Testing hand built EM pointwork

[Mallard60022]

Good afternoon. I have been mulling over this problem for a while. I'm not very good with electrics and have never used my own hand made points in a layout build before.

I need to test a LH (2) tandem, a simple crossover and an ordinary LH. They are not to be laid together and will be added to three separate existing tracks from an existing board.

What I need to do is test them electrically (DC) with a few loco's and this will also tell me if the loco's will traverse them (I've tested wagons and bogies and pushed a Lima EM 47 through the crossings etc.)electrically and 'mechanically'.

Has anyone a suggestion as to how I should wire up each on a temporary basis (I'm fairly sure I can do the ordinary LH)? The 'frogs' are totally isolated and I've linked the various rails as per normal practice for 'live frog' running. Do I have to wire in the switches and motors ? How do I 'include' the frog for this test?

The final laying will be for DCC.

The reason for asking this is that I don't want to lay the lot and then find things won't run over them for 'mechanical' (e.g. wonky frogs/tight crossings) reasons or my electrical incompetence!

Thanks.

Phil @ 36E

[beast66606]

Phil,

 

Make sure you have cut the insulation joints.

 

Then buzz them out to test for shorts before you do anything too serious with them ... like laying them !

 

I would lay them and test in place, a lot of mechnical issues can be resolved with the points in situ, and then you are also testing the wiring ...

 

hth,

[mezzoman253]

It sounds like you've got them set up correctly with the frogs isolated,etc. All you really need to do is feed DC to the toe end of the points, use a simple toggle switch with the DC supply on each outer pole with the centre pole going to the frog, obviously for the tandem you'll need more than one switch. You can then DC test with a multimeter for correct polarity. If you want to run through them, add a length of track to all roads, over a short distance you should be ok, and substitute your DCC feed for the DC.

 

HTH

 

Rob

[Mallard60022]

Thanks chaps.

I'm ashamed to admit I've never used a multimeter. It is obviously worth getting one.

I'll test the points 'dry', DC with some extra track added, with a DC loco .

To test the DCC I'll have to tweak the electric feeds as the set up (as has the existing layout) will have DC for the points and DCC for the power.

If things seem OK I'll go ahead and do the relevant things with the new board, lay my foam 'a la Soloman' (ballast), sort the new track 'bridges' @ the board joins and all wiring & wire links across/between the board joints, drill the holes for droppers etc. In fact more or less do the whole new board set up (without scenics).

Then I'll position the new track sets and wire everything up with the point motors, droppers and switches but not stick the track down (except at the point motor position) and not 'tidy up the wire runs' This should mean that if I have to take something up I'll only have to sacrifice a small bit of foam ballast.

I'll then join the existing board to the new board and run DC power through the exisiting/new BUS and see what happens. If that works I'll introduce the DCC power and a DCC loco and wait for the nice sight and sound of it creeping around.

Does that sound about right?

Cheers, P @ 36E

[Darwinian]

Just an added little idea that I used when testing my home built points as described by others above.

 

A blob of Blu-tack on the tie bar (ideally beyond/against the outside of the running rail) will hold the blades over while you use a simple switch to change the frog polarity. Alternatively cut a thin strip of plasticard that you can feed between the switch blade and the stock rail (but below the depth of a wheel flange) on the open side.

 

Good luck.

[Mallard60022]

That's a good idea Darwinian. Thanks, P.

[beast66606]

For the Darwinian effect I use drawing pins.

[martin_wynne]

Has anyone a suggestion as to how I should wire up each on a temporary basis (I'm fairly sure I can do the ordinary LH)? The 'frogs' are totally isolated and I've linked the various rails as per normal practice for 'live frog' running.

Hi Phil,

 

Code 75 bullhead rail? Are they still loose on the bench? A quick way to connect the rails electrically for testing is to turn them over and temporarily crimp (using snipe-nose pliers) a Peco N gauge rail joiner across the underside of the relevant rail gaps. Open up the joiner first by forcing it onto the head of a bit of scrap rail. Move the joiner(s) around the different gaps to check each route. Croc clips to connect the power.

 

Martin.

[hayfield]

I am a bit late on the scene, but C&L have wiring diagrams on their site http://www.finescale.org.uk/images/stories/pdfs/3way.pdf

 

I ise small croc clips on each end of a piece of wire, a normal turnout uses 1 but a tandem, crossover etc will use more, I think I have about 6 sets of various lengths.

[Mallard60022]

Thanks again chaps; I think Norman Soloman (or was it Mr Rice?) mentions the temp use of N gauge joiners.

Yes they are still loose and C75 Bullhead which I forgot to mention (thanks Martyn).

I was also thinking of using the croc clip method too for power 'each end' so to speak.

Testing time draws closer!!!!!

P @ 36E

[hayfield]

Thanks again chaps; I think Norman Soloman (or was it Mr Rice?) mentions the temp use of N gauge joiners.

Yes they are still loose and C75 Bullhead which I forgot to mention (thanks Martyn).

I was also thinking of using the croc clip method too for power 'each end' so to speak.

Testing time draws closer!!!!!

P @ 36E

 

Marcway still sell the SMP rail joiners, these are smaller and are designed for bullhead, that is unless they have changed the design.

 

As for when its on the board, how about C&L etched fishplates and plastic ones. Also Exactoscale do realy nice plastic clip on fishplates they also sell cast metal ones.

[Mallard60022]

Yup & thanks. I'll be using the cosmetic fish-plates where necessary; I've used Exactoscale before and they are on my points (where I have remembered :wub: )

Phil