Danemouth Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Can any one tell me exactly what I have to do with a Peco code 75 electrofrog double slip please, in order to make it suitable for the frog juicer.? Bob I did absolutely nothing, just wired it as I described in post #20 Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hi Dave, I didnt beleive you....it just seemed too simple........I will be getting my code 75 electrofrog double slip one day next week......then I shall get stuck in. I shall report back here when I have done. Thanks for your time dave, All the best......Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billtee Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 The frog juicers are seriously BRILLIANT! They save quite a bit of wiring (just one wire from each frog juicer to each frog!) plus the power into the frog juicer board, and that power is directly off your DCC bus! Really simple, very reliable! I have two Hex frog juicers and a Dual frog juicer. All instructions are included in the packaging, though with the Dual frog juicer they are set up to operate two outputs as one (for a reversing loop), so for this frog juicer to operate the frogs of two points there is a little link to remove (again, all splendidly explained in the packaging!). I only wish I had begun my layout right from the start with frog juicers instead of messing about with switches! All the best, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 6, 2012 I installed a Jiucer on my N scale Banbury layout last week as wasnt happy with the setting up of the Peco microswitches. I just used two wires already installed to go to a Peco microswitch, then rerouted the frog wire from each turnout to the Juicer terminals. Tested the turnouts with a loco and all the frogs converted so far worked fine. WIll save quite a few wires having to be soldered to the rails on any future DCC layout and also save the cost of the microswitches if using Peco solenoids. (Just bear in mind that all the turnouts have been modified to isolate the frog from the blades before being installed on the layout. They can be modified in situ but its a more messy job). Going to give this one Jiucer a full test at the layouts next show then will convert all the remaining turnouts. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I installed a Jiucer on my N scale Banbury layout last week as wasnt happy with the setting up of the Peco microswitches. I just used two wires already installed to go to a Peco microswitch, then rerouted the frog wire from each turnout to the Juicer terminals. Tested the turnouts with a loco and all the frogs converted so far worked fine. WIll save quite a few wires having to be soldered to the rails on any future DCC layout and also save the cost of the microswitches if using Peco solenoids. (Just bear in mind that all the turnouts have been modified to isolate the frog from the blades before being installed on the layout. They can be modified in situ but its a more messy job). Going to give this one Jiucer a full test at the layouts next show then will convert all the remaining turnouts. Ian What layout is that Ian....and where is your next show.? Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 6, 2012 The juicer is installed on some of the carriage sidings on my N scale layout Banbury. It willl be at Eurotrack in late February then at the Wyre Forest show in March. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRealistic Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Thanks (yet again) to all contributors, especially you Dave up in Cardiff! I was purposefully avoiding a double slip (where I really needed one) on my new layout for fear of making a complete pigs ear of the wiring, but now I'm confident I can have one after all. Great! Just got to add a frog juicer (or more) to the shopping list! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Diamond Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I am sorry to hijack the thread but I am doing the same to my layout in Australia, ie using code 75 Electrofrog and frog juicers. I was just wondering whether you still have to use insulated joiners on the frog rails and what happens when you have two facing points? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2012 For the Frog Juicer to work, the frog of the turnout needs to be isolated from the rest of the track. So you will need insulated rail joiners from the frog rails to the next piece of track. You will also need toi isolate the frog from the blade by cutting through the rails then wire the blades to the stock rail. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted February 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2012 The photo in my Summat Colliery blog here shows how to modify a Peco turnout in the manner described by roundhouse, it's all described also in the instructions that come with the turnout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 I do almost exactly the same with the N scale turnouts except that there is no link on the frog to the blades so the rails need to be cut between where the newly soldered links and the frog. On any future HO / oo layouts I will do the mod exactly as the blog photo. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokebox Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 When you are bonding the switch rails to the stock rails use a length of insulated wire with the ends bared. The extra length of insulated wire can now be used as a dropper to connect power to the point instead of having to solder an extra wire on. See http://platelayer.webs.com/wiringpage2.htm about one third of the way down the page. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 Thas a good idea - hadnt htought of doing that. Although when using a Frog Juicer you dont need those two wires (except for the first turnout to be connected to the Juicer. However no hamr in putting them in just incase the juicer is removed at a future point. