Hi folks,

?After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


?All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


?Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

The line near the bottom should read:

?

"I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 10 and 12 gauge

wires."

?

?

On 3/16/2025 2:46 PM, Todd K Stearns wrote:

> Hi folks,

>

> ?After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start

> having my Tortoise switch machines

>

> and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.

>

>

> ?All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts

> will be made into the track to isolate

>

> the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to

> be connected to the control panel toggles.

>

>

> ?Here's the questions:

>

> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the

> Tortoise switch machines?

>

> Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

>

> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the

> track block bus wires?

>

> Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

>

> I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge

> wires.

>

> Thanks for any assistance provided.

>

--

Todd K Stearns

?

?

?

?

?

Bus wire is 12 gauge.

On 3/16/2025 2:54 PM, Douglas Gosha via groups.io wrote:

Hi Todd,

?

You say the buses are already installed. What gauge are they?

?

Doug

In a message dated 3/16/2025 1:51:54 PM Central Daylight Time, toddsyr@... writes:

?

The line near the bottom should read:

?

"I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 10 and 12 gauge

wires."

?

?

On 3/16/2025 2:46 PM, Todd K Stearns wrote:

> Hi folks,

>

> ?After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start

> having my Tortoise switch machines

>

> and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.

>

>

> ?All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts

> will be made into the track to isolate

>

> the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to

> be connected to the control panel toggles.

>

>

> ?Here's the questions:

>

> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the

> Tortoise switch machines?

>

> Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

>

> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the

> track block bus wires?

>

> Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

>

> I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge

> wires.

>

> Thanks for any assistance provided.

>

--

Todd K Stearns

?

?

?

?

?

-- 
Todd K Stearns

Yes, buses go around the whole layout, directly under each track. Many can be attached to control panel toggles within a few feet.

A few blocks will require longer wire runs.

?Right now the layout is powered with a lone set of feeder wires for each main line track. There is a bit of a voltage drop when about 1/2 way around the layout

on some of the yard tracks. Not all though. This makes me think the 20 gauge wire will be fine since there will be many more connections.

Common rail? No, not using that method. Maybe I'm wrong, but using common rail method might not work as well with potential voltage drops etc.


On 3/16/2025 3:17 PM, Douglas Gosha via groups.io wrote:

OK, so do the buses actually go around the whole layout and end up near the control panel? Are you using common rail? I;m assuming you are using DC. If so, connecting the block bus to the control panel common takes care of that side and the wire gauge doesn't need to be that large if it's a short distance.
On my 4 X 8 foot layout, I'm pretty sure I just used 20 gauge for the hot side from the block switch to the block rail and it works fine. If you have blocks 17 feet away, you might need 18 gauge but I think I would try 20 gauge on one block and see what the voltage drop is.
Doug

In a message dated 3/16/2025 2:00:17 PM Central Daylight Time, toddsyr@... writes:

Bus wire is 12 gauge.

On 3/16/2025 2:54 PM, Douglas Gosha via groups.io wrote:
Hi Todd,
You say the buses are already installed. What gauge are they?
Doug

In a message dated 3/16/2025 1:51:54 PM Central Daylight Time,
toddsyr@... <mailto:toddsyr@...> writes:

The line near the bottom should read:
"I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 10 and
12 gauge
wires."
On 3/16/2025 2:46 PM, Todd K Stearns wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> ?After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready
to start
> having my Tortoise switch machines
>
> and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.
>
>
> ?All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders
installed. Cuts
> will be made into the track to isolate
>
> the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in,
just need to
> be connected to the control panel toggles.
>
>
> ?Here's the questions:
>
> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel
toggles to the
> Tortoise switch machines?
>
> Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.
>
> What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel
toggles to the
> track block bus wires?
>
> Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.
>
> I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20
and 12 gauge
> wires.
>
> Thanks for any assistance provided.
>
--
Todd K Stearns

-- Todd K Stearns

--
Todd K Stearns

On Mar 16, 2025, at 2:47?PM, Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...> wrote:

?Hi folks,

After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

--
Todd K Stearns

Todd,

If you are just powering the tortoise motors from a dc source and flipping polarity with a control board dpdt switch you should be fine running 20g wire out to your tortoise switch machines, i don’t think they draw much power at all.

