connectors for Kato DC

[mageus]

I have a single Kato throttle and plan to wire multiple tracks, switches, etc.  I'll build the control panel from scratch using toggle switches for power routing and turnout control.  What connectors do people use?  The Kato plugs are both bulky and expensive.

 

I was thinking of Molex KK connectors since they're small, ubiquitous, and cheap (the type on computer fans).  They're also easy to install into a control panel if you're willing to work with PCB.  They are, suprisingly, rated at 13A/600V.

 

Any thoughts?

[kvp]

Actually, this is what Tomix uses for track power, turnouts and signals.

[KenS]

I cut the connectors off the wires, and crimp on lugs that I can screw to terminal strips. Screwdrivers are my friends. Clip-on connectors annoy me, because they're hard to find and don't always work reliably.  I can buy crimp-on lugs by the 100-count at the local home-supply store.

 

That said, my tram/bus layout (which is still in an incomplete state after several years) is all-Tomix, and uses the standard Tomix connectors everywhere.  But I didn't do any customer wiring or controls for it.

[macdon]

I cut the connectors off the wires, and crimp on lugs that I can screw to terminal strips. Screwdrivers are my friends. Clip-on connectors annoy me, because they're hard to find and don't always work reliably.  I can buy crimp-on lugs by the 100-count at the local home-supply store.

 

That said, my tram/bus layout (which is still in an incomplete state after several years) is all-Tomix, and uses the standard Tomix connectors everywhere.  But I didn't do any customer wiring or controls for it.

 

Good one Ken.

 

I had the same problem with the Kato 24-828 power feeders for double track viaduct. The concept of it being used under any viaduct double track straights is good and flexible, but the good ends there.

When my layout was still on the floor, I couldnt get the connectors working on a single straight track - I finally got it to work when one feeder was connected to one track and the other on a different track.

 

When I transfered my layout on the table, I used the same tracks for power but didnt work.  It worked when one feeder was connected to a track 2 sections away - it was unsightly but it got me to test and play.

When the roadways came, I cleaned up and wanted to use only 1 track section to feed the wire and to bore a hole on the table near a pier to hide it.  What a frustrating ordeal! It was spotty. My shinkansens stops at the same darn place - it doesnt stop when the train is approaching, it doesnt stop when the train is on the feeder track - it stops right after the last car passes over the feeder track.

A very slight touch on the connectors and the train runs again - but once it passes over the feeder track, it stops!

I have 3 sets of these 24-828 connectors and switched them all around - same problem. I tried them on a different straight track and problem was worse - nothing would run unless you push up the connector with your finger. Once you let it go, it wont work. They all "click" to connect, so cant really understand why they're not working as they're suppose to be.

 

I gave up on those darn things and just soldered wires to a unijoiner. Problem solved!

The kato 24-818 unijoiner feeder works best than any feeder connectors or you can always solder wires on a unijoiner to place on any track anywhere in your layout.

 

Mardon

[KenS]

I use a combination of Kato's 62-mm straight feeder track and the Kato wire-on-unijoiner feeders.  I don't have any real viaduct track on the current layout, so I haven't used those feeders on the new (four years old now!) layout.

 

However, my original table-top layout was an oval with the rear section elevated, and I used viaduct feeders on that, and never had a problem.

 

My suspicion is that either the viaduct or one of your feeder connectors is bent/damaged somehow, which leads to the sprung pin on the feeder not making reliable contact with the rail (which it touches through a small slit in the roadbed, so alignment of track, viaduct and feeder is critical).

 

You also have to look out for bad Unijoiners (or bent track ends) which can make feeding from one section of rail to the next problematic.  I use a multimeter and test resistance from the center of one track segment to the center of the next. Ideally it should be about 1-3 ohms, I usually replace anything higher than 5 ohms. And I've seen ones measure at > 20 ohms that worked, but caused problems (slow-downs, stops at low speed).  I had one spot on the old layout that stopped working reliably (where a viaduct connected to a viaduct station), and after months I finally figured out it was the unijoiner. After that, I got more careful about handling track, and testing it periodically.

 

If you take your track apart often, you'll get those eventually even if you're careful, and if you just rip it apart without care you're more likely to damage a unijoiner and cause problems. Which is basically what I did, because that corner of the layout was hard to reach, and I had to take the track apart several times while changing the track plan.

[cteno4]

the viaduct connectors are a bit cranky. on the old jrm layout when we were doing free form, if you forgot to connect them in before setting things up it was pretty impossible to get them clicked in right. they need to be carefully inserted and both wings snap in well to make a good connection. once there though they seemed to do pretty well.

 

on the jrm 2.0 sectional layout we just opted to pop open a straight section of double viaduct and cut slots under the track with the dremel and then soldered to the bottom of the track to have a super good and permanent connection as the track all got screwed down then.

 

on regular unitrak ground track ive moved over to just cutting slots under the track and soldering to the base of the track. super strong connections then. did this on all my ttrak modules when i built them. took me an extra hour but now i dont have to worry about power drops, got them where ever i want them for free (except the hour and a few bits of wire).

 

cheers

 

jeff

[brill27mcb]

Yes, the block-like viaduct connector adapters that Kato uses really have to be popped in completely, or they are spotty. You can get them almost in, and they will stay put and seem to work, but not reliably. Some further pushing will cause another "click" sound and then it's in properly.

 

Rich K.