Control Panel Wiring Basic Question

[NickC]

I have the controls I bought from Happs, I have an I-pac, now what do I need to connect the two? I beleive I read the 22 gauge wire was used, and 18 can be used for the ground line, but what type of wire do I need and where can I buy it?

thanks

[cdbrown]

Check here http://www.arcadecontrols.com/arcade_wiring.shtml
Most electronic, hardware stores have reels of the stuff.  The Ipac has screw connectors so you just stick the bare wire into the hole, tighten the corresponding screw until it's secure.  The other end of the wire can go into quick connect (crimp or solder) and then is connected to normally open plug of the microswitch and so on for all the microswitches.  

For the ground, people use a ground loop where the ground wire connects from the ipac to the first microswitch, then to the 2nd, 3rd and so on and then back to the ipac.  There is no need to have a ground wire going from each microswitch to the ipac.   Have a look around the boards and you'll see a nice pic of ipac wiring.


Cheers
-cdbrown

[Odonadon]

I used 22 gauge from Radio Shack.  They had a great deal for the stuff.  30 ft of green, red, and black for like $4 or something.  That's 90ft right there.  I bought two packs.  

Ground looping works great.  Do it that way.

Odonadon

[MinerAl]

Get stranded wire if you can.  It's easier to solder/crimp and it'll bend without fatigue-breaking as solid core can.  Speaker wire will work, but it is often all one color.

Get as many colors as you can, it's much easier to just follow the orange wire than it is to follow one of 17 red wires.

I bought the $17 wiring kit from Ultimarc the first time, and it was worth every penny:  6 feet each of a ton of different colors of 22 guage stranded wire.

I've had really good luck with crimp quick (dis)connectors.  I've had really good blisters with soldering.  You can get bubble packs of all the quick disconnects and other little electrical connection bits you might need (splicers, male disconnects, wire nuts, the crimper/stripper) in the automotive aisle at your favorite whatever-mart or the electrical aisle at a hardware/home store.

Get a few shielded disconnects (male and female) for places where you might want to run 5V or 12V power or where they might come into contact with metal like by the coin door.  Shorts and shocks suck.

Then there's the whole option of using a 25 lead extension cord or two... there are many threads about that subject.

[SirPoonga]

stainded easier to solder, hehe, I have no problems with solid.  Isn't copper solid faster though?

[Brax]

stainded easier to solder, hehe, I have no problems with solid.  Isn't copper solid faster though?

There's always the debate about increased resistance for electronic parts when using solid core. Andy reccomends stranded for use with the IPAC so that's good enough for me.

[RandyT]

stainded easier to solder, hehe, I have no problems with solid.  Isn't copper solid faster though?

I have to agree with you here.  

Solid has a number of benefits.  It's easier to solder, it's easier to insert into a terminal block, it's easier to strip insulation away from, it's easier to avoid shorts because it doesn't "fray" and it's easier to get a good crimp connection on because it doesn't "mush" .

Now the downsides.....

It's not as flexible and you can break it if flexed too many times.  Of course you'd have to bend it back and forth at 180 degree angles about 20 times before it breaks.  If you do this with your CP wiring, there's something wrong (and not with the wire   ).  The lack of flexibility can actually work to your advantage because the wire tends to stay where you bend it.  

Ummm....I ran out of down sides....  Any I missed?

RandyT

[SirPoonga]

Yeha, if you are making an interchangable CP you definately want to use stranded.

[RandyT]

Yeha, if you are making an interchangable CP you definately want to use stranded.

Agreed.  At least for the sections going to the disconnects.  


RandyT

[Distortion]

Yeha, if you are making an interchangable CP you definately want to use stranded.

Agreed.  At least for the sections going to the disconnects.  


RandyT

Could you elaborate on that thought for me?

[SirPoonga]

click the link in my sig, lok at some of the pic in the finished section.  The CP comes off.

[RandyT]

Yeha, if you are making an interchangable CP you definately want to use stranded.

Agreed.  At least for the sections going to the disconnects.  

RandyT

Could you elaborate on that thought for me?

Think about it like house electrical wiring.

The wires in your walls are solid.  They are easier to deal with and since they are fastened to the beams they don't move around so breakage isn't a problem.

Now think about an appliance cord.  Since you are likely to be moving this from room to room, stepping on it, coiling it behind furniture, etc... it's important that it have flexibility.

The same thing applies with your control panel if it is interchangable.  

The hard wiring of the controls to a junction-block can be solid, as these wires will not be connected and disconnected over and over again.  But from the junction block to the interface connector, the wire should be flexible because this section will have to endure repeated movement.  Some people use ribbon cable or similar type wiring for these connections.

Is this what you were asking?

RandyT