Building a control panel

[LittleRedTrain]

Hi all,
As much fun as I'm having running live steam round my garden, I really need to get on to building a control panel so I can run my electric stock, but would appreciate suggestions or examples of how you'e done it.

I've opted for analogue DC rather than DCC, mainly because of the cost of the latter, but also the additional complications of DCC on a railway with a triangle! Point motors are standard LGB.
I plan to have the isolating and point motor switches out permanently (though possibly stashed/hinged under the layout when not in use), with the power supply/controllers being brought out and plugged in each session.
I'd like to have each section controllable from one of two controllers, so I can run two trains at once.

I know how I need to wire up all the appropriate circuits (including the polarity swap for the triangle), so that isn't an issue.
My biggest problem is that, due to rubbish eyesight, I am really not very good at soldering, so the usual method of miniature toggle switches soldered together would be a nightmare for me to build and maintian. I much prefer screw or crimp terminals.
I also need to find a suitable container/box to actually mount the switches on, that's weatherproof and easy to work with.
Ideally I want to run the wires from the layout into terminal blocks within this container, which would then be connected to the control switches.

Does anyone have any suggestions of suitable containers/boxes that could be used as the basis for a fairly large control panel, and switches that can be wired up using crimps/screw terminals rather than soldering?
I'm aware of the EPL switches from LGB, but at £60 for a 4-switch box, it's a non-starter. As you can see from the diagram below, I need rather a lot of switches!

Any suggestions or photos of your own panels greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Daniel

 

[Gizzy]

I built the panels in the first 2 pictures before replacing them both with the larger one as seen in the other photos.

I've since gone down the MTS route, and my points are now controlled via the Universal Remote and a Switch Decoder, but I sometimes still use the isolating section switches on the large panel.

The point motor switches used were the Gaugemaster GM511 A5H LGB ones:

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM511&style=main&strType=g

You could use terminal blocks and switches with screw fixings, but soldering isn't really difficult with a little practise....

 

[C&S]

A bit difficult to advise as you don't say whether you need to build a central control panel for the whole line, or a series of local panels for use as you follow a train round the circuit.

Those pictures in Gizzy's answer look like they've been made using the sort of boxes available in electrical firm's catalogues - I think they come under the title Enclosure boxes, or something rather similar. For smaller panels a cheaper version might be to use a food storage box with a sealed top with a clip-on lid, which would be removed during operating sessions then sealed up to protect the electrical gear betweenwhiles.

Don't forget slide switches, (also available as DPDT versions so you can select which of 2 controllers will run that part of the line) which can be mounted on lengths of small square section stripwood on a ply base inside your control box, so they lift out for maintenance. You'll need to get waterproof grommets for the entry point where wiring enters the box.

Re soldering: are you tinning the two elements to be joined before making the join? This just means heating the end of the wire and running a little solder onto it, and similarly with the contact on the switch. You should then be able to feed the tinned wire through the hole in the switch's solder tag, and a touch with a hot iron should be all that's necessary to join the two elements. Also, use flux to help the solder to flow, and most importantly, scrape the parts to be joined so they're clean before applying the solder.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Thanks for the tips.
Essentially I'm building one central control panel, which will allow control of the whole layout, but there will be an additional 'local control' at the 'Avon Dale' end of the line with its own controller, that can take control of that station's sections and point motors, to allow local shunting/running round.

Thanks for the tips on soldering. I have tried many times and followed most of the suggestions you've given. The problem is, my detail vision and depth perception is so bad that I really struggle working on things that small. I can just about solder a switch on its own, but trying to solder a batch of switches inside a cramped control panel with lots of other wires getting in the way, is beyond my abilities.

 

[Gizzy]

Thanks for the tips.
Essentially I'm building one central control panel, which will allow control of the whole layout, but there will be an additional 'local control' at the 'Avon Dale' end of the line with its own controller, that can take control of that station's sections and point motors, to allow local shunting/running round.

Thanks for the tips on soldering. I have tried many times and followed most of the suggestions you've given. The problem is, my detail vision and depth perception is so bad that I really struggle working on things that small. I can just about solder a switch on its own, but trying to solder a batch of switches inside a cramped control panel with lots of other wires getting in the way, is beyond my abilities.

Make up the switches with wiring before fitting to the panel. You'll just need a standard length of wire which you can trim if too long.

Then use choc-bloc connectors to connect the switch wiring to the layout wiring as I have done....

