RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hi I've recently installed the first 4 cobalt point motors which operate fine but when it comes to running a loco it shorts and stops dead on all frogs apart from one (bottom left in the pic below) I've followed the wiring guides and search the web but can't see anything wrong. The layout is DCC but the cobalts are run of a dc supply. I've tried removing the wires and replacing one at a time etc but no joy, can anyone help as I'm now at the point of scrapping the layout Many thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hi Paul, are the frog rails that meet each other on the other sets of points on metal or plastic joiners ? If they are on a loop system and the frogs are not isolated with a plastic joiner or air gap they will short out Best regards Craig Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hi Craig No all frogs and rails are isolated, it's as if it just isn't changing the polarity. Many thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Can you take a pic of the wiring to the motors I have use colbolt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froxfield2012 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 If you are using Cobalts in cross-overs you need to take care about the polarity of the power connections. Here is a picture of two opposing Cobalts installed under my own layout showing the power feeds reversed on one point. It's all about keeping left and right on the same side Hope that helps? Richard But I use a DCC supply and Digital motors so maybe this doesn't apply to you. As mark axlecounter has said a picture would be useful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hi guys Thanks for the replies, I've just nipped out for the moment but as soon as I'm back home I'll take some pics and I'll try and put a wiring diagram on, when running the motors of dc but the track is dcc does there need to be a feed into the point motor ie to feed the track? I'll try and get a few pics on in the next hour or so, thanks again for the help. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 The pic I have done is a rough one but this is how it should be done the two outer go to switch the 4th one gose to kermit ( frog) and and 2&3 gose to track feed hope this helps Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 If you are using Cobalts in cross-overs you need to take care about the polarity of the power connections. Here is a picture of two opposing Cobalts installed under my own layout showing the power feeds reversed on one point. It's all about keeping left and right on the same side Hope that helps? Richard P1020228_RMWEB.jpg But I use a DCC supply and Digital motors so maybe this doesn't apply to you. As mark axlecounter has said a picture would be useful. Hi Richard and everyone else who's given advice. I followed this picture above and swapped the power feed on one of the cobalts on one of the two opposing point motors and it worked!! I've done this on one if the two cobalt motors on the other set of points and it all runs great. Thanks very much to everyone for their help and advice, I can go back to bed now having been up all night trying to figure it out!! Oh wait I can't I've got two kids :/ Thanks again (A very happy) Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 That's the great thing about this forum, the helpfulness of others to help out fellow modellers who are having a problem Happy modelling Craig. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 That's the great thing about this forum, the helpfulness of others to help out fellow modellers who are having a problem Happy modelling Craig. Hi Craig I totally agree mate, I've been trying to sort it for the last couple of days, then after half an hour of posting the question the problem was sorted. This forum and the people on here are great, an it's also great when you can help fellow modellers out to, hopefully I'll be able to return the favour to someone one day Thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold traction Posted April 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 Nice to know you've got it working! These are the Cobalt Digital type looking at the pictures. Looking at the instructions, the frog wire automatically gets fed from internal switches when you switch the point so it's a case of making sure the power feeds are correct. I've just bought 3 of these. Had a nightmare time trying to program them from a Hornby Elite or Select. Following the added note in the pack I tried using a 400ohm resistor still no joy, I managed to program tand operate hem all with a PowerCab. I couldn't even operate them with the Hornby stuff. I tried different value resistors and using a lower value resistor I managed to be able to actually operate them with the Elite and Select. The movement was painfully slow though. I kept moving it back and forwards until it freed up and little and started to move better. I found that a 215ohm resistor allowed me to program and operate them from the Select and Elite with no issues. This gave a better speed of movement, I think that once they've been "run in" so to speak I could possibly go back up to the recommended 400ohm resistor. Cheers Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PjKing1 Posted April 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2014 Nice to know you've got it working! These are the Cobalt Digital type looking at the pictures. Looking at the instructions, the frog wire automatically gets fed from internal switches when you switch the point so it's a case of making sure the power feeds are correct. I've just bought 3 of these. Had a nightmare time trying to program them from a Hornby Elite or Select. Following the added note in the pack I tried using a 400ohm resistor still no joy, I managed to program tand operate hem all with a PowerCab. I couldn't even operate them with the Hornby stuff. I tried different value resistors and using a lower value resistor I managed to be able to actually operate them with the Elite and Select. The movement was painfully slow though. I kept moving it back and forwards until it freed up and little and started to move better. I found that a 215ohm resistor allowed me to program and operate them from the Select and Elite with no issues. This gave a better speed of movement, I think that once they've been "run in" so to speak I could possibly go back up to the recommended 400ohm resistor. Cheers Ian Hi Ian The cobalts I'm using are analogue dc, an the pics are of Richard's cobalts thankfully I got mine sorted before had to take pics to show up my dodgy wiring mine switch quite well, here's a link to a short clip of them, sorry about the quality I uploaded HD but it turned out not very good. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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