Hornby R.046 with Tortoise?

[Jeepy]

Hello,

Just picking your brains and taking advantage of any experience if I may please?

The Hornby R.046 Yellow lever switch is an 'On-On' type switch I believe, so in theory could this be used to operate a Tortoise 'stall' motor in the anologue sense? 

 

Thank you! 

 

Regards,

 

Jim.

 

[jpendle]

No it couldn't. The Hornby switch is a Single Pole switch, the Tortoise needs a Double Pole switch (actually a Double Pole Double Throw Switch).

 

Regards,

 

John P

[Nigelcliffe]

Yes it can, if the Tortoise is wired following the instructions in the Tortoise manual. 

 

Requires either: 

a)   an AC power source, typically around 12-15v AC, and two rectifier diodes, that creates three wires:  + volts,  0volts and -volts.   

b)   a "stacked DC power source", typically achieved with two DC power bricks of about 9v DC, connected so the +volts of brick1 is connected to the 0volts of brick2.   This also creates three wires which are: 0volts (relative to brick1), +volts (relative to brick1) and 2+volts (relative to brick1).    Or re-labelling them relative to brick2, its -volts, 0volts and +volts, the same as you get in (a).  

 

The single pole change-over switch then selects between +volts and -volts, and the result goes to the motor.  The other side of the motor connects to the 0volts. 

 

 

Once you get your head round this approach its very efficient in number of wires to baseboards, etc..   The return to the 0volts from all motors can be connected to each other, so its 1 return wire for entire layout and 1 wire out from each switch to each motor.   

 

 

- Nigel

Edited February 24 by Nigelcliffe

[Jeepy]

Thank you both John and Nigel!

That answers my question.....and some! 

I'm far from an electrickery wizard but after reading your explanation several times Nigel I think I have basically grasped it! Although I've no idea what a rectifier diode is!....I believe a diode is basically an electrical equivalent of a non-return valve so I'm assuming it rectifies something as well, lol! Interesting.....anyway, I don't think I will go down that route as I do have some suitable toggle switches which are DPDT i believe, thank you John.

The reason I asked is I have alot of the Hornby Black point motor switches, some Yellow ones and a couple of Green ones just rattling around in a box, on this particular layout I am using a Morley twin transformer/controller designed for use with O gauge which I believe dishes out a higher Amperage and is ideal for vintage loco's/motors in OO gauge especially if I will be double heading from time to time but also has a built-in CDU for the solenoid type point motors which are installed, (Utilising the Black switches, pausing halfway to give the CDU a chance to recharge!).

I intend to modify the way I mount my tortoises to operate semaphore signals, obviously from a seperate power source which I have already, as I rather fancied the Idea of having a nice bank of levers to pull for turnouts/points as well as signals by using stuff I've already got laying around and I was hoping I might get away with using the Yellow switches for that but it's not a problem, I have a cunning plan hatching! I may extend the toggle switches somehow so they look like levers....hmmm! 🤔 Sounds silly I know but with a bit of thought in how I mount them along with the Black levers.........🤷‍♂️.

Thanks again to you both! You've given me some food for thought....

 

Regards,

 

Jim.

[peterm1]

I use the method that Nigel has described about a twin power supply. It works really well with SPDT switches and you can also use one of the inbuilt Tortoise switches for frog polarity.

[peterm1]

You can also use led's on a control panel to where you've set the road. You don't even need resistors, as the Tortoise regulates the current to them.