bus wires to elite controller

[Master Mears]

just wondering i have ordered an hornby elite dcc controller and have bus wires already, looking at the end of the bus wires how do they go inside the little port holes of the elite, do i have to cut alittle bit of the end of the wires so it works properly. 

[Chrissaf]

Strip off about 12mm of insulation from the end of the BUS wire (assumes that the BUS wire is stranded and not solid conductor). On the Elite you depress (push upwards) the plastic tab (there are two, one black and one red). This opens a hole into which you can insert the bared end of the wire, releasing the plastic tab (it is sprung loaded) clamps the bare wire in place.

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TIP, these clamps get tarnished over time. Particularly on the 'PROG A&B' output due to the very low current flowing through them. So if you get any control issues on the MAIN track, or lose the ability to read and write CVs on the PROG track. Then clean these connector clamps and strip off a fresh bit of wire.

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[Rog RJ]

You would normally use some flexible wire to connect into the back of the Elite and then join that flex to the bus wires.

[Bulleidboy]

Chris - are you suggesting plugging your "bus" wires directly into the Elite? I know there are a few variations of how the "bus" is laid out, and I thought I'd read that the control system (in this case the Elite) should be attached about mid-way along the "bus". My end-to-end layout has the "bus" running the full length of the layout (brown and blue wires - one of each!), then two wires of the same colour are attached to the Elite as you have described, and the other ends are soldered to the "bus" cable. BB

[Chrissaf]

I wasn't specific about any BUS topology. If it came over that way, then it wasn't meant. I was referring to the wires that attach to the Elite that ultimately become the BUS, whether that be a T or a Ring or any other form such as the one you have outlined for yourself. The intention of my post was to concentrate on the actual termination of wire method on the Elite, not a discussion on BUS topology.

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In my own case on my layout, my Elite is in the middle of the BUS (end to end, not a  ring) and I have TWO 32/0.2mm wires (twisted together and slightly flatterned) in each Elite Track terminal. It is effectively a T that does not have a vertical T element. The horizontal ends of the T have snubber filters fitted as I have previously experienced short circuit issues without them.

[2e0dtoeric]

I think I've previously said I use a curly microphone wire to connect my Elite to my (very) heavy BUS cables. (A bit of overkill, really, but it was free and to hand!) I ran the Elite power cable down the middle of the curly wire, to minimise tangles!