Electrofrog Woes

[TerryWW]

Some years ago I had a layout constructed commercially for me. Due to various reasons it has been largely untouched for several years. When resurrecting it, I discovered a fault which I am sure did not occur before.

On a particular turnout (Electrofrog) a loco will happily traverse from the toe of the turnout onto the branch line without hesitation and return just as happily. However, when the turnout is set to straight ahead the loco will stop dead when the leading driver reaches the wing rail. When pushed on, it will pick up when the drivers clear the wing rail. The same scenario occurs on the return.

All the wiring is as configured by my supplier, who unfortunately has ceased trading, and all the steps usually carried out on Electrofrog turnouts have been done - Electrically connecting the stock rail and closure rail on each side. The power supply is wired here as part of this), Removing the 2 link wires beneath the rails, Connecting the Polarity Reversing wire under the frog.

 

I am at a complete loss to explain the cause of this problem, Please can anyone help?

(Apologies for the wordy question)

[BoD]

What are you using to switch the ‘polarity reversing wire’?  Is there any indication of a short. (Are you DC or DCC?). If so this switch might have failed. 
 

[Barclay]

I agree - the symptoms suggest that the switching system for frog polarity is at fault, and when it's set to straight the frog is either getting no power or still getting the same polarity as when switched the other way and therefore creating a short. Grab a length of wire and try a temporary bridge from a rail of suitable polarity to the frog. If still no good it's a short and if it works then it was dead. Either way almost certainly the switch though. If it's been out of use for a while the contacts could be dirty, so try working the switch back and forth many times in an attempt to clean it.

[TerryWW]

Thanks for the prompt replies BoD and Barclay

 

The turnout is controlled by a Peco motor with a microswitch mounted on a block (to obtain the correct height) next to it. I will now concentrate my attention on the microswitch. I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that I would have to delve into the wiring beneth the layout!

(I'm DCC with a Lenz controller and various modules for switching polarity on a reversing loop and a turntable)

Edited May 20, 2020 by TerryWW

[BoD]

If it was a short then your Lenz system should have shut down and since the loco picks up again it would seem that a short isn’t the answer - unless you have a circuit breaker in your DCC bus - or reset it yourself.  I would go with Barclay’s suggestion and look at the switching to the frog.  How much of the wing rail is electrically part of the frog depends on The design of the point and where  you have made rail and sleeper breaks.  If it is a dead section all of the wheels with pickups would need to be in that section.  Have you tried different locos with different wheelbases and pickup arrangements?  Have you got a multimeter to check electrical continuity to the frog  when the point is set straight?  Lots of questions but aimed at helping you eliminate possibilities.

Edited May 20, 2020 by BoD

[kevinlms]

3 hours ago, TerryWW said:

Thanks for the prompt replies BoD and Barclay

 

The turnout is controlled by a Peco motor with a microswitch mounted on a block (to obtain the correct height) next to it. I will now concentrate my attention on the microswitch. I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that I would have to delve into the wiring beneth the layout!

(I'm DCC with a Lenz controller and various modules for switching polarity on a reversing loop and a turntable)

I have come across such microswitches where because of excessive glue used to mount it, has caused the switch to jam.

Something to look out for.

[TerryWW]

Hi again BoD,

 

Thanks for all your help in identifying options. 

 

I have had a delve into the depths below the baseboard and the suggestion that the switch may be faulty led me to check it carefully.  The solution was, in the end, quite simple - the microswitch wasn't travelling far enough over to close the switch. A tiny bit of tweak on the arm and all was restored!

 

Many thanks for your help and advice (also Barclay as well), it's good just to be able to bounce ideas off someone else.  The annoying aspect of this is that I bought a replacement for the turnout and substituted it only a couple of days ago!

 

Again many thanks for your help.

[RexAshton]

One thing that I've experienced with Peco points is power not getting through the pivot joint between the point blade and the closure rail. If you have access to a meter check the continuity through from the stock rail through the point blade, then the closure rail. Because the closure rail is hard wired you may find that the switch blade is failing to pick up power either from the stock rail or the closure rail.

[60700]

Try squeezing the rail joiners on all point connections that feed into point.