Large Scale Central

Low voltage electrical ideas

General Discussion
#1

OK so Bruce’s fire house build and the question of lighting came up. I had not given much though to how I am going to light the buildings on my layout. I know I do as I think it would be fun for night ops to have everything lit.

So are the ways people are running a feeder wire throughout the layout. On the bench sections it is a no brainer but what about on the elevated dirt portion. It seems to me that running a feeder everywhere the ladder goes would be logical. That away it is easy to get to and available throughout the layout. Do you use a conduit and if so what and how do you splice into it when you decide where a building will go? Direct bury if so what wire do you use? What size wire should be used as a feeder? 12v to run a single LED or a group of LEDs in series at a specific spot with all of the sub groupings and single LEDs run parallel?

What are folks doing?

#2

I use this wire for track power to the layout

It should work.

#3

Finding outside wire is not really an issue I have always been curious as to how folks tap into the wire to make a water tight connection or what connectors do they use at surface to allow them to put building away after season is over?

#4

I assume Sean that that is a direct bury wire? Direct bury would be the easiest. Joseph raises a great question on making the splices to the feeder and those being watertight. I know in phone cables and even cable TV has connectors for under ground repair that are filled with cosmoline and sealed. They make them for sprinkler wire also. You can get them at home depot. So I believe that is easy and then if you want to take them in and out for the winter use a JST connector above ground.

Edited to say I think Sean answered my question. That landscape wire is the ticket used with these connectors will be the easiest way to run the feeder and then splice into it. Add JST connectors at the building and we are off and running.

#5

Back in the dark ages when I ran track power, I used the low voltage wire pictured above with suitcase connectors. Didn’t have any problems for the 5 years that I had the track power.

#6

One more thing you can do with your idea of running cables through the ladder system. As you string the cable through, make loops in it every so many feet. This might make it simpler to make any splices in the future. Also when you do make a splice, consider soldering them before you protect them with wire nuts or whatever.

#7

For low voltage light wiring, I use 14 guage low voltage wire. Much cheaper that the 12 guage product. Amperage draw is so low for structure lighting the 14guage is even over kill. I have a friend that is using 24 guage telephone wire with no problems, but I prefer the better weather resistance of the 14 guage stuff. I am using the 12 guage wire for track power however, as the amperage are higher. Guess I’m still in the “dark ages” with track power, but it works fine for me with Bridgewerks remotes.

#8

Devon interesting but I still can’t see how that would keep all the water out and keep it from shorting.

#9

Joseph Lupinski said:

Devon interesting but I still can’t see how that would keep all the water out and keep it from shorting.

Its as simple as the water can’t displace the silicon inside. You push the wire inside the cap and it squishes out electrically friendly silicone (electrolitic is that the word) since the silicone is more dense than water water cant creep in. I do think they wrap it in electrical tape just to hold them on. As long as the silicone is there water can’t penetrate to the wire.

#10

Rich Niemeyer said:
For low voltage light wiring, I use 14 guage low voltage wire. Much cheaper that the 12 guage product. Amperage draw is so low for structure lighting the 14guage is even over kill. I have a friend that is using 24 guage telephone wire with no problems, but I prefer the better weather resistance of the 14 guage stuff. I am using the 12 guage wire for track power however, as the amperage are higher. Guess I’m still in the “dark ages” with track power, but it works fine for me with Bridgewerks remotes.

I was thinking a smaller gauge myself. Heck 12 gauge is what is used in houses to handle a 20 Amp circuit. 14 gauge runs a 15 amp circuit. LED lighting on my layout would never produce anywhere near that kind of amp draw. I find it interesting that they even call it low voltage lighting wire. Admittedly I am an electrical neophyte and don’t understand why certain things are used for what. I know wire size has more to do with Amp load than voltage. Anyway, I am pretty confident that 14 gauge or possibly smaller yet should be fine for a few dozen LEDs running 12v.

