I have 24 Ross switches on my layout, which is about 19' x 19' with a center peninsula (reverse loop) in the middle that protrudes about 14' from 1 wall towards the middle of the room.
1. Can I use a buss wire for hot and common to power the switches from a separate transformer and then use feeders to the switch ?
2. It was recommended that I use 18 gauge feeders to power the switches.
3. Can I also use 18 gauge wire fore the bus, or should the bus wires be 16 gauge or less.
Thanks, Mike
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I think 16 gauge would be heavy enough for the buss, I'm assuming the switch machine are DZ-1000s.
For your wiring distance the 18 gauge for the 12-20 VAC turnout bus will be fine. Your common to activate the turnouts will come from the track and controllers. (Be sure all power supplies/transformers are phased.) For the common to your controllers you will tap off the layout common bus that should be fed with 12 - 14 gauge wire.
Your L and R wires to your controller can be 22 gauge between DZ-1000 and the controller buttons.
Toward the bottom of my page, Bus Wiring, see photos of the DZ 1000 bus wiring. My bus wires for the switch machines are Red.
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