# Connecting feeders to bus



## BrooklynBound718 (Dec 23, 2010)

Happy New Year All,

I use N scale Kato Unitrack. My bus wire 18 gauge stranded. I am using the Kato Unitrack unijoiers and track feeders to connect to bus. The track feeders by Kato are 24 gauge. Do I need to remove some of the sheathing on the bus wire and solder the feeder directly to the bus wire?

In the past I have used schotchloc or suitcase connectors to make the connections from the feeder to the bus. However, I am no longer having any success with that method.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

That's the way I do it.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

There are different size suitcase connectors available depending on the gauge wire you're using. They worked great for me and I used a TON of them.

I was using a 14 buss stranded and mating them with 20 solid wire feeders


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## BrooklynBound718 (Dec 23, 2010)

NIMT said:


> That's the way I do it.


Thanks. I just needed to confirm that I was on the right track.



sstlaure said:


> There are different size suitcase connectors available depending on the gauge wire you're using. They worked great for me and I used a TON of them.
> 
> I was using a 14 buss stranded and mating them with 20 solid wire feeders


I am having a hard time finding suitcase connectors that can go as as small as 24 gauge and and as big as at least 16. Where do you get yours from?


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Mine are 14/20 and I get them at Home Depot or Lowes. Those are the extremes of the ones that I use (Blue)

If your wires are that different in size I'd just strip a 1/4" section of your Buss line and use solid wire feeders, just strip the end of the feeder wire, wrap it around the Buss wire like a coil and solder in-place.


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

whats a ballpark price for a (bulk?) pack of 14/20 suitcase connectors over there, scott?


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Around $8-9 USD for 25 of them at MicroMark.

http://www.micromark.com/SUITCASE-CONNECTORS-IDC-905-RED-PKG-OF-25,8939.html


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

That will save you a ton of work!:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

They do save a ton of time and effort, that is true. However, they are notoriously prone to resistance issues, poor contact, and can be a source of frustration. I worked in dealerships for years, don't know how many times I had to go behind someone and remove those darn things. IMHO, any thing worth doing is worth spending the time for a proper job. A good solder and heat-shrink will likely last longer than some of us here. 

MOTTO: Why is there never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over?

Carl


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## Alphaman (Dec 30, 2012)

You may say I took the easy way out, but I wanted to do the least amount of damage to my running bus wire, 16/20 gauge. I found Habor Frieght Tools offered the clip splices cheaper in a bulk package. added a picture i hope it works


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Kwikster - I did the strip/solder routine on my last layout and it absolutely killed my back having to be under the table that long. I run drops/feeders to every section of track so I'm not too concerned if one (or a few) of the suitcase connectors loose continuity. It will be easy enough to trace the problem down if it does occur, but I haven't seen any evidence that any of the 200+ suitcase connectors in my layout have worked themselves loose.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

No doubt Harbor Freight does have some good deals. Acid brushes, gloves,etc and their dust collector is a copy of the Delta and is great. But after their auto fuse fiasco a couple of years back I swore off anything electrical from them.

http://images.harborfreight.com/cpi/recalls/fuse_sets.html

Sometimes it's just not worth saving a buck.


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## Alphaman (Dec 30, 2012)

yes, Habor frieght does seam like the dollar store for tools, there is a few items i won't buy from them either (power equipment). glad you brought up the fuzes, because simply as the are i might of got some.


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## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I soldered my drops every 6 feet. Why?
The solder joints will far out last me and I had all the stuff in the shop.....including shrink tube, all left over from a mis-spent middle age.
I took me about 10 hours of crawling a cold concrete floor. Cost? Nil.
As far as strain on the old bod, use it or loose it .....while sitting in front of a computer.

BTW, a *good* set of wire strippers allows one to open a slot in the insulation (14 AWG) to make the connection.
Put on the shrink tube as you string the wire thru the bench work.....a bit of pre-planing is required.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

I used the suitcase connectors when we rewired my boat. Pretty hostile environment yet never had a problem resulting from their use.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

I've used just about every system there is, including suitcase connectors, under my layout which is only 34 1/2" off the cold cement floor.
I have 1" of foam on top of 5/8" plywood. That leaves a little less than 33" of head room and ALWAYS a broken back after a wiring session! 
At my advanced age I've learned to space out the wiring sessions. 
Bob


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