Will 20 gauge stranded wire be suitable for z-1000 transformer to track or is solid wire better? Is 18 or 16 better than 20? Thanks.
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Gondolawillie posted:Will 20 gauge stranded wire be suitable for z-1000 transformer to track or is solid wire better? Is 18 or 16 better than 20? Thanks.
Personally, I would never go below since 16 stranded wire. But then, it all depends on the size of your layout. I used nothing but stranded size 14 for our whole layout.
What Hot Water said, in addition, stranded is fine. Its much easier to work with than solid (obviously).
I use 14 for the supply run and then Lionel's 18 ga for the short 1 foot run to the fast track at at least 4 connections per loop. The layout is about 14 by 12...
I use 14 gauge for my track power and 22 for accessories (using all LEDs)
My layout is 14 by 14 with approximately 300 ft. of traditional lionel track. I use 14 gage for track power connecting to 16 gage drops every 6 ft.), 18 gage for accessories and 16 gage for switch track and operating track. Lights get 20 gage. I have never had a problem. It's all stranded and color coded.
On my 12'X16' layout I have 14 gauge wire for power, with 14 gauge feeders soldered to the track. Ground wire is shared between all tracks and is 12 gauge. Both the light and operating accessory wiring is 16 gauge, with 20 gauge feeders to the lights and accessories.
Yeah it's a bit overkill but I only have a voltage drop of .1v at the track. 18 volts at the transformer is 17.9 volts anywhere on the layout.
10g 12g buses depending on run length (26ft mx) and turnouts nearby(3 at 23ft).
12g 14g 16g for drops; again depending on track area. I'm prepped for continuous heavy postwar draws with blocks for up to 3 engines on a throttle with 2 turnouts tied to be thrown at once via anti derail.
More drops and less run distance needs less gauge. Going heavy and externally breakering/ fusing each line at the expected load used (lower than wire rating) greatly lowers chances of insulation meltdowns if/when problems occur.
I'd use stranded for track drops for easier routing, but sometimes solid can be routed tighter, stays put, is less likely to changeshape over time, etc I use solid wire more for accessories, and static internal wiring on rolling stock etc. Stranded may slowly relax and pop out from behind a bush over timetime 
Most of the places I mix solid and stranded end up with a terminal block connections.
20 or 22 for drops. I used 14 awg solid for the bus. I have drops every three feet and on both sides of switches.