#11

Devon, thanks for explanation didn’t catch it had a silicon gel in it.

#12

When I did my wire I used regular wire nuts for splicing, then, after the wire nut was tight, I shot RTV into it and around the wires. Silicone or Goop would work too. You just want to seal out water.

I buried the building light buss wires in my dirt roads. I figure, the roads will eventually run to to buildings, when I build and install them. And having the wires an inch or two down in the middle of the dirt road, I would know where it is.

#13

Another helpful hint for you may be to do what I did for my structure lighting. I tied all of the lights that light my buildings into my Malibu landscape lighting system. I used 12 volt pre-wired LEDs in the buildings. The power pack that powers the garden lighting turns on at dusk and off at a set amount of hours that you decide on the power pack. It has simplified my wiring a great deal.

#14

I ran landscape Lighting wire as pictured in previous thread. I then use these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Low-Voltage-Replacement-Cable-Connector-2-Pack-HD28353/206286869 to make the connections. I do this with the track power and the lighting. You can remove the connectors and place them somewhere else when you want to move buildings and things around each year.

#15

Dan Padova said:

Another helpful hint for you may be to do what I did for my structure lighting. I tied all of the lights that light my buildings into my Malibu landscape lighting system. I used 12 volt pre-wired LEDs in the buildings. The power pack that powers the garden lighting turns on at dusk and off at a set amount of hours that you decide on the power pack. It has simplified my wiring a great deal.

I like this idea. I wont be using landscape lighting that I know of. But using this method I surely could if I decided too. And it does solve the problem.

#16

Mark Demyan said:

I ran landscape Lighting wire as pictured in previous thread. I then use these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Low-Voltage-Replacement-Cable-Connector-2-Pack-HD28353/206286869 to make the connections. I do this with the track power and the lighting. You can remove the connectors and place them somewhere else when you want to move buildings and things around each year.

those are cool

#17

I was told that the reason 12 g stranded wire is used for low voltage outdoor wire is that when it is laid on the ground, sans conduit, as intended, water is going to get into the wire and fuss with the strands. Using the 12 g wire ensure that the trons will get through, no matter what happens with the water and ice.

#18

Devon Sinsley said:

Dan Padova said:

Another helpful hint for you may be to do what I did for my structure lighting. I tied all of the lights that light my buildings into my Malibu landscape lighting system. I used 12 volt pre-wired LEDs in the buildings. The power pack that powers the garden lighting turns on at dusk and off at a set amount of hours that you decide on the power pack. It has simplified my wiring a great deal.

I like this idea. I wont be using landscape lighting that I know of. But using this method I surely could if I decided too. And it does solve the problem.

Devon, by using the landscape lighting components, you do not have to reinvent the wheel. Just re-purpose it a little. All the parts are ready made, just add your own lights in the buildings, signs, light poles, auto headlights, lanterns, deer noses…

#19

David Maynard said:

Devon Sinsley said:

Dan Padova said:

Another helpful hint for you may be to do what I did for my structure lighting. I tied all of the lights that light my buildings into my Malibu landscape lighting system. I used 12 volt pre-wired LEDs in the buildings. The power pack that powers the garden lighting turns on at dusk and off at a set amount of hours that you decide on the power pack. It has simplified my wiring a great deal.

I like this idea. I wont be using landscape lighting that I know of. But using this method I surely could if I decided too. And it does solve the problem.

Devon, by using the landscape lighting components, you do not have to reinvent the wheel. Just re-purpose it a little. All the parts are ready made, just add your own lights in the buildings, signs, light poles, auto headlights, lanterns, deer noses…

Yep, this is a fantastic idea.

#20

I wasn’t smart enough to run lighting wire when I laid my track. I did run a few power feeders for track power that I no longer use. One of my never got off the ground projects for summer was to use the track feeders and track as a buss bar for lighting. Maybe this thread is enough motivation for me to actually get a few buildings lit before winter, but I doubt it.