(New) Conrad turnout motors

[cthart]

Hi,

 

Anyone here have any experience using the (new) Conrad turnout motors with DCC? I'm lead to believe the model now available is a new version:

 

Old version(?): http://www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/ce/en/product/219998

 

New version(?): http://www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/ce/en/product/1396900


I'd like to buy some of these to power the turnouts in my hidden staging yard and on the mainline. The attraction of these motors is because of the price and their shallow depth vs Tortoise which are quite tall/deep.

 

 

I'm curious how much power these draw and whether the Digitrax DS44 stationary decoders (which are also quite cheap) are a good way to power them.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

 

Colin

[66C]

Hi Colin

 

These "new" motors have been in the Conrad catalogue for some time (at least 5 years).  As far as I can see (download the instructions) they are identical to the "old" version - just the price is higher! - and are currently available from Rapid now that they are part of the Conrad group.

 

Details here:

https://www.rapidonline.com/conrad-1396900-points-motor-with-limit-and-polarity-switch-for-the-core-59-1100

 

These motors will operate from AC, DC or half-wave (using "steering" diodes as described on the Tortoise - Circuitron website) not just the AC mentioned on the webpage.

The operating current is quoted as 50mA so you would need to check the output from the DS44 to see if it will supply sufficient current.

The motors incorporate a couple of resistors to limit the motor current so it may be possible to reduce the current draw by fitting a higher value resistor in place of those supplied.

 

Regards.

[brigo]

The downloadable instructions for these point motors imply they are solenoid type, quote  "This points motor is powered by a switching impulse."

 

The operating current is quoted at about 1 Amp, not 50ma.

 

https://www.rapidonline.com/pdf/59-1100_v1.pdf

or

http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/datenblaetter/1300000-1399999/001396900-an-01-ml-UNIVERSAL_WEICHENANTRIEB_de_en_fr_nl.pdf

 

Brian

[66C]

The Conrad motors are NOT the solenoid type, nor are they a stall type.  There is a built-in switch that cuts the power at the end of travel in each direction - the main electrical difference between these and the Fulgurex type is that the directional diodes are in the connecting leads rather than in the base as with the Fulgurex type.

 

Each has a small DC motor with a pinion driving a contrate gear which has a small pinion driving a linear rack.  It is much less geared down than any of the other slow motion units such as Fulgurex, Tortoise and Cobalt.  As a result they move over more quickly but without the thump of a solenoid.

 

The operating current I quoted is from the Rapid webpage for which I gave the link in my previous post - see the extract below:

 

 

As always the actual consumption will depend on a number of factors and ideally should be checked with a meter after installation.

 

One of the problems with the original documentation from the Conrad website is that the same instructions have been published for each supposedly different version of the motor.

 

Perhaps one way of resolving the issue is to enquire of Rapid - they have been quite good at answering my questions in the past.

 

Regards.

[Torper]

The price of these hasn't half gone up - I bought four of them five years ago and they were £3.99 each.  I'm afraid I didn't get on with them; I found them fragile and difficult to fit and none actually entered service on my layout.  It may well just have been ham-handedness on my part, though I have had no great problems fitting other makes of point motor, eg Tortoise, Cobalt, H&M.  I put it down to the old saying: "You get what you pay for".

 

DT

[cthart]

Thanks to all who've replied thus far. 13mA, 50mA, 1A current draws. I guess I need to buy one (or several) and do some testing myself...

 

Does anyone have any actual experience operating these from a DCC stationary/accessory decoder? I'm really wanting to get these DCC controlled to remove all controls from fascia in my small room. I will be using ground throws for all yard and industrial trackage, while the mainline and staging turnouts will be DCC controlled. That's the current plan at least.

 

Thanks,

 

Colin

[dave750t]

Thanks to all who've replied thus far. 13mA, 50mA, 1A current draws. I guess I need to buy one (or several) and do some testing myself...

 

Does anyone have any actual experience operating these from a DCC stationary/accessory decoder? I'm really wanting to get these DCC controlled to remove all controls from fascia in my small room. I will be using ground throws for all yard and industrial trackage, while the mainline and staging turnouts will be DCC controlled. That's the current plan at least.

 

Thanks,

 

Colin

Hi, I use LDT M-DEC decoders with Conrad motors

 

http://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-101590/ldt-m-dec-dc-f-4-way-decoder-for-motor-driven