Toggle switches

[deltanw12]

I want to use toggle switches for points operation. Can you get a toggle passing switch that will remain up or down to indicate points position, or will I have to use Hornby or Peco switch?

[Sol]

The Peco PL-26 are the best for that purpose compared to Hornby IMO. Normal toggles that are momentary which you need for solenoid.s do not stay  either side but return to the centre.

 

[smokebox]

There are the DCC Concepts switches but they are rather expensive https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/cobalt-s-lever-single-pack/

[Brian]

2 hours ago, deltanw12 said:

I want to use toggle switches for points operation. Can you get a toggle passing switch that will remain up or down to indicate points position, or will I have to use Hornby or Peco switch?

Never seen one in a commercial Toggle switch.  Levers are of course different.

But there is an option where a locking toggle switch can be used with solenoids.   An example would be that each point has a On/On toggle switch plus its own dedicated non locking  press to make push button. So the toggle switch provides the direction required and the PB provides the momentary pulse to the solenoid coil via the toggle switches contacts. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Brian
Drawing added

[WIMorrison]

you can use these switches which are only available second hand now - I think I have some if you are interested

 

 

 

[cliff park]

It does puzzle me, considering the huge numbers of solenoids out there that there isn't a ready made (reasonably cheap) switch for this. If the switch had a simple make when pushed all the way across, but sprung back just enough to break the contact, it would be simple to move it across, and release once the point has thrown. It would then stay on that side to indicate which way the point is sitting. It could even have aux contacts for polarity switching and LED indication. The advantage over the passing kind of contact switch would be the certainty of it.

[WIMorrison]

Is there an application for these switches outside of DC model railways? If not they would be extremely expensive to design and tool for manufacture of a small volume - which probably wouldn't sell due to the cost.

[Sol]

There is this system which I have used in the past

http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/751D.HTM

 

very similar to the original Masterswitch from DCC concepts of over 8 years ago

[Sol]

If you move down this page

http://www.talkingelectronics.com/projects/CDU - overview/CDU - Overview.html

it shows how the Peco passing contact switch works

[John ks]

This is the first post by in a topic titled Which Switch(es)? From March 2018 followed by a couple of the replies that might be of interest

 

On 12/03/2018 at 06:21, sjp23480 said:

Calling all you electronics experts

 

I am starting to think about building a control panel, but I am trying to figure out which switches I want to use to control the point motors. No so complicated you think?

 

I am using two types of point motor:

 

1. Peco solenoids that require a momentary/passing contact (for Peco points)

 

2. Conrad stall motors, that need a constant supply to lock the point blades in place (for Rocoline points, similar to Tillig)

 

I would like to use switches in the panel that look/feel the same, am thinking centre off rocker switches. The orientation of the switch indicates the route setting of the point. But......I my technical know how is limited and am having some difficulty identifying appropriate components on Rapid, Amazon, Maplin, etc....

 

Am I correct in thinking I need "(on) off (on)" for the passing contact switches and "on off on" to give a constant supply to the stall motors?

 

Grateful for any assistance,

Steve

 

On 13/03/2018 at 10:33, Dagworth said:

There are ways to use a normal single pole change-over switch to control a PECO solenoid motor, each point ends up with its own CDU but the switches will indicate which way the points are set. 

 

 

Andi

 

On 13/03/2018 at 23:47, John ks said:

About a year ago I decided if I could come up with a way to control twin coil point motors using a DPDT switch

 

Here is my reinvention of the wheel

For the capacitor I used a 4700 micro Farad, 25V (35V rated cap might be a safer bet) & the Led resistor is 2K2

 

 

The Leds show the charge state of the capacitor  & if they are placed on a mimic pane as shown they also show the direction the point is thrown(the Leds don't show the actual position of the point but show where it should be, Eg if the point is changed by hand then the indication will be out of sync with the point)

 

When first switched on C1 is charged through S1A & led1 lights up

When S1 is thrown C1 discharges into Sol A& the point changes & Led1 goes off; C2 is charged through S1B & Led2 lights up

 

John

 

PS If this circuit has been previously been shown then credit should go to that person.

 

John

[Sol]

John, I use a similar circuit to what you have just shown but one capacitor & basically only two wires for the solenoid.

I think it is RMweb somewhere but can't find it right now - I did find a version on Brian Lambert's site but that is running slower than the tortoise.

My drawing is the adaption of it  & the red numbers are my terminals on a strip.