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Wiring for Peco 3 way turnouts to Tortoise Point Motors


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Hi Everyone,

 

Help please!

 

I've 3 three Peco 55 3 way turnouts on my layout linked to Toroise motors and somewhere I think I must have got the wiring for the live frogs messed up.

 

When the point is switched, the road that is NOT open becomes live and the other two are dead and that seems to be having a knock on effect on some subsequent points even though they all have insulated joiners on all frogs though not on the two live outer rails.

 

Can anyone please post an idiot's wiring diagram so that I may try and see where I've gone wrong. I was an accountant in a former life and anything to do with sparks was a mystery - we're talking grade 9 in G.C.E. physics here!

 

In anticipation - many thanks!!  

 

 

 

 

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I wired up my three way point using the same method as ianh and electrically all the connections are correct and work properly.

However as mine is installed in a steam depot I found that I couldn't get the slow running needed as the locos stalled on the point so I then added extra wiring to some of the switch blades ( as you do when converting Peco Electrofrog Points) and this virtually solved the problem.

The main reason I mention this is that the point had already been ballasted in before the problem was identified and was a sod to do, much easier if it had been prewired beforehand

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Very many thanks for the responses.  I've been sidelined for the past couple of weeks (essential decorating so La Suprema informs me) but looking at Ianh's diagram, I can see a few differences from how I have them currently wired.  Given that there are two votes in favour of that solution, I'll be giving that a go this weekend.

 

Just wish some of the diagrams I've found relating to wiring Tortoise motors had been more infomative but it seems that unless it's a straightforward turnout, you're left to your own devices and makes no allowances for idiots like me - or maybe I just keep looking for the answers in the 'wrong' websites!!

 

Thanks again.

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Yes, richard.h is right. My 3 way point is the entrance to my depot and I have done the same thing as him. There is a gap in the base that allows you to solder a link across the 3 rails on each side. I've done that and slow running is good. I must update the drawing!

 

Ian

Edited by ianh1
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YAHOO!!!  SORTED!!!

 

On re-checking my wiring for the nth time against the diagram, suddenly realised I was linking connections 2 and 3 directly (said I was an idiot!).  Switching the wiring so that 2 on one Tortoise went to 3 on the other and vice versa made all the difference! 

 

Many thanks again! 

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  • 1 year later...

This is how I wired up a 3 way point using Tortoise motors. The switches on the Tortoise motors control the frog polarity

 

Ian

Hi, this is a great reference. I am a layman when it comes to wiring this so can you please explain what sense com, 3 way left, 3 way normal, 3 way right mean and what are these supposed to be connected to. I wanted to use my digitrax controller to throw the switch with the tortoise. Any ideas about this?

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  • 1 year later...

Yes, I didn't explain that, did I!

 

So on all my point motors

 

1 and 8 operate the point motor by reversing the voltage

 

2 goes to one of the outer stock rails

 

3 goes to the other stock rail - this is usually common return for traction

 

4 goes to the frog

 

5 is the common feed for panel indicator lights (I use 12V but it can be 0V depending on the  indicator wiring

 

6 is for one indicator light (normal)

 

7 is for the other indicator light (reversed)

 

In the case of the 3 way point I wasn't sure of the terminology so I used left, normal (i.e. straight) and right

 

So my indicator panel (a PC screen) then shows the selected route. I have another 3 way point in the loco yard which uses a conventional LED indicator panel.

 

image.png.76fe66f183dcdf3efc3d13a1410d7cc9.png

 

Hope that helps

 

Ian

Edited by ianh1
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