Double amber LED Signal problem

[Doughnut]

I have been wiring up some 4-aspect signals (LED's) and encountered a problem with one of them. I use 3P4T rotary switches and wire one pole to the red, one pole to the green, one pole to the first amber and the final pole to the second amber. Between the two amber poles I also solder a diode, so that when one of the ambers is on the other will be too, for the double amber aspect. With my Traintronics signal, this works well and I can have single and double ambers, no problem. But with  my Eckon signal, I cannot get both ambers to light, inspite of the diode being there. Could this be something to do with the LED types being different in the two signals? Perhaps the 2nd amber  LED in the Eckon signal, isn't able to draw current through the diode? Also the rotary switch is connected to the Anode. (12v DC - 3 amp supply and a 620R resistor on the common Cathode)

Any suggestions for a solution would be gratefully considered.

 

Many thanks

Dave

[Suzie]

You will need to use separate dropper resistors for the two yellows, and it might help things if you use separate diodes too. Berko tend to use resistors in the common connection to economise on resistors and use confusing colours so I guess that Eckon might be the same. There should be a separate resistor exclusively for the second yellow.

 

Since you have a multipole switch that has three poles (I think you might be confusing poles with ways) you can use one pole for red, green and first yellow, and a second pole for the second yellow to eliminate the diodes altogether.

[phil-b259]

To be pedantic there is no such thing as an 'amber' signal aspect.   In both traditional and modern railway signalling, the word you are looking for (in both written and verbal, informal and formal communications) is 'Yellow'.

 

Similarly there are no such things as 'bulb's on the railway (bulbs are things you plant in the garden) - Our sources of light are all 'lamps' - be they electric, parafin or oil powered.

[Doughnut]

You will need to use separate dropper resistors for the two yellows, and it might help things if you use separate diodes too. Berko tend to use resistors in the common connection to economise on resistors and use confusing colours so I guess that Eckon might be the same. There should be a separate resistor exclusively for the second yellow.

 

Since you have a multipole switch that has three poles (I think you might be confusing poles with ways) you can use one pole for red, green and first yellow, and a second pole for the second yellow to eliminate the diodes altogether.

Many thanks Suzie.

Yes, apologies, I meant connecting the red, amber & green to the throws or ways, not poles; the pole tabs being connected to the incoming power. Using 2 poles for the colours sounds brilliant. I have never tried that. I have one power wire coming into the switch (anode wire). I assume I would connect this to two poles and then use the separate groups of 4 throws/ways to feed the individual colours?

Thanks too Phil for the info, although I dont remember mentioning bulbs?

 

Dave

[Titan]

To be pedantic there is no such thing as an 'amber' signal aspect.   In both traditional and modern railway signalling, the word you are looking for (in both written and verbal, informal and formal communications) is 'Yellow'.

 

Similarly there are no such things as 'bulb's on the railway (bulbs are things you plant in the garden) - Our sources of light are all 'lamps' - be they electric, parafin or oil powered.

If you really want to be pedantic, the term 'bulb' is not exclusive to things you plant in the garden, it is a description of shape, as in bulbous, a shape which both the thing you plant in the garden and the thing you put in a signal, as well as many other things share, which can consequently all correctly be described in English as bulbs.

 

Just to point out I used the word 'can' and not 'must'

[Doughnut]

Job done. Had to employ a bit of jiggery pokery with the output tabs, joining a couple together, but it works very well. Thankyou Suzie.

 

Dave