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Good electrical connections are key to a smooth running model railroad, and one way to help achieve this is with feeder wires. In this basic training video you’ll learn how to attach feeder wires to the rails of model railroad track.
Also a good idea, to use alligator clips, attached directly to the rail (spaced a few inches apart), on either side of where you are soldering, to help dissapate the heat…
Thumb's-Up, Greg Jones! 😉
I prefer to drill the hole in the bench work first and insert the wire. Make a SMALL bend and flatten. This keeps it closer to the bottom of the track. I do not put solder on the iron as it makes too much solder transfer to the rail. I just use fine solder rather than the big stuff. Just make sure your iron is tinned (light coating of solder on the iron and wipe with a sponge.
) After you are done, clean off the solder joint, then add a bit of black paint to make it disappear.
To help with heat transfer from the soldering iron to the wire and or track. I place a small bead of solder on the tip of the iron first. I also tin the rail before placing the wire.
One tip on soldering the joiners, which works great by the way, use a piece on N scale track for a jig. Slip the HO joiners over the track, turn it over and solder away.
Good job – nice refresher always pick something up from your tips! Thanks again
Simple when you know! I've struggled soldering feeder wires to rails for some time now, but watching your technique makes it easy. Thanks, Cody!!!
Cody's method is indeed electrically sound, but cosmetically clumsy. Furthermore, the hole for the wire should be drilled through the sub-roadbed first to facilitate fishing the wire, which should be brought up from below before soldering the wire to the rail.
For completely invisible feeder wires, solder them to the underside of rail joiners (every 3' or so) and feed them down through the sub-roadbed via small holes directly beneath the joiners as track gets laid. This method is extremely reliable electrically, and even before the track receives ballast they'll be undetectable.
Even though resin-core solder has flux in it, I've always gotten better results applying flux, as Cody does here.
Look forward every month to Cody's tips…Thanks so much and please keep it up.
Very helpful series many thanks for your help
I have learned a lot by watching Cody, and other model railroading experts and tips, thanks guys
The how to videos aregreat. Thanks Cody
A very helpful video to a beginner. Please keep them coming!
Rosin core solder does not need flux. Also if the solder is Sn63Pb37 it will be eutectic, meaning that both the tin and lead will freeze at the same time. This will help to prevent "cold solder" joints that are weak and do not conduct well while hand soldering.
Cold solder joints are caused by movement between the objects soldered, just as the solder freezes. The joint will be dull gray. Eutectic solder joints will almost always freeze suddenly with a bright silver color.
Cody's technique for attaching feeder wires is spot on correct! However, when contact soldering (without first mechanically securing the soldered objects), the probability of cold solder joints is moderately high. Use eutectic solder!
When soldering, if the metals to be soldered are moderately bright and shiny, no cleaning is needed, as the flux will lift minor corrosion and contaminants. If the metals are quite corroded or contaminated, fine sandpaper followed by alcohol wiping is the best cleaning method. Sandpaper alone usually does not remove oils and greases.
From an old electronics engineer, been soldering for over 50 years.
Yes a good guide but, I do think a little cleaning with water
or another cleaning fluid would be a good Idea.
Great Video and I will defintely practice before starting on the layout, but I do have a question. Once the feeder wire is soldered to the track how do you get it back under the layout. Do you drill those holes prior to soldering? This is my first layout that is not a basic oval or figure 8, so I am really concerned with how to make the wiring right and look good. Thanks!
One of the "cool" tips I found on another helpful video described using damp cotton balls to keep the track on either side of the feeder location cool to prevent melting adjacent ties and spikes.
Also, it may be easier to make the holes for the feeder wire first, feed the wire up from the bottom, and then connect by tinning and soldering. This can get the hole closer to the rail, but it is personal preference.
The main thing to point out is that the feeder wire is always on the outside of the two rails. No one wants to have the wheel flanges bump the feeder wire. It may be obvious to the experienced, but not everyone learns this from the start.
Your basic training videos are of great help
I enjoy seeing videos of this type to show some things that I don't know.
Thanx Cody for another TRAINing tip. Great useful info. Hopefully these tips will remain on the website for some time, so the tips can be referred/referenced to other modelers.
Great… I was worried about the amount of time it takes to heat up the rails sufficiently (and consequently melting the plastic ties). In your video it works pretty quick…
I'm going to try it very soon in order to build / wire a FREMO H0 module
Great Work Cody, this type of video is perfect for the beginner or even the expert.
What kind of flux do you use? I thought that the rosin core solder didn't need additional flux, since the rosin core is the flux. Thanks for posting these basic essentials skills videos.
always learn something new. Great job in reminding me of the simple things that make the job easier