Jump to content
 

Baffled.........point motor electrics


55F
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am building a new end to fiddle yard layout.  Each board using Peco code 75 with Seep point motors.  Each board tested on completion....everything worked before moving to the next board. Saturday came, the day to join it all together.  Bated breath!!

 

None of the points will work and being electro-frog, some of the track sections dead.  I have checked the point motor wiring from the power supply [Gaugemaster tranformer/controller] via the CDU to the points using a continuity meter and everything looks ok  [to me!!]  including board to board connections .

 

As I said at the top I am completely baffled! 

 

What would you do next??

 

All help will be appreciated  

Edited by 55F
Link to post
Share on other sites

What are you using at the control panel or its equivalent to trigger the points?

It needs to be a momentary supply NOT a steady supply via a standard toggle switch.

 

Are you using stud and probe, or a sprung (ie momentary on) toggle switch which when operated and released then springs back to the centre position?

You need the momentary contact device between the CDU and the point motor.

If you are getting a continuity readings between CDU terminals and point motors with all power off then there is something wrong. I'm absolutely guessing here, but suspect you may have used standard on/on or on/off/on toggles switches. If that is the case you will need a momentary contact device to switch the points. These sprung toggle switches are sometimes denoted in catalogues as (on)/off/(on)

 

Generally CDUs only hold enough charge to operate a point or two, then they need a second or so to recharge before the next triggering action. If they are permanently connected to the motor(s) then they will NEVER charge up.

 

Another thought, have you checked the return wiring to the CDU?

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

 Thank you for that response John.  I am using momentary contact switches [as on previous layouts] but you have prompted me to wonder if a soldered connection at a switch is causing it to be continually on..........presumably that would cause a problem, although there is no sound from the point motor indicating an attempt to switch???

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes

 

 Thank you for that response John.  I am using momentary contact switches [as on previous layouts] but you have prompted me to wonder if a soldered connection at a switch is causing it to be continually on..........presumably that would cause a problem, although there is no sound from the point motor indicating an attempt to switch???

Yes a permanently 'on' switch, caused by solder somewhere would cause that problem. The point motor would not make any noise as the current flow would be too low. You would need to continuity test across each switch. What can cause that if the switch got overheated whilst soldering, that can result in failiure, been there done that!!!!. Reused switches which have been soldered/unsoldered more that once can be prone to soldering overheat causing internal distortion.

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a similar fault recently. It turned out the supply to the CDU wasn't man enough.

I used a 20vdc 5A laptop supply and its now ok

I'm surprised you need a CDU with 20volt and 5amps...

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I'm surprised you need a CDU with 20volt and 5amps...

Surely you know that the main reason for using a CDU, is to limit the power to solenoid type motors, to prevent them burning out. The laptop power supply suggest, won't stop pumping out the current, if a switch fails.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Surely you know that the main reason for using a CDU, is to limit the power to solenoid type motors, to prevent them burning out. The laptop power supply suggest, won't stop pumping out the current, if a switch fails.

& to provide a burst because the same transformer which is producing the voltage also tries to prevent a change in current

& also to stop the spark produced by opening the switch again, so it prolongs the life of your switches too.

Edited by Pete the Elaner
Link to post
Share on other sites

I am indebted to JohnB for pointing me in this direction. Managed to to get things working today after much frustration,

however after checking 'some' of the points and finding them all to be working, suddenly nothing is working again! I

suspect your experience is very valid....there must be some damaged switche causing a short. Yes I have used the

switches before so I think renewal of all the switches might be a good idea. May be a useful lesson for others here.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I am indebted to JohnB for pointing me in this direction. Managed to to get things working today after much frustration,

however after checking 'some' of the points and finding them all to be working, suddenly nothing is working again! I

suspect your experience is very valid....there must be some damaged switche causing a short. Yes I have used the

switches before so I think renewal of all the switches might be a good idea. May be a useful lesson for others here.

Before doing that, run some tests with a multimeter (if you don't have one, get one), this will tell you lots of useful information, rather than guessing the problem.

 

Connecting a multimeter across the output terminals, would be a good start, as to the nature of the problem.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...