Electrical connections for structures

Have you given any thought to using barrier strips and solder less connectors on the building wires?  Lot of work to setup initially but makes future setup/take down fast and simple.

Take a look at coaxial barrel power connectors like the type you see on the end of AC-adapter "wall-warts" for many electrical gadgets.  Depending on if soldering is an option, you can get them "bare", or you could buy them with stripped-wires already attached, or a male-female cable you cut-in-half, or male/female screw-terminal adapters.  About 50 cents per connector shipped on eBay.

Thanks for the responses. I had in my mind that there was a simple male female system that you just crimped on each end and plugged them in, these are not LEDs, and I believe 18 or 20 gauge wire! I guess nothing is simple! I was sure I read about something like that last year! Oh well!

If I understand correctly you want the standard male/female (either spade or bullet) connectors. 

On my portable modules I used the coaxial connectors Stan posted. You could also use SAE connectors.

Pete

You guys are great to make my problem your problem to solve! Model Structures I had just found the bullet connectors for 18 to 22 gauge ,all brass! Just like the ones you showed! Ordered 3 sets, 25 pair for 7.99, no shipping with excellent reviews! Going to try them! When I was researching it I didn't find the spade type. Where do you get your connectors! Thanks again guys! I thought I might be going crazy, although a very short trip! Good to know what I pictured really exists!

Not sure if this will work for you but... another modeling site I follow has some great suggestions. Mostly British guys posting but still good info none the less.

A recent post about lighting structures was actually a very good idea. The guy mounted the lights to the board from below and simply dropped the building on top of them. So simple but effective.

http://modelrailwaylayoutsplan...b7d3267dff407f0596c6

play trains posted:

You guys are great to make my problem your problem to solve! Model Structures I had just found the bullet connectors for 18 to 22 gauge ,all brass! Just like the ones you showed! Ordered 3 sets, 25 pair for 7.99, no shipping with excellent reviews! Going to try them! When I was researching it I didn't find the spade type. Where do you get your connectors! Thanks again guys! I thought I might be going crazy, although a very short trip! Good to know what I pictured really exists!

I buy small quantities from local hardware store (ACE). Bulk quantities I purchase through http://www.ferrulesdirect.com/ since they are my source for ferrules. About $14 gets you 100 male/female insulated. Looks like it is cheaper than your source so you may want to consider for future purchases. 

For future purchases you may want to go with insulated connectors. If by all brass you mean all metal and no plastic insulation on the outside you will have to make sure the connector pairs - pos / neg - don't touch each other.

Good luck

Joe

Thanks for the information! They are plastic insulated on the outside!

Norton posted:

On my portable modules I used the coaxial connectors Stan posted. You could also use SAE connectors.

Pete

IMO, these are great.  Ordered two sets of 16 gauge and changed all of my crimped type connections on my Christmas layout to these.

since I have a 4x4 board, I am using these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401136...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I want to have the female set connected and ready to plug and play. the male set attached to the building or structure. This way next year's set-up will be easy capesy!  Just waiting for them to arrive.

I have bought lights and connectors from wehonest in the past. It's a screwy name but I never had any issues with their product.