# DCC wiring blank



## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Ok I'm working on my second layout and starting the wiring and am drawing a complete blank as to how I did it last time on the first one. I have the NCE Power Cab system and will be running a 12ga buss wires all the way around the layout. Now what I can't remember is how I did each power drop. What I want to do is use terminal barrier strips like the picture below and the jumpers. So it would be buss to terminal strip then to each power drop, the buss will continue on to the next terminal strip then to drops and so on around the layout. I think I did it this way last time and it would make it easier to trace down any probelms if they come up also.

Thanks 
David


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

David

From what you say I am assuming you will have only the one
power block. 

If that is so, you would, as you say, run the bus around the
layout. 

Every 5 or 6 feet you would have a drop from the track. 

I would use a barrier strip with fewer terminals to tie to
the bus, observing correct polarity at each terminal strip.
However, at some points more than one drop could come
to one multiterminal barrier strip.

I could not see the jumpers clearly so don't know how that
model is used. It appears to be a 'banana' plug device.
I have used many barrier strips but not
familiar with a jumper for them. I made my own of a bare or
insulated short wire. Spade 'lugs' on your wires are a nice touch for these.

On these strips the terminals of one side are common to those
of the other side. Possibly you could bring your bus to terminals
1 and 2. A jumper could go from 1 to 3, and 2 to 4. You would
connect your drop to 3 and 4. If additional drops come to this
strip, continue the jumper from 3 to 5 and 4 to 6. Connect drop
to 5 and 6 and so on.


Don


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks Don, Here is a rough drawing of what I'm thinking of, I'm pretty sure it is what I did before but can't remember (Terminal CRS). The jumpers are just a long metal strip that will carry voltage across the top side of the terminal block and the feeders tie into the bottom side. I have some cut so half the block is positive and half is negative side to side.
Sorry about the drawing it is rough and quick.


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## marzbarz (Sep 23, 2011)

Why don't you just tap into the Bus wire with suitcase connectors? What would the purpose of those block do?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I think David wanted to have an ability to isolate a drop feed in
the event of trouble which is why the mult termanals.

I agree, that using the bus with those connectors is the
quickest and easiest way to wire. I didn't get that fancy,
I used wire nuts at the connections.

But terminal boards are a very nice way to make connections.

David, I see why you needed so many terminals. There are many
drops at each of those points you show on your drawing.

Now that you've explained the jumpers it seems to me you would
need 2 terminal blocks at each point. One for A side of the circuit the other
handles the B side. The drops attach accordingly.

Or, where you can split a terminal block, say
a 12 and use the first 6 for the A side, and the 7 thru 12 for the B side
using your jumpers cut accordingly.

Does any of that ring a bell?

Don


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Yes it does Don, Thanks. I just couldn't remember if that was the way I did it for the DCC control on my first layout. I had them for the DCC and all my turnout switches also so I had a bunch of wires running under the last layout. I have taken all the electrical turnout switches out and am going to use all Caboose manuals on this one to reduce the wiring job. The table is only 32" wide and I can reach them all easily. Thanks again.

David


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