Introduction

So you’ve decided to upgrade your track wiring by investing in a variable power supply and adding power taps to ensure even power distribution.  Maybe you’ve even invested in some new controllers.  Now you’re faced with deciding how to provide controller hookups at your driver’s stations.  Controller hookup panels, such as the one shown in the picture below may be just what you are looking for.  Color-coded brass posts make it easy to connect any controller using alligator clips and the fuse holder will provide protection to your controller and track wiring in the event of a short circuit.  What’s more, these controller hookup panels add a nice finishing touch to a well-designed layout.

Step-by-step instructions with accompanying illustrations describing how to make these panels are provided below.  Other types of connectors can be used as well; however, the basic construction steps and wiring will remain the same.  Here’s an example of a controller hookup panel using banana plugs instead of brass posts.

 

 

 

Materials Needed

To build a controller hookup panel like the one shown earlier, you’ll need the following materials:

Note: If you are having difficulty locating any of the items shown or mentioned in this article, you can purchase them directly from me (see contact info at end of article).  I also offer a variety of pre-packaged kits with everything needed to assemble these panels.  Preassembled panels, ready for installation, are also available.

Refer to the following picture for items 3 – 7 (shown top to bottom).

Optional

Tools Needed

The following tools will be required when building a controller hookup panel.

Refer to the following picture for items 1 - 6 (shown left to right across the top row).

Refer to the previous picture for items 7 - 11 (shown left to right across the bottom row).

Other tools which will be needed:

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that you’ve assembled the materials and tools needed, follow the instructions below to build the controller hookup panel.

Prepare Mounting Panel

1)      Remove the cover from the electrical box as shown in the photo below.  The cover will be used to mount the fuse holder and brass posts.  The screws and box enclosure will not be needed for this project.

 

 

 

 

2)      The underside of the cover or “panel” (see picture below) has a weatherproof gasket and flanges along each side to make a tight seal when fastened to the box enclosure.

 

 

 

 

 

3)      If you rest the panel on a flat surface, the panel will not wobble; however, there is a small gap between the table surface and the underside of the panel.  You can either use the panel like this or remove the gasket material and flanges so the panel will lay flush on your mounting surface with no gaps.  If you decide to go this route, a Dremel tool or hacksaw can be used to remove the flanges (see photo below).

 

 

Don’t worry if the underside of the panel gets cut up or scratched while removing the flanges.  Once mounted, no one will ever see the underside of the panel.  If you decide to remove the gasket and flanges, the panel will look something like the picture below.

 

 

 

 

4)      Before proceeding, take a thin piece of cardboard and trace the outline of the panel as shown below.  Put the cardboard in a safe place – it will be used to make a mounting template for the panel in a later step.

 

 

 

 

5)      Using the fuse holder and plastic fender washers, layout your panel.  For the panel shown in this write-up, the fuse holder will be mounted on the left-hand side and the three washers for the brass posts to the right.  Make sure to leave sufficient spacing between components so they do not interfere with one another (including wires which will eventually be attached to each component under the panel).  You should also ensure none of the components which will eventually be mounted under the panel are mounted within ¼” of the outside edge of the panel (this border or “lip” will be needed when mounting the panel to your table/layout).  For the panel shown below, the centers of the colored fender washers are 1 ½” on center.

6)      Layout and mark the centers of the fuse holder and three plastic fender washers on the panel as shown below.  The marks will be used to drill mounting holes in the next step.

Warning:  Take appropriate safety precautions when drilling the plastic covers.  Safety glasses should be worn at all times and drill bits must be sharp.  A drill press will make this step much easier and safer – a handheld drill is NOT recommended.  Make sure to secure the panel to your drill press table BEFORE drilling – drill bits sometimes have a tendency to “grab” the panel and spin it dangerously at very high speed.

7)      Drill holes in the panel using the layout marks as a guide.  A drill press with a jig such as the one shown below will help ensure all holes are centered and help prevent the panel from spinning if the drill bit should “grab” it.  Note the screws in the holes at both ends of the panel used to temporarily secure the panel to the jig while drilling.

