lechef Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Hi, First I would like to say Iam new to this site, so excuse me if i ask some stupid question, I would like to know if one of my light is connect to my track by soldering and i connect my switch pilot to the track to control my turnout, is it going to burn the switch pilot? Thank you in advance for you answer. Bruno. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod3 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hi Bruno, It's unclear what you are asking - perhaps you could post a diagram or add further explanation ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Woolford Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I think maybe he is trying to ask if he will overload his switch pilot by having some sort of indicator connected to the same circuit. Then again I may be wrong... Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I think you mean that you are using a car/auto headlamp bulb to protect the base unit from a short circuit. As far as I know, the Switchpilot should not be harmed by this arrangement as the car light bulb limits the current flow through the short circuit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 First Question; If, as thought in replies above, your 'light' is referring to the old idea of a 'protective series headlamp bulb' - then this is both uneccessary and not the best form of protection or indication available to you. The SwitchPilot can also be powered in any of 3 ways: From a separate ac supply (typically 16Vac rms), from dc (I have found 12V dc to be too low for some solenoids - as the PEAK voltage (12V) is much lower than the PEAK voltage which can be obtained from eg 16Vac ( 22.4V), or from the 'track' (or accessory bus distribution of) DCC - which might be 14-22V Peak. The 'normal' method of powering the SwitchPilot would be the 16Vac - and in both this, and the dc case, the DCC is ONLY providing the source of data. The 'loss of signal' during a track-short which would cause a headlamp bulb to light would not affect the SwitchPilot at all ... it might simply miss a command to itself, if one occured during that time. However, I cannot recommend this slow-response visual indication method of a car headlamp as 'protection': Although precise results will vary with the normal, overload and cut-off currents of any particular system !: Internal electronic protection WITHIN the Central Unit/Booster is the best form [ with additional 'intelligent' protection from devices like the PS-X range ] for track (but NOT accessory) busses/ sub disitricts. A bulb will respond too slowly for real protection, and also be continually dropping power and volts in normal use ... whilst running hot at all times. This should have gone out of use with clockwork and certain Hornby 0-gauge ac electric controllers ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lechef Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Ok, the problem have got at the moment its i connect my turnout on the switch pilot and he work very well, but since i connect the traffic light, my switch pilot seems not working anymore. When I press the black button by the led nothing happen. I am using a E-Z dynamis to control all that, the traffic light and engine work but the turnout don't. My swicht pilot is powered by AC supply (Hornby). Sorry my english is not very good to explain the issues. Bruno. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 does it work correctly when the 'traffic light ?????' is removed ..... if so, don't bother putting the 'traffic light' back in circuit. IF the Accessories have their own distribution wiring/bus for the dcc signal, they will not normally require extra 'protective' components as they will not experience track shorts. The TRACK dcc connection / wiring IS likely to experience SHORT_CIRCUITS - and particularly when sound locos and coach lighting is used, an 'intelligent' breaker like the PSX is useful. Car/Automobile bulbs/lamps are NOT to be recommended as they are continually dropping voltage - losing you power - even when now glowing visibly. They are alos TOO SLOW to respond to protect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Different query - the common is +v dc and is linked together which makes wiring easier as a common circuit can be routed between point motors and just one wire taken back to the switchpilot. I need to use two, am I correct in thinking the commons must be kept separate between the tw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Since this is a 'different query' it would help if it either had a new thread, with appropriate title, so as to attract readers who can help appropriately, or at least, a full explanation of what you are talking about! Is this a still about a SwitchPilot? 'The Common' is referring to what common part of the circuitry?? .... It is true that many (most) Solenoid Type Point Motors (the make you are describing would help here) have a common central connection, so that only 3 wires are needed to connect back to the Accessory Decoder - whilst some alternative designs use only 2 wires .... but these are not usually 'solenoid' type point motors, but 'half-turn motors with no commutator (more like a meter-movement ) Whilst I belive the SwitchPilot to drive the points with a DC pulse(s) (partly because it works from DC, AC or DCC as a power supply), not all decoders do so: a Lenz LS150, for example, requires an ac power input, because it passes the 50/60Hz waveform through to the solenoids (so they see that same waveform as if they were under typical 'analogue' control from an Aux Output and Switch) ... and the 'common connection in this case could NOT be described as either positive or negative 8-) If you are referring to the possibility of 'commoning' 2 different SwitchPilots - in general I would advise against it, as the risk of connection error is high! - even assuming they had the same power supply, there is a risk of polarity reversal, and a more confusing possibility / risk of a ground-loop connection if there is a wiring fault ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Thanks, the common is the common feed to the point motors(or whatever). On all four outputs they are internally wired together I took it that they should be kept apart but having set up a diode matrix irs meant using relays on one point motor to switch the common between the switch pilot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 WITHIN an accessory decoder, the common is likely to be truly common to all parts - and this can be verified by a simple continuity test with a meter: Check both ways for 0 ohms resistance between the 'common' terminals and any exposed metal connections such as screw mounting holes. HOWEVER - depending on the way the Power Supply within the Module is 'created' from its possible inputs (eg DC AC or DCC on the SwitchPilot), it may not be advisable to SHARE the common with OTHER modules - even of the same design, without further checking the internal design. (The DCC CONTROL signal input, as opposed to 'Power input', is likely to be opto-isolated from the remainder of the circuitry, and therefore not a problem.. it usually IS 'shared' 8-) ) As an aside: with the LENZ LS150 which I also use, these MUST have an ac power supply, as the turning-off of the output REQUIRES the voltage to fall to zero (which it does every 1/100th second) The SwitchPilot is 'most effective' when used with an ac supply - as the PEAK voltage is 1.4x higher than the quoted rms value - ALSO because it is usually coming, unregulated, from a simple transformer: 'off load' this will give a higher voltage than stated (the stated value being at the maximum current ) ...and because there is little or no benefit in regulating the power supply to a solenoid drving circuit ... in fact, the sudden surge demand creates problems, requiring higher rated and more expensive components!! The DCC input is best used when no ac supply is available - it allows simplified wiring, and is rectified and smoothed to provide the internal power supply ... but as the DCC signal is a square-shaped waveform, and not a sinusoid, like the ac from a mains transformer, the quoted voltage eg 15V IS the peak voltage you get to power the circuitry 8-(. The dc input is your 3rd option: and I assume that you would be using an energy efficient SMPS Switched Mode Power Supply, as per CE regulations on energy saving, to provide a regulated output ... thus introducing an uneccessarily controlled (In this application) power supply, which is likely to 'dip' momentarily when a point is operated ... and any other devices using it, such as LED lighting, would show this drop. (LED Lighting NEEDS a regulated supply for best use [[but is ALSO switched at high frequency for power efficiency when used in complex displays]]) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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