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McC Posted February 18, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 18, 2012 What are the benefits of using a 'juicer' over using the in built switches in something like a cobalt and letting it switch the frog? (I'm a little confused as to why one would need this ?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 What are the benefits of using a 'juicer' over using the in built switches in something like a cobalt and letting it switch the frog? (I'm a little confused as to why one would need this ?) Simple......if you read the other posts in this thread.........some of us don't/cant use under baseboard pointmotors, and therefore switch by hand. This is then a very simple option of achieving polarity change. Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 18, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 18, 2012 Two reasons for me are as follows: If someone drives a loco into a trailing turnout when the blades are switched in the other direction then the layout or section will short and cut power. This is particularly frustrating on a layout with sound frtted locos as the layout (or section) will go quiet. In theory larger locos will spring the turnout blades over when using a Hex frog Juicer. Secondly, the juicer is solid state so will not wear out the same way a mechanical switch will wear. I have not used Cobalt motors but have used both Peco and SEEP solenoids and have found the polarity switches to be less than satisfactry at times. There are also fewer wires to use on a hex frog Juicer than each individual switch on solenoids or slow motion motors. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 What are the benefits of using a 'juicer' over using the in built switches in something like a cobalt and letting it switch the frog? (I'm a little confused as to why one would need this ?) IMO none, but it will make your pocket ££'s lighter. I'd stick with the cobalt switches. I fact the cobalt switches are better as they switch the frog polarity before a short occurs (assuming you change the point before the train arrives), unlike the frog juicer which detects a short and then switches the polarity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
£1.38 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I fact the cobalt switches are better as they switch the frog polarity before a short occurs (assuming you change the point before the train arrives), unlike the frog juicer which detects a short and then switches the polarity. The short in this instance is not in any way a bad thing. It is switched instantly without doing any damage at all. Apart from the fact that the juicer has to detect it to switch the polarity, it might as well not be there at all as far as the train is concerned. Devices like the juicer are used in DCC for turntables, reversing loops, diamond crossings and many other situations as well. The technology is justly recognised as an excellent and reliable way of switching polarity in all these situations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted February 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 19, 2012 I fact the cobalt switches are better as they switch the frog polarity before a short occurs (assuming you change the point before the train arrives), unlike the frog juicer which detects a short and then switches the polarity. But the Cobalt switches are no good for me because my layout is in the garden and electrical point motors work for a while then rust up solid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 My post was in direct response to McC's question quote "What are the benefits of using a 'juicer' over using the in built switches in something like a cobalt and letting it switch the frog?" If you have cobalt motors (or similar with built-in switches) a frog juicer is an unnessarsary expense. In other situations i.e. like where no motors/switches are used, a frog juicer may well be a solution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoworks Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Glad everything has turned out well ... it's the 'frogjuicer' that does the switching - a very clever piece of kit. i get the frog juicer does the switching now, i was offering a possible reason the cobalt switches had stopped working as expected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 26, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26, 2012 My first Frog Juicer had a good test on the layout this weekend and performed faultlesly. The other turnouts which still rely on either a Peco microswitch or the SEEP solenoid switch were not so reliable. Therefore, the plan is to now change all the turnout frogs in the scenic areas to work via a Hex frog Jiucer, hopefully in time for its next show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 My first Frog Juicer had a good test on the layout this weekend and performed faultlesly. The other turnouts which still rely on either a Peco microswitch or the SEEP solenoid switch were not so reliable. Therefore, the plan is to now change all the turnout frogs in the scenic areas to work via a Hex frog Jiucer, hopefully in time for its next show. I like the sound of that Roundhouse....gives me confidence to get on and install mine pretty soon. Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted February 27, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 27, 2012 I ordered two last night from Bromsgrove models. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I ordered two last night from Bromsgrove models. Ian wow.....you really are impressed then. I'm looking forward to doing this very soon indeed. Bob.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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