Tip:      Most panels will require multiple hole sizes.  Setup your drill press for a given hole/bit size and then drill ALL panels (one at a time…) in production line fashion.  Once all holes for a given size have been drilled, move on to the next hole/bit size and drill ALL panels.  Continue in this fashion until all holes have been drilled.

Once all holes have been drilled, your panel should look something like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)      If you plan to paint the panels, you will probably want to sand the pebble grain and/or raised letters to provide a smoother finish.  Start with course sandpaper (50-80 grit) and sand off any grain and/or raised letters (as shown below).  Use successively finer (higher number) sandpaper finishing with a 600 or 800 grit.  Brush off as must sanding dust as possible and then use a tack cloth to remove any fine dust which still remains.  Finally, use a rag dipped in some alcohol (you don’t need much) to finish cleaning the panel surface.

 

 

Caution:      Using a belt sander or palm sander is not recommended for this step – they are generally too aggressive and will likely damage or distort the relatively “soft” plastic panel.

9)      Paint each panel using paint designed for plastic.  Apply several light coats of paint, in accordance with the paint manufacturer’s directions, to prevent “running”.  The panel in the picture below has just received a final coat of paint before being set aside to dry thoroughly before mounting the panel components.

 

 

Component Preparation

Now that the panel has been drilled and painted, it’s time to prepare the various components which will be mounted to the panel.  Here’s how:

1)      If you plan to use terminal blocks to facilitate your wiring connections, start by attaching a spade connector to one end of the black, white (long) and red wires.  For each wire, follow these steps.

a)      Strip off about 5/16” of insulation as shown in the picture below.

b)      Carefully twist the strands of wire between your fingers to make sure they are “tight”.  Then place a small dab of rosin soldering flux on the bare wire as shown below.

c)        Place a spade connector over the bare wire and use a wire crimp tool to fasten (“crimp”) securely as shown below.

d)      Solder the spade connector to the wire as shown below.

e)      At this point, each of the black, white (long) and red wires should each have a spade terminal soldered to one end as shown below.

2)      Attach a ring terminal to one end of the black, white (short) and red wires.  For each wire, follow these steps.

Caution:  Make sure to attach the ring terminal to the “short” white wire, NOT the “long” one.

a)   Strip off about 5/16” of insulation (refer to the picture in step 1a)

b)   Carefully twist the strands of wire between your fingers to make sure they are “tight”.  Then place a small dab of rosin soldering flux on the bare wire (refer to the picture in step 1b).

c)   Place a ring terminal over the bare wire and use a wire crimp tool to fasten (“crimp”) securely as shown below.  Do NOT solder the ring terminal just yet.

d)     At this point, each of the black, white (short) and red wires should each have a ring terminal crimped to one end.  Do NOT solder the ring terminals just yet.

3)      Attach one end of the long white wire to the “center” fuse holder terminal (typically the one at the bottom) first.  This will make mounting the fuse holder to the panel easier in a later step (if you attach the wire to the “side” terminal, you may have difficulty mounting the fuse holder).  Here are the steps to follow:

a)      Strip off about 5/16” of insulation (refer to picture in step 1a)

b)     Carefully twist the strands of wire between your fingers to make sure they are “tight”.

c)      Secure the fuse holder using a small clamp as shown below.  This will prevent the fuse holder from moving around and leave both hands free when performing the steps below.

d)     Carefully insert the bare end of the wire into the hole in the “center” terminal on the fuse holder as shown below.  Don’t push the wire all the way through – instead, you just want the end of the wire to go through far enough to “catch” the underside of the tab as shown below.

e)      With one end of the wire inserted just a little way into the hole, bend the wire back so it lays flat on the tab as shown in the picture below.  This will make it easier to solder the joint.

