anyone have any idea to power connections as the peco ones are crumby at best, i thought they were picture hooks at first ;) needs to work with setrack 80 and i'll be needing a few sets
Soldering wires of the underside of the rails is the best solution. Failing that, Peco do some fishplates with wires attached which are better than their usual track connectors but still rely on a mechanical connection.
Solder wires directly to the underside of the rails the joiners are ok but as the previous reply has said rely on good contact with the rail ends.
Remove the web/sleepr where you want the wire & use a fibrglass pencil to clean the rail, cut a length of wire so it can reach your main wire feeds under the board strip & tin the wire end .... with a pair of needlenose pliers squeeze the tinned end so it has a flat section now bend it at angle the bend enough to solder to the rail flattening the wire gives a larger contact area that solders to the rail.
Now tin the rail where the wire is to go & you've cleaned apply a touch of flux does which helps the solder flow take the wire & touch the wire for no more than a second as soon at the flux sizzles the join should be made.
Anyto the inside of the rail excess wire that protrudes to the inside of the rails gently file it away to ensure the wheel flanges cant foul later with p ractice this method works well & provides sure delivery of power to the layout, i usually solder dropper wires every 2 foot or less if theres a point some modellers solder to every section of track.
I have used in the past, and will be on my latest project, cable which is soldered directly to the underside of a fish plate rail joiner. Very fiddly, but gives good electrical contact in my books and well worth doing.
The power hooks are okay for temporary set up table top layouts only IMHO.
All the best
OwL :thumbsup:
Modellers Mecca do pre soldered fishplates
http://www.modellers-mecca.co.uk/search.php?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=pcp3 (http://www.modellers-mecca.co.uk/search.php?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=pcp3)
Quote from: newportnobby on January 23, 2013, 08:14:56 AM
Modellers Mecca do pre soldered fishplates
http://www.modellers-mecca.co.uk/search.php?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=pcp3 (http://www.modellers-mecca.co.uk/search.php?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=pcp3)
saddle fitting friday just down the road so i'll pop in and check out their shop :thankyousign: