Peco Point Motor reluctant to operate

[LTechG]

Just wired in a Peco standard point motor, but because of the congestion both above and below the board, I have had to resort to using a piece of hard brass wire to transfer the motion from the motor adaptor base plate, through a slot in the baseboard and onto the point tie bar operating arm.

The run is quite short - only about 1.5" total and there is no flex in the brass wire. The point motor has been thoroughly checked for correct alignment with the point tie-bar.

There are however, over-centre springs in both the point itself AND also on the adaptor base plate.

The point throws in one direction with no problem at all, but in the other direction, it takes 2 or 3 attempts to get the operating arm to move over.

I am using a fairly good CDU which operates all other points just fine, fed with 15V ac from the DC controller.

Is the combined force exerted by TWO over-centre springs stopping the point from operating properly. Do I need to dispense with one of them (on the adaptor base plate for convenience)?

Suggestions welcome.

 

Regards

 

Barry

[Theakerr]

I run a number of Peco point motors with both springs still in place although I have also had to remove the spring in the base on a couple of occasions.   You don't say if the problem is when the motor is pulling or pushing.  If it is pushing it might be that the wire does have a bit of spring to it.  I have had numerous situations where I have used the long extension arm supplied by Peco and have had to put a staple over the top of it to stop it rising up just enough to stop the throw being completed on the push stroke.  On all my set ups where i have had to use a wire extension i have used a wire in tube method to avoid any springing effect.   Also, from your description it might be simply that the motor needs moving a tadge towards the side that requires a couple or more shots to get it to go over.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

Just wired in a Peco standard point motor, but because of the congestion both above and below the board, I have had to resort to using a piece of hard brass wire to transfer the motion from the motor adaptor base plate, through a slot in the baseboard and onto the point tie bar operating arm.

The run is quite short - only about 1.5" total and there is no flex in the brass wire. The point motor has been thoroughly checked for correct alignment with the point tie-bar.

There are however, over-centre springs in both the point itself AND also on the adaptor base plate.

The point throws in one direction with no problem at all, but in the other direction, it takes 2 or 3 attempts to get the operating arm to move over.

I am using a fairly good CDU which operates all other points just fine, fed with 15V ac from the DC controller.

Is the combined force exerted by TWO over-centre springs stopping the point from operating properly. Do I need to dispense with one of them (on the adaptor base plate for convenience)?

Suggestions welcome.

 

Regards

 

Barry

 

A Peco Standard point motor is not self latching so requires the overcentre spring to retain the point rails in position. There has been some discussion on here about the essential oomph needed to counter that spring and, of course, it is the one in the point that is designed to give the needed resistance. Removing one of the springs is no bad idea.

 

Normally the use of brass wire is not particularly recommended. Use piano wire.

 

It is a concern that the point operates one way but not the other even with two springs. Possibly that is caused by the point motor or adaptor plate moving slightly but only in one direction. The whole concept of the solenoid point motor is an explosive push in a selected direction. The slightest resistance or movement of the point motor will dissipate that energy in an instant. Slow motion motors are better in these situations.

[Greengiant]

Squirt some WD40 into the motor, sometimes they drag a bit.

 

Martin