Tip:  The fuse holder terminal is prone to bending.  To prevent this, hold the terminal securely with a pair of needle nose pliers while carefully bending the wire.

f)       Apply soldering flux to the wire and fuse holder terminal as shown below (make sure to apply some flux to the underside of the terminal where the wire protrudes).

g)      Solder the wire to the terminal as shown below.  Note the tip of the soldering iron is on one side of the wire making contact with BOTH the terminal and the wire.  Feed a small amount of solder into the joint from the other side of the wire.

4)      Wait at least 10 minutes to ensure the joint on the fuse holder terminal has cooled before cleaning the joints with lighter fluid and a Q-tip (see below).  This will remove any remaining flux residue.

Warning:  NEVER use lighter fluid to clean a hot (or even warm) solder joint!  Let the solder joint cool completely (min. 10 minutes) before using the lighter fluid to clean off any excess flux.  Store the lighter fluid away from your soldering iron/station and any other heat sources.

5)      At this point, the long white wire should be attached to one terminal of the fuse holder as shown below.  Set this aside for now.

6)      The following steps describe how to make the brass posts.  You’ll need to repeat these steps for each of the three (3) posts.

a)      Take one of the 3 wires with a ring terminal and slip the ring terminal over a #8 brass screw which will serve as a post.  Thread a brass nut onto the post until it is about 3/8” from the head of the screw as shown below.  Note the orientation of the ring terminal – be sure the ring terminal is oriented as shown (this will make it easier to mount the post to the underside of the panel in a later step).

b)      Take a small brush and spread soldering flux between the washers and ring terminal connector as shown below.

c)      Thread the brass nut the remainder of the way onto the brass screw until just barely finger tight – do not over tighten!  The brass post with a ring terminal and wire attached is now ready for soldering (see below).

d)      Use a soldering helper as shown below to hold the brass post.  This will free up both hands for soldering.

e)      Place the tip of your soldering iron under the ring terminal as shown.  The tip should be making contact with the head of the screw and the ring terminal.  Depending on the output of your soldering iron, it may take several seconds before the joint reaches sufficient temperature for the solder to flow (be patient).

f)        Once the joint is heated, feed solder into the joints from above the ring terminal.  The flux should “pull” the solder into the joint.  Make sure to solder the crimped connection on the ring terminal too.  Do not disturb the joint while the solder is cooling.  The resulting post should look something like the one shown below.

7)      Repeat steps 6a – 6f for the remaining two (2) wires.

8)      Wait at least 10 minutes after soldering the last (third) post to ensure the joints on each of the posts have cooled before cleaning the joints with lighter fluid and a Q-tip.  This will remove any remaining flux residue.

9)      At this point, your project should look something like the photo below.

Some Assembly Required…

Assembling the panel now that all components have been made is straightforward.  Here are the steps to follow:

1)      Mount the fuse holder into the panel as shown below.  Carefully thread the retaining nut onto the fuse holder being careful not to cross-thread the nut.

Tip:      A light pair of gloves will help prevent scratches to the painted surface of the panel during assembly.

2)      Use a wrench to snug up the retaining nut as shown below.  DO NOT over tighten!

3)      Attach the “short” white wire to the “side” terminal on the fuse holder.  Follow the same steps outlined earlier used to attach the “long” white wire (refer back to steps 3a – 3g in the “Component Preparation” section if necessary).  Briefly:

a)      Strip off about 5/16” of insulation from the wire.

b)      Carefully twist the wire strands to make sure they are tight.

c)      Carefully insert the bare wire into the hole in the “side” terminal until the wire just catches the underside of the terminal.

d)      Carefully bend the wire so it lays flat on the terminal.

e)      Apply flux to the wire and terminal (top and bottom).

f)        Solder the wire to the terminal as shown below.

4)      Here is a top view of the panel once the fuse holder has been installed.

5)      Mount the brass post attached to the black wire in the small hole next to the fuse holder as shown below.

6)      You will need something to hold the base of the post (on the underside of the panel) securely – a pair of small Channel-Lock pliers works well.  Place the black plastic fender washer and retaining nut on the “black” brass post as shown.

