Solder E-Z Track

[BigJim]

I'm trying to solder 18 gauge feeder wires to EZ track and not having much success (and maybe it's just me, I haven't solder anything in awhile) but can anyone offer any tips? I've placed my track on Woodland risers so drilling a small hole on the outside of the track probably will not work.

Also, I'm trying to run my feeder wires (5 sets) to 1 barrier strip and then a set from the barrier strip to my Bachmann transformer 46605A, does anyone see any problems with that?

Thanks.

[jward]

is your ez track steel (black roadbed) or nickel silver (grey roadbed)?

if it is steel, you'll have a very hard time soldering to it, you may want to solder your feeders to the rail joiners instead.

[Doneldon]

Jim-

Be sure your rail is clean. A quick wipe with an alcohol-soaked Q-tip will work. Then use a small wire brush to remove anything else on the surface and you should e ready to go. It's helpful to tin both the rail and the feeder so it will take just a second to make the actual connection. However, as jward commented, you won't have much luck if you are using steel alloy track (black roadbed).

Yes, you can use a junction strip for your feeders, with one caution: Make sure your feeders don't exceed 18 inches. Small wires have quite a bit of resistance so you'll experience a significant drop in power with long lengths of them. Keep the feeders to 12 inches or less if you go withfeeders smaller then 18 ga.

I don't see a reason why you can't drill a hole in your roadbed when using WS risers. Just thread the wire through the riser.

                                                                                                                                                                                       -- D

[WoundedBear]

I like Doneldon's advice about tinning both the rail and the wire first. You will find this helps a lot.

I am also curious as to how powerful of a soldering tool are you using? I find the 25-40 watt pencil type tools are fine for lighting and decoder installations, but for rail, I prefer my 150 watt Weller pistol grip.

The pencil types (low wattage) take too long to heat the rail. This extra time allows more heat to head for the plastic components of your track and melt/warp them. The larger gun heats far quicker, but the heat is concentrated in the spot you need. If everything is tinned frirstly, as Doneldon said, then it's a quick painless process.

Sid

[jdw3rd]

Combine all this advice and distill down to:

- Don't try to sloder steel rail - solder the joiners

For nickle plated:

- Clean & burnish the area to be soldered
- Tin first
- Use a hot hot HOT iron

and I might add...

- Use 20guage or smaller
- Solder to the OUTSIDE of the rail

[WoundedBear]

I used 14 gauge stranded wire for the busses and 18 gauge feeders. I wouldn't go smaller than the 20. Here's a couple shots from my layout....I use Atlas track however, so I only have the ties and not the roadbed, to worry about melting.





Sid

[Rod in PA]

Also, place a heat sink on each side of the solder joint.  This will help prevent the plastic ties from melting.
Rod in PA

[BigJim]

Thanks everyone, it was Steel E-Z track, the way I got it to work was sliding the feeder wires under the rail joiners and solder there.

I used 18g wire running from various places to 1 barrier strip and then connecting to the transformer and it appears I didn't lose any resistance, which surprised me.

Jimmy

[Doneldon]

it appears I didn't lose any resistance, which surprised me.

Jimmy-

You won't lose any resistance. What you might do is reduce the amount of power you deliver to the rails.

                                                                                                                                                                  -- D

[jward]

the only thing I can add is to remember where the feeders are soldered. with steel you didn't have a lot of good options, soldering to the underside of the rail joiners was probably the best one. if you ballast your track (I would, to conceal the black roadbed) then you'll want to make which joiners have feeders attatched in case you ever have to resolder them.