 

[wilf54]

If you really don't want to solder then for you can get crimps that will fit the tags on some switches.
You will probably need to look more towards the switches used for industrial control applications. You will then need to find the matching crimps. This will probably involve checking the manufactures spec sheets.
Be prepared for having to buy atleast 100 crimps and either paying through the nose for a crimping tool, or fiddling about with a pair of needle nosed pliars doing a crimp that will never be as good as a "proper one".

Sorry I can't recomend specific switches suitable for g scale as although I have done this several times this has been for specialist (non-railway) applications.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Thanks, switches with crimp terminals sound like a good option, I just need to find somewhere that will supply them at a reasonable rate.

A crimping tool won't be a problem, my track power feeds are connected by fork crimps over the railclamp screws, so after some gentle hints I got a decent crimping tool as a birthday present last year. Also, at 6 crimps per switch, a pack of 100 will get used up without difficulty!

 

[Lowty1]

You can get crimp terminals from stores such as Maplins, Radio Spares, Halfords etc.

Regards

Tom

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Well I've now bitten the bullet and ordered the components for the small local control panel.

I've gone for some rocker switches from RS which use 'Quick-Connect' crimp terminals, along with some suitable crimps.
I've also bought some matching ones with sprung action for use with the point motors.

Finally I've ordered myself a Really Userful Box, to see if it'd make a good basis for a control panel. (I've gone for a silver non-transparent one, as hopefully it might be a bit more resistant to sunlight).
I'll cut holes in the lid and mount switches in it, and the 'choc-block' connectors can sit in the main box itself.

If this works out, I'll follow the same example for the main control panel, if not, it'll be back to the drawing board.

 

[Rob s]

Finally I've ordered myself a http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/html/onlineshop/rub/b04_0litre.php < Link To Really Userful Box, to see if it'd make a good basis for a control panel. (I've gone for a silver non-transparent one, as hopefully it might be a bit more resistant to sunlight).

Look forward to seeing how you get on

Have been looking at this company for a while now
but having bought about a dozen box's from dif place's
in the past 12months all so far have turned out to be
a bit naft one way or another, was reluctant to buy again
on line.

Let us know what the quality is like when it arrives
soft, stiff. flexible, brittle, etc

I am the same as you prefer crimped over solder, find it
quicker and easier to change wires over, when the need
arises.

Happy crimping

 

[LittleRedTrain]

I had a play with some of the transparent boxes in Ryman today before ordering online (Ryman don't do the whole range) and they seemed fairly solid, so it seemed like a worthwhile punt for a fiver.

A lot will depend on how well they handle sunlight and rain (though they'll be slid under the layout when not in use), will update with how I get on.

 

[Dtsteam]

If you are mounting the switches on top of the box then you'll need some sort of cover otherwise the switches won't last more than a year or two. I put mine in a bin liner and shoved it under the layout, but there was still the risk of condensation. In the end I split the sheaf of wires from the panel and put the following in so that it could be stored for the winter.
http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/Pluggable-terminal-strips-63850

 

[ntpntpntp]

I used a couple of these weatherproof boxes for my section switches, mounted on the wall near the main track feed:

Got mine from ebay direct from the manufacturer, but they're available from aquatic shops etc. and intended for switching pumps and outdoor lights etc. Just google "weatherproof switch box" images. Not particularly cheap and required a little adjustment inside to suit my particular use, but have done the job superbly. Ok it's not quite a "mimic panel" but to be honest as I normally run DCC the switches are usually all left on. The fuses have been useful and caught a couple of derailment shorts!

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Well here's the final result:

I ended up getting a Really Useful Box, however attempting to cut out the square holes in the lid for the rocker switches proved fruitless.

In the end, I drew up the panel in CAD, and sent the lid and diagram to the college where my mum works to get the holes laser cut.
One of the chaps there decided he'd do an even better job, cut the front of the lid away, and replaced it with thick acrylic, laser-cut the holes and even engraved on the track diagram!
(A bottle of something nice will be heading his way)

I then wired up the switches to the terminal blocks inside.

Not a solder join to be seen!

Finally, I spent this weekend wiring it into the layout and 'testing' it of course.

The big purple binbag is to protect the panel from the elements. The panel itself stows under the layout when not in use.

Not sure what I'm going to do about the next panel, as it's much bigger (will control the whole railway). May have to do it in sections, or come up with another idea.

Regards
Daniel

 

[Gizzy]

Nice work Daniel....