Looking for a connector block solution...

[RoshamboUK]

Good day all!

I trust everyone is doing well. I am looking for a neat and tidy way of connecting my control board to my layout. I am not in a position to leave the electronics out but obviously the wiring for the points etc stays out. I would like a quick 'plug and play' type solution. Right now i am using a strip of screw in terminal connector blocks using a stiff piece of wire to connect the 2 blocks together. This isn't too bad but you have to screw down each one every time you want to use them, is the a plug together type solution out there i am missing? Ideally it would screw down on one side of each of the male and female connectors. Looking to have about 10 connections in the block....
Thanks in advance for the advice and i know there must be something simple I am missing but I cant seem to google the right words to find what i need!
Cheers

 

[Neil Robinson]

Something like this?

http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-C...rminal-Strips/Pluggable-terminal-strips/63850 < Link To http://www.rapidonline.co...-terminal-strips/63850

 

[Tony]

Simples
Just buy another connector block the same as the one you have and find some brass bolts or brass bar that fit snug in the holes without screwing down the screws, now just fit the bar to every slot on one connector strip and screw them down so they cant come out and with all the other screws on the original block fully undone plug the two blocks together side by side

Tony

 

[Tony]

Something like this?

http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-C...rminal-Strips/Pluggable-terminal-strips/63850 < Link To http://www.rapidonline.co...-terminal-strips/63850

Just like this lol

 

[RoshamboUK]

yeah that is pretty much what i have now... didn't really like it so i was just wondering if there was an alternative.... i guess not hehe

 

[stockers]

Loads of plug ans sockets - search Maplins.
Car trailer sockets (7 way) £5 for a socket and £5 for the plug.
TV scart sockets (21 way) a couple of quid for the plug and same for the plug
D sockets - as used in older computers - I'll be back with details

 

[stockers]

This is what you want. 25 way D socket/plug. Under £2 each.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/d-sub-connectors-1113?ordercode=YQ49D

 

[RoshamboUK]

Fab, will have a look into those. Ta very much

 

[ntpntpntp]

What sort of amps are we talking about carrying through these connections? 5A? 10A?
Is this for indoor or outdoor use?

Much as I love D-sub plugs and sockets and have used many of them in various sizes, not sure I'd recommend them for an application that requires frequent connect/disconnect.

 

[RoshamboUK]

It is just to run my point switches through, wont be carry much load. Just looking for a connector block that is super simple to connect and disconnect.

 

[ntpntpntp]

It is just to run my point switches through, wont be carry much load. Just looking for a connector block that is super simple to connect and disconnect.

Oh right - yeah, should be ok for that. The contacts are rated at something like 7.5A so should take a burst of power for an LGB point motor no problem.

How are your soldering skills? The solder buckets on D-subs are quite fiddly if you're not used to them. When I wired up my N gauge layout I must have done more than 20x fully wired 37 way D-subs - great fun soldering those up! I also wonder if you may struggle if your wiring's thicker than the usual stuff used in the small scales - you may even find it easier to use two adjacent pins for each wire if it's really thick stuff.

Here's the size of a 25-way D-sub, to give you an idea of the soldering required:

Bottom line is I'm not convinced that D-sub is what you need in this instance. Not that I've yet identified an alternative that I'd use if I were in your situation. I've seen some chunky old connectors used on layouts at my old club, but not sure of their origin (probably BT)

 

[RoshamboUK]

My soldering is not that great and looking at the size im thinking something a little more chunky may be better. I am still searching but no joy as yet :impatient:

 

[ntpntpntp]

Here's a whole mass of connectors to choose from! I'm thinking I'd probably be looking at the industrial/power section, but getting expensive now!

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=browseSuperSection&N=4294965429

 

[ntpntpntp]

This looks more like the sort of thing you could use?: Basically a "proper" version of the terminal-block method you're using now, 10-way and handles 20amps!

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=383+1469

... and you can buy them on ebay for less than £6 inc. postage (quite a bit cheaper than RS!): just search for item 0587897551

I've just bought a pair on ebay "just in case". As I run DCC I can usually play the "only 2 wires needed" advantage (well, actually 4 wires as I keep the points on a separate DCC bus away from the track power)

 

[RoshamboUK]

those look like exactly the kind of thing i need! thank you kindly

 

[ntpntpntp]

OK, here's the connector block I bought on ebay as per earlier post. It's obviously larger than a D-sub as you can see. Only 10-way, but nice big screw terminals and plugs together firmly.