Are these gauge wires okay?

[prodigy2k7]

I screwed up and got the wrong wire for my buses. I didnt get my feeders yet.
So far I have a lot of 18 gauge solid copper.
I was thinking of maybe using this for my feeders?

I was thinking also of going to home depot and getting 14 gauge for my buses.

14 gauge buses, 18 gauge feeders,

Is 18 gauge too big for feeders?

 

[steamhead]

Unless you are planning to have several locos operating at the same time (5-8 locos) all with heavy drags behind them, 18 gauge buses will do OK. Use 20-22 gauge for feeders (10"-12" long).

 

[prodigy2k7]

Where do u find 20-22. I cant find this anywhere.
Lowest I find is 14-16, sometimes 18 gauge.

 

[jeffrey-wimberl]

How do you figure 20 - 22 gauge is better than 18? The larger the number, the thinner the wire. 20-22 gauge is thinner than 18 gauge. I go with 14 gauge all the way, buss and feeders.

 

[rogerw]

14 gauge sounds to big for feeder wires. Wont that look funny. the feeder will be as big as the rail if not bigger. I agree on 14 gauge for the bus, but I would use 18 or even 20 for feeders.

Roger

 

[Squidbait]

You could use 14 ga. wire as a feeder in G-scale... anything else and it's as big as the rail!

You should be able to find 18 ga. wire at Home Despot, just ask for "bell wire". Most hardware stores will have reels of various sized wire you can buy by the foot, including 18-20 ga.

 

[radar]

14 gauge sounds to big for feeder wires. Wont that look funny. the feeder will be as big as the rail if not bigger. I agree on 14 gauge for the bus, but I would use 18 or even 20 for feeders.

Roger

I agree with roger 14 for buss 18 gauge for feeders . I found my 20 gauge wire at a old office building that they were tearing down it was used for the phone connections inside at a junction panel.sign1

 

[Torpedo]

Where do u find 20-22. I cant find this anywhere.
Lowest I find is 14-16, sometimes 18 gauge.

Here is one source: http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/catalogs/c253/P95.pdf

This is stranded wire.

 

[Nazgul]

Squidbait is absolutely right.....You will find 20 ga wire near the doorbells in the electrical section....just ask some one (if you can find a person that works there)

 

[steamhead]

I suggested he use the 18 ga. since he's already got it. For the voltage/loads and size of layouts most of us run that's plenty good...As has been said in other threads posted by Prodigy on this same subject, unless you've got a basement full of trains running at the same time, would you need the heavier gauges (12, 14).

 

[CAS]

I just bought some 22 gauge wire from radio Shack.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049742&cp=&sr=1&origkw=wire&kw=wire&parentPage=search


CAS