But to verify just cut a chunk of your 20g wire the length of your longest run [sounds like around 17’] and just test it with a toggle switch wired to your power supply for the points and the other end to any easily accessible tortoise point [or a spare on the bench if you have one]. You should have negligible power drop in 20’ of 20g at lower amperage im guessing a tortoise motor draws. Wont matter how many you end up wiring up as each is its own circuit from the power supply thru your toggle switch on the control board and then out to the point motor. Only issue could be if you try throwing a whole bunch at once and try to pull more power than your power supply can put out, but thats not a factor of the wire gauge on each circuit as each circuit is just feeding one point motor.

10g or 12g would be way overkill to just wire a tortoise point and very bulky feeding into your control panel for a number of points.

Cheers

Jeff

On Mar 16, 2025, at 2:47?PM, Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...> wrote:

?Hi folks,

After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

--
Todd K Stearns

On Mar 16, 2025, at 2:47?PM, Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...> wrote:

?Hi folks,

After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

--
Todd K Stearns

Don't forget that a Tortoise switch machine will draw 15-16 ma at stall!
That doesn't affect the wire size (actually, could but 20g wire should suffice), but it needs to be considered when choosing a power supply.
-bruce

Bruce G Alcock?| OK N-Rail?| 405-381-4314?| nytrr@...


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jeffrey Reynolds
Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2025 3:16 PM
To: Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...>
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [n-scale] Wire gauge question

Todd,

If you are just powering the tortoise motors from a dc source and flipping polarity with a control board dpdt switch you should be fine running 20g wire out to your tortoise switch machines, i don’t think they draw much power at all.

But to verify just cut a chunk of your 20g wire the length of your longest run [sounds like around 17’] and just test it with a toggle switch wired to your power supply for the points and the other end to any easily accessible tortoise point [or a spare on the bench if you have one]. You should have negligible power drop in 20’ of 20g at lower amperage im guessing a tortoise motor draws. Wont matter how many you end up wiring up as each is its own circuit from the power supply thru your toggle switch on the control board and then out to the point motor. Only issue could be if you try throwing a whole bunch at once and try to pull more power than your power supply can put out, but thats not a factor of the wire gauge on each circuit as each circuit is just feeding one point motor.

10g or 12g would be way overkill to just wire a tortoise point and very bulky feeding into your control panel for a number of points.

Cheers

Jeff

On Mar 16, 2025, at 2:47?PM, Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...> wrote:

?Hi folks,

After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

--
Todd K Stearns

Todd,

If you are just powering the tortoise motors from a dc source and flipping polarity with a control board dpdt switch you should be fine running 20g wire out to your tortoise switch machines, i don’t think they draw much power at all.

But to verify just cut a chunk of your 20g wire the length of your longest run [sounds like around 17’] and just test it with a toggle switch wired to your power supply for the points and the other end to any easily accessible tortoise point [or a spare on the bench if you have one]. You should have negligible power drop in 20’ of 20g at lower amperage im guessing a tortoise motor draws. Wont matter how many you end up wiring up as each is its own circuit from the power supply thru your toggle switch on the control board and then out to the point motor. Only issue could be if you try throwing a whole bunch at once and try to pull more power than your power supply can put out, but thats not a factor of the wire gauge on each circuit as each circuit is just feeding one point motor.

10g or 12g would be way overkill to just wire a tortoise point and very bulky feeding into your control panel for a number of points.

Cheers

Jeff

On Mar 16, 2025, at 2:47?PM, Todd K Stearns <toddsyr@...> wrote:

?Hi folks,

After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.

--
Todd K Stearns

The line near the bottom should read:

"I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 10 and 12 gauge wires."


On 3/16/2025 2:46 PM, Todd K Stearns wrote:

Hi folks,

?After many years at getting to this stage, I'm about ready to start having my Tortoise switch machines

and my track block sections wired up to my control panel.


?All of my track currently has bus wires and feeders installed. Cuts will be made into the track to isolate

the block sections. Tortoise switch machines already in, just need to be connected to the control panel toggles.


?Here's the questions:

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the Tortoise switch machines?

Wire length will range from 3' to 17'.

What gauge wire should I use going to the control panel toggles to the track block bus wires?

Wire length will range from 4' to 16'.

I have on hand 400' of 20 gauge and smaller amounts of 20 and 12 gauge wires.

Thanks for any assistance provided.