DCC Impulses Column - 8
They are much less expensive than buying ready-made connec-
tors. The big trick is insulating them and marking them.
Here’s how I insulate
them. I use 3/64" shrink
tubing
If I have a lot of pins, the
shrink gets too tight. Then
I put the shrink on EVERY-
OTHER pin. Then I put a
larger shrink tubing over
the entire connector. That
way all pins are insulated
from each other and the
total package is insulated
from shorts to the frame,
and other conductive parts.
Finding space
The best way, in my opin-
ion, to find whether your
installation will work before
you buy the decoders and
speakers, is to try it.
I use the data from manu-
facturers' web sites to make wood mockups of the decoders and
trial fit them before hand. I make the mock-ups a bit oversized to
allow for shrink tubing hang-over and clearance for wires.
14: This photo shows a connec-
tor with 3/64"shrink tubing on
the connections, ready for an
overall sleeve to insulate and
stabilize the entire connector.
14
MRH-Jun 2013
