terminals for your use.

I used terminal strips on my layout for the bus wires, too.  In the picture below, you can see one used to provide a convenient break between the command station and the bus wires.  I also used one at the other end to terminate the bus wires.



I even used one for all of the wires on my folding staging yard.



Hope this helps,
DFF

[Kisatchie]

Thanks, Dave! Very helpful.


Hmm... well, I'm helpful
too... expensive, but
helpful...

[peteski]

Sometimes you need to have more than 2 wires tied together.  Instead of piling up multiple wires on a single terminal screw (not a good idea) you can buy shunts to short the adjacent terminals on the strip.

[fire5506]

Why is this called a "barrier strip"?

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/aec-ts-202.htm

This one isn't

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/aec-ts-203.htm

The reason I'm asking is that I found 25' rolls of 14 gauge wire for my layout bus, but I need closer to 50' and was going to use a terminal strip to connect them. Does it matter which of the two strips shown above I should use?

Thanks for any help.



Actually they are both "barrier strips", any strips like that not matter how many terminals are barrier strips. The vertical piece between the terminals are what make it a barrier strip.

You say you need 50' for the bus, can you put the command station/booster in the middle and go 25' in each direction instead. 50' is pushing the recommended run on a buss. I am assuming you are using DCC. If you can go 25' in each direction instead then you only have a 25' buss.

Richard

[Kisatchie]

You say you need 50' for the bus, can you put the command station/booster in the middle and go 25' in each direction instead. 50' is pushing the recommended run on a buss. I am assuming you are using DCC. If you can go 25' in each direction instead then you only have a 25' buss.

Richard

Yes, I can do that. Thanks.


Hmm... I know I'm gonna
wind up wiring Kiz's
layout...

[robert3985]

@Kisatchie

Look at this:  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=14awg+black+and+red+zip+wire+lo+ox+fine+strand+speaker+wire&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X14awg+black+and+red+zip+wire+lo+ox++speaker+wire.TRS0&_nkw=14awg+black+and+red+zip+wire+lo+ox++speaker+wire&_sacat=0

Try to eliminate splicing your power buses if possible...these should make that happen, and it's how I bought my main power bus wire...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[peteski]

Bob, I really think that the oxygen-free copper thing is a bit of an overkill for a model RR DCC bus (but fine for some rabid audiophile who thinks that it gives "cleaner-sounding music"), I guess it won't hurt.  But if you looked at its electrical properties as compared to the same gauge standard copper wire you shouldn't find more than miniscule differences (if any).

I also do not think that fire5506's T-shaped bus configuration buys any advantage - the total length is still the same. Actually, I think that feeding the power in the middle crates another set of possible problems.  But again, we aren't talking about a huge NTRAK layout where the bus length really comes into play. DCC bus shape on a home-size pike (like Kiz is designing) is not that critical. If there is signal ringing (which would be unusual), just add a snubber. 

https://tonystrains.com/snubbers/
https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/dcc-general-best-practices/wiring-planing/snubbers-rc-filter
http://www.dccguy.com/?p=311
http://www.dccwiki.com/Wire_Sizes_and_Spacing
http://www.dccwiki.com/Snubber

[robert3985]

Bob, I really think that the oxygen-free copper thing is a bit of an overkill for a model RR DCC bus (but fine for some rabid audiophile who thinks that it gives "cleaner-sounding music"), I guess it won't hurt.  But if you looked at its electrical properties as compared to the same gauge standard copper wire you shouldn't find more than miniscule differences (if any).

https://tonystrains.com/snubbers/
https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/dcc-general-best-practices/wiring-planing/snubbers-rc-filter
http://www.dccguy.com/?p=311
http://www.dccwiki.com/Wire_Sizes_and_Spacing
http://www.dccwiki.com/Snubber

Peter,
You may be correct, but...at less than 25 bucks for 100 feet of nice-looking black/red 14AWG zip speaker wire, why not go with it? Maybe Kiz can find cheaper wire locally, but I looked long and hard...and bought my 300 ft spools at eBay since it was 2/3rds less expensive...with free shipping to boot.

As for myself, after wiring everything up and building my complete layout with 750 plus feet of mainline in a few years, I don't want to discover I shoulda used better wire.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Sometimes you need to have more than 2 wires tied together.  Instead of piling up multiple wires on a single terminal screw (not a good idea) you can buy shunts to short the adjacent terminals on the strip.

Or be ghetto and do what I did...

[fcwilt]

You may be correct, but...at less than 25 bucks for 100 feet of nice-looking black/red 14AWG

That is rather expensive.

I used 14 gauge, stranded, THHN from Home Depot which cost appx $60 for 500 feet which works out to appx $12 per 100 feet.

[peteski]

Or be ghetto and do what I did...

Yeah, it all depends how anal, um fastidious, you want to get.   

 I also never wrap stripped wire directly around the screw of the terminal terminal - I always terminate the wire with a crimp terminal which is then placed under the screw.  It looks more professional, even if it might not be more reliable.

[seusscaboose]

Or be ghetto and do what I did...

 

[soo]

There is nothing wrong Ed's handiwork. Pete does make a great point about terminating the ends of the wire with the right device.

I have done both in the past..must say the strips along with the terminals works and looks the best.

See ya,
Y-It