Which Accessory Switch...?!

[Grafarman]

Hi all

I'm using Seep PM-1 point motors for electrofrog points on a DC-wired OO layout; they have an accessory switch built in (no idea if they're solid enough or will prove reliable; I simply couldn't afford to pay out for 25 Cobalts!)

 

I've worked out how to wire them up to change the frog polarity, and am reasonably sure I can sort out crossovers and so on.

 

However, I have a double junction to wire up, which means one of the diamond's frogs has to be switched the reverse polarity to the points, and all the advice says 'fit an additional accessory switch' - this switch being attached in some way to the PM-1 to make it work.

 

I've scoured the forum, Ebay and other places but can't seem to find anything labelled 'accessory switch' other than the Peco PL-13, and I can't see how that could work with a PM-1...

 

Please can someone advise me as to what switch I need - sort of like: 'go here, buy this, wire it this way and attach it like this' kind of advice - I'm no electrician, and have only got this far using logic and much trial and error!

 

Many Thanks

 

David

[RFS]

What you need is a Gaugemaster GM500 - http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM500&style=main&strType=&Mcode=Gaugemaster+GM500

[John ks]

You may be able to mount the PM13 something like this

You could use double-sided tape between the seep & the PM 13

Don't over tighten the screws holding the seep to the baseboard or you could damage the seep

 

 

 

I had a look at some prices. If you have already got the seeps them the rest of what I have to say is to late.

 

Seep + PM13 about £7.00

Seep + Gaugemaster about £9.50

Cobalt about £18.00

Tortise about £18.00 .The first UK shop I found on the web is here

 

 

My personal preference is the Tortise (the Cobalt is a smaller almost copy of the tortoise)

Some advantages are

The Tortise & Cobalt have 2 sets of contacts, one set can be used for Frog switching & the other set for control panel indicators or signals etc

They can be controlled by a DPDT switch rather than 2 push buttons or a passing contact switch

 

hope this helps

John

 

 

[Grafarman]

What you need is a Gaugemaster GM500 - http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM500&style=main&strType=&Mcode=Gaugemaster+GM500

 

Many thanks for your reply - ok, so when they said 'connect to point switch' they meant electrically not physically...never seen these before at all...

 

Looking at the links on the page, should I be using one of these to power the frogs on a facing crossover as well, or am I ok just throwing the 2 PM-1's and using their switches? I don't ant to cause any shortages, even momentary ones!

 

 

David

[Grafarman]

You may be able to mount the PM13 something like this

You could use double-sided tape between the seep & the PM 13

Don't over tighten the screws holding the seep to the baseboard or you could damage the seep

 

 

seep.jpg

 

I had a look at some prices. If you have already got the seeps them the rest of what I have to say is to late.

 

Seep + PM13 about £7.00

Seep + Gaugemaster about £9.50

Cobalt about £18.00

Tortise about £18.00 .The first UK shop I found on the web is here

 

 

My personal preference is the Tortise (the Cobalt is a smaller almost copy of the tortoise)

Some advantages are

The Tortise & Cobalt have 2 sets of contacts, one set can be used for Frog switching & the other set for control panel indicators or signals etc

They can be controlled by a DPDT switch rather than 2 push buttons or a passing contact switch

 

hope this helps

John

 

Thank you John; yes this is a great help, as, although I've already got the PM-1's I value your input regarding the others, and the switch option looks good  - I do like the mechanical contact rather than electrical, I might buy a GM500 and a PM13 and experiment.

 

I would have gone for Cobalts as they were recommended in the Hornby Magazine, but the cost was too prohibitive; only time will tell if saving the money turns out to be worth it or not!

 

David

[RFS]

Many thanks for your reply - ok, so when they said 'connect to point switch' they meant electrically not physically...never seen these before at all...

 

Looking at the links on the page, should I be using one of these to power the frogs on a facing crossover as well, or am I ok just throwing the 2 PM-1's and using their switches? I don't ant to cause any shortages, even momentary ones!

 

 

David

 

If you're using a polarity switch for the frog power then the frog must be fully isolated - ie IRJs on the vee rails, and the links back to the blade rail cut underneath.  So long as this is done there's no risk of momentary shorts occurring when you switch the points. 

 

You can use one GM500 to power both frogs on a crossover, something you might find more reliable than the Seep's own built-in switches. Certainly better than a pair of PM13s and no more expensive.

 

With a diamond crossing you can connect the GM500 to the motor for the turnout that sets the route over it. The frog furthest away from the turnout needs the same polarity as the turnout's frog: easy on DCC (they can be wired together) but on DC you may need an additional switch depending on how your sections are wired.  So the GM500 could control both frogs of the diamond crossing with the Seep's own switch controlling the turnout's frog. You'll just need to ensure that when a train takes the other route over the diamond (ie not from the turnout) that the turnout is not switched to the diamond route. Otherwise trains will short on the diamond. 

[Junctionmad]

 

 

If you're using a polarity switch for the frog power then the frog must be fully isolated - ie IRJs on the vee rails,

Only if you are back feeding power to the section beyond the frog. in some cases  you may just have a siding , in that case there is no need for IRJs 

[Pete the Elaner]

I took 1 look at the switch on PM-1's (a washer which passes over a PCB & stays connected by sheer luck) & suspected they would be unreliable.

I wired up 5 PM1's & 2 of the switches did not work properly. A 60% success rate is poor in my opinion.

 

Fortunately my initial assessment prompted me to think about an alternative. I bought some microswitches from Rapid Electronics. About 70p each & after a little adjustment, I have found them reliable.