Model Railway Forum

Probabaly another numpty question but how do you guys find the ebst way to do this. My only experience of wiring is adding extra plus, lights, etc. to houses and workshops where you just twist in an extra wire to an electrical connector and squeeze it back into the junction box. But this very messy under a control panel and makes failt tracking more complicated - for an amateur like me!

I've been looking at electrical connections combs* avalable on Amazon, etc. and this seems to be a good way to go maybe using 'spade' electrical connectors. My main problem with that at the moment is matching the size of the comb's 'male' parts to the female connector - after all size does matter, at least in this case

* googlimg this in another way, i.e. not by translating from Sppanish Amazon! - I've found 'Double row headers' - are they the same?

I must say the jargon is the main problem for me, the electroncs sid eisnt too difficult as I worked as a private tutor to a yough chap, off school with a back injury some years ago, my part of the syllabus was English and 'Science' - I thik I leanrd far more thah he did and much much more than I did in my pretentioms grammar school back whenI was his age!

Any thoughts gratfully received

Regs

Simon

Have a look here for examples . . .
https://www.bclstore.co.uk/search-results?q=Cn165
Other specialist component suppliers have similar one to many distribution boards.

5 way Wago 221 connectors. All five are internally linked and they accept all wiring commonly used on model railways. Not the cheapest but very very easy to use. Example.. https://www.screwfix.com/p/wago-221-ser ... pack/5201r

Alternative and much heaper is to use a 12 way strip of terminal block connector. Example https://www.screwfix.com/p/6a-12-termin ... pack/60804 Then strip a piece of 1.0mm2 lighting cable and use the copper wire to link from top terminals 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4 and so on, along the strip of terminals. Feed the supply into the same side as the wire links and all other sides are all outputs to circuits, Example https://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/images/ ... bution.gif

Similar to Brian's connector strip above but these ones save you having to make several joins on the common side. Available in different sizes, I use these extensively on my layout.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TZF1BG ... NrPXRydWU=

RAF96 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:19 amHave a look here for examples . . .
https://www.bclstore.co.uk/search-results?q=Cn165
Other specialist component suppliers have similar one to many distribution boards.

Thanks matey, I think these are a bit OTT for my little layout, plus these days buying from any UK company that hasnot made specific export arrangements to the EU is a dead loss over here in Spain ...

Brian wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:55 am5 way Wago 221 connectors. All five are internally linked and they accept all wiring commonly used on model railways. Not the cheapest but very very easy to use. Example.. https://www.screwfix.com/p/wago-221-ser ... pack/5201r

Alternative and much heaper is to use a 12 way strip of terminal block connector. Example https://www.screwfix.com/p/6a-12-termin ... pack/60804 Then strip a piece of 1.0mm2 lighting cable and use the copper wire to link from top terminals 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4 and so on, along the strip of terminals. Feed the supply into the same side as the wire links and all other sides are all outputs to circuits, Example https://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/images/ ... bution.gif

Thanks Brian, as above with your Wago connectors I fear. Using strips,of terminal block was my Plan A but they will take up a lot of space intside the contraol pannel I'm planning, although I might do this as I've salvaged strips of brass from old extension cables that were going into the bin. Meanwhile when I was walking the dogs yesterday after posting I thought of making 'posts' with long bolts or lenghts of studdingtaht I have and using ring connectors, saving space by working vertically if you see what I mean.

teedoubleudee wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:10 amSimilar to Brian's connector strip above but these ones save you having to make several joins on the common side. Available in different sizes, I use these extensively on my layout.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TZF1BG ... NrPXRydWU=

Hmm, now these seem like agood idea. All I need to do is find them on my Spanish Amazon and Bob's yer uncle. I'm already about to but shed loads of connectors with my 'Prime' sortingbteh delivery costs - I live about 100 miles from any kind of specialist suppliers and this is the basis of many of my logistical problems ...

Thanks one and all, great support

Simon_100 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:14 amHmm, now these seem like agood idea. All I need to do is find them on my Spanish Amazon and Bob's yer uncle. I'm already about to but shed loads of connectors with my 'Prime' sortingbteh delivery costs - I live about 100 miles from any kind of specialist suppliers and this is the basis of many of my logistical problems ...

Thanks one and all, great support

Back of the net! Now I just heed to walk the dogs again and see how I go ...

Simon, sadly we have similar issues on additional costs of goods coming in from abroad.

I believe what you are describing is a single distribution point for a number of common wires. A situation we all face from time to time.
The bespoke units look great but the same can be achieved with a little less finesse and a lot less cost.
Three possible solutions:

1) if you are DCC a pair of bus wires running under the layout will distribute power. (Can also be adapted for DC).

2) use choc block connectors with one side linked with loops of wire so that all connectors are ‘live’

3) a short length of bare copper wire stretched between two screws - solder all the common wires and feed to it. It can be insulated with a coating of something suitable afterwards.

Simon_100 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:14 am ..........................
Hmm, now these seem like agood idea. All I need to do is find them on my Spanish Amazon and Bob's yer uncle. I'm already about to but shed loads of connectors with my 'Prime' sortingbteh delivery costs - I live about 100 miles from any kind of specialist suppliers and this is the basis of many of my logistical problems ........

Simon, if Amazon Spain don't stock them you can buy direct from China, example
https://uk.banggood.com/5612-Positions- ... mds=search

teedoubleudee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:46 am

Simon_100 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:14 am ..........................
Hmm, now these seem like agood idea. All I need to do is find them on my Spanish Amazon and Bob's yer uncle. I'm already about to but shed loads of connectors with my 'Prime' sortingbteh delivery costs - I live about 100 miles from any kind of specialist suppliers and this is the basis of many of my logistical problems ........

Simon, if Amazon Spain don't stock them you can buy direct from China, example
https://uk.banggood.com/5612-Positions- ... mds=search

Yes, and wait 13 to 28 weeks for customs clearance with no information whatsoever about your order- this is not urban myth as it's happened to me! - and pay administration fees plus vat on top of paying vat twice on the value of the order ...

Cheapest way is to use vero strip board. You can solder many feeders to any strip and bridge the strips as required with link wires to connect your main bus to the feedersq.