7)      Use a deep well socket to snug up the lock nut.  This is a bit tedious so take your time being careful not to scratch the painted surface.  Be careful not to over tighten the nut – doing so will crack the plastic washer.

Tip:  A cordless screwdriver with a socket adapter (see picture below) placed in the chuck will make this job much faster and easier.  Be careful not to spin the nut on too quickly or you may damage the plastic washer and/or panel.

8)      Here is a top view of the panel once the “black” post has been installed.

9)      Mount the brass post attached to the short white wire into the next hole as shown below.

10) Repeat steps 6 and 7 above (using the white plastic washer) to secure the “white” post.  Here is a top view of the panel once the “white” post has been installed.

11) Mount the brass post attached to the red wire into the next hole as shown below.

12) Repeat steps 6 and 7 above (using the red plastic washer) to secure the “red” post.

13) Congratulations!  Your controller hookup panel is finished and ready for installation.  The completed panel should look something like this.

Installation

All that is left at this point is to install the panel where the driver’s station area is located on your layout.  There are many different ways to install the panels; however, most will follow the same general steps described below.

1)      Using the outline of the panel traced onto thin cardboard earlier,  mark a second line which runs about 1/4” inside the outside edge of the panel as shown below.

2)      Carefully cutout the inner portion of the template using the innermost set of lines drawn in the step above.  The template should look something like this.

3)      Test fit the template over the bottom of the panel as shown below.  Pay particular attention to the ends of the template.  You want to ensure the template covers at least ¼” of each end of the panel as without interfering with any panel components.

Note: The pictures accompanying steps 4 – 6 below show a scrap piece of wood (since I have already cutout and mounted panels on my layout) to simulate the panel-mounting surface.

4)    Carefully position the template where you plan to actually mount the controller hookup panel.  This will generally be a horizontal or vertical surface on or near your track layout/table.  Once positioned where you want it, use a marker as shown below to trace along the inner portion of the template.  The area “inside” the rectangle is where material will be removed from the mounting surface so the panel can be mounted flush.

Note: At this point, don’t worry about the holes which will eventually be used to secure the panel to the mounting surface.

Caution: Make sure there is nothing below/behind the material you plan to cutout to mount the template!!!

5)  Drill a 1/2” hole in opposite corners of the rectangular surface section to be removed.  Position the drill bit so the hole will just touch the 2 lines traced with the template which form the corner (see picture below).

Note: At this point, don’t worry about the holes, which will eventually be used to secure the panel to the mounting surface.

Caution: Turn off any power to your track as a precaution.  Make sure there is nothing below/behind the material you plan to cutout to mount the template!!!

6)      Use a jig saw (or hole saw) to remove the section of the mounting surface where the panel will be installed (see picture below).

7)      Test fit the controller hookup panel into the hole as shown below.  Make any adjustments necessary until the panel lays flush with the mounting surface and panel components do not bind or interfere with the sides of the hole in the mounting surface.

8)      Position the controller hookup panel EXACTLY where you want it.  Drill the mounting holes for the panel using the holes in the panel as a drill guide (see picture below).  Make sure the panel doesn’t shift while you are drilling.

9)      Secure the panels to the mounting surface using fasteners as shown below.

10) The completed panel is now ready to be connected to your track wiring.

Summary

Many racers never give controller hookup panels a second thought.  The panels shown in this article are not difficult to build if you take your time and follow the instructions carefully.  The finished panels are very functional and will last as long as your layout.  What’s more, they can be reused should you decide to reconfigure your layout in the future.  So what are you waiting for?  Get to work!

Note:   If you are having difficulty locating any of the items shown or mentioned in this article, you can purchase them directly from me (sbs56.scicntlpnl11546#zoemail.net – substitute a “@” for the “#”).  I also offer a variety of pre-packaged  kits with everything needed to assemble these panels.  Preassembled panels, ready for installation, are also available.

Copyright © 2004 by Steve Sawtelle.  All rights reserved.