T-Trak-Z Electrical

rray Dec 18, 2019

  1. rray

    rray Staff Member

    8,277
    9,277
    133
    I was thinking we need a discussion of what people use for electrical connections. We can keep this thread going whenever there is a TTZ question, and we can all search out answers.

    I would like to hear all the TTZ clubs, and well as individuals, chime in on what they are using, how they interface with each adjacent module, color codes used, etc. I watched Josh's 20 minute video a couple times, but I missed so info here and there.

    How do you guys do your electrical for tracks... From the front of the module going back is it + - + - or is it + - - + ? I can't seem to find this info anywhere.

    Also, on thos Anderson Powerpole connectors, then can be either cheap to buy, or prohibitively expensive depending on colors used. Where to get them at the bast price, etc. Or, do you even plan on using them at all?

    Other considerations are gluing them together changes them from genderless to gendered. How do you deal with that.

    Don't be shy, please chime in.
     
  2. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

    577
    397
    15
    Since Anderson PP has been standardized already I will use them but I would like to know where to get them cheapest, mine don't need to be colored, a dab of paint or wire color can take care of that, behind the plug yes we need to know the standard.
     
  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

    8,277
    9,277
    133
    I searched extensively, and if you can have just red and black, they can be had reasonably. Go to white or yellow, and prices quickly skyrocket to astronomical orbits! So from what I can tell, we were advised to use the 30A pins.

    What I have observed for sale, the colored plastic housings are designed for any 15A, 30A, and 45A pins.

    15A pins are for 16-18awg wire, 30A pins are for 14-12awg wire, and 45A pins are for 10awg wire.

    Roll pins are available to hold the plastic housings together. It is unclear how many housings can be held together in a group, however, since a single housing has no gender orientation, once you connect the housings together, you can build an array of connections that can only mate to matched array's. array's. It's possible to mat the housings in pairs that have 180 degrees rotated housings, to allow you to connect "+ to + and - to -" or you can rotate turn it around and connect "+ to - and - to +" which might be useful if you want to chang the direction of loco travel from the inner and outer tracks.
     
  4. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

    577
    397
    15
    It’s nice to have that flexibility. I’ve never used them. I’ll post on Facebook and wait for Josh to chime in. Ultimately a diagram on the T TRAK Z wiki dot and we can nail this down. I’m pretty much deferring anything related to combining the modules of different people to Josh and his standards.
     
  5. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

    577
    397
    15
    If I decide to build something different from the standard I’ll just make transition modules to connect with generic landscapes or something. It would still be cool to see other trains, and longer trains, passing through.
     
  6. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

    577
    397
    15
    So I haven’t ordered any modules or supplies yet, I think once I understand the electrical side I will.
     
    bostonjim likes this.
  7. JoshMurrah

    JoshMurrah TrainBoard Member

    54
    20
    4
    OK, here's a blast... I have three youtube videos.
    Bottom line the module wiring standard is solid, just follow what's in the guide... please please follow the standard.
    The bus/power end of things is wiiide open. You can run DC, DCC, polarities are up to you etc. I am going to show how *I* like to do electrical, but it's up to the individual or group who's providing layout power.
    I get my parts from alliedelec.com, based out of Texas, as outlined in the middle linked video. The parts are super reasonable, far cheaper than you'd think, including all the various colors and crimp sizes.



    Generic T-TRAK bus wiring - has good deep dive about materials, especially Powerpole parts and how to assemble

    T-TRAK-Z module feeder construction - has details about how to build bus and feeder internals and details on parts and where to get them

    T-TRAK-Z bus example - doesnt' cover construction but covers how I like to run bus/power for T-TRAK-Z - this isn't in the standards because I don't want to mandate things on the bus side, but I'm showing an example of how I like to do it.
     
  8. rray

    rray Staff Member

    8,277
    9,277
    133
    FaNTASTIC! tHANKS FOR SHARING! opps, my caps lock again :D
     
  9. JoshMurrah

    JoshMurrah TrainBoard Member

    54
    20
    4
    yeah! keep the good questions coming!
     
  10. husafreak

    husafreak TrainBoard Member

    577
    397
    15
    Much appreciated.
     
  11. animek

    animek TrainBoard Member

    713
    109
    27
    12 Gauge wire for Zscale table layout ? 15A connectors could not do? Or am I missing something?
     
  12. JoshMurrah

    JoshMurrah TrainBoard Member

    54
    20
    4
    You need the 30a crimps for 12 gauge wire yes. The connector housing is the same for 15/30/45A sizes it’s just a different crimp size.

    I outlined in one of the videos why you gotta do 12 gauge. It’s not needed at all for amperage, it’s needed so that you can expand out to ~50 feet in each direction per circuit. You can’t get to that distance with smaller wire due to voltage drop / resistance.

    Yes I’m thinking big, yes N scale already is operating at sizes beyond this (multiple DCC blocks) for national shows.

    this recommendation is also in Digitrax’s DCC command station wiring section as well as being in T-TRAK’s standards document.
     
  13. JoshMurrah

    JoshMurrah TrainBoard Member

    54
    20
    4
    Hey by the way love your structures! I have your field of dreams house and the fire watch tower, on two of my modules!
     
    bostonjim likes this.

Share This Page