Peco turntable issues

[Memphis32]

I have the OO turntable kit, which is giving me problems. The three parts of the pit seem to be much too tight a fit, such that they aren't coming together in the middle.

 

Does anyone have any experience of this, and any ideas on how to deal with it?

 

Thanks!

[M Graff]

What do you mean by it not going together at the centre?

Does the center bearing fall through?

Try with the bridge BEFORE glueing together the pit. It is imperative that you have the correct clearance around it.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

The most essential part of the kit for a working result is getting the turntable pit assembled as a decent 'right cylinder'.

 

The first thing to look at is that all three pieces need to be effectively identical 120 degree segments if you are to have any chance of this. The description given rather suggests that at least one piece of the pit is not right. Check that all the base elements are plane, that the pit wall is at a right angle to the floor, the curve of the pit wall is smooth, and the angle of the base is 120 degrees. None of these aspects will be quite right - it is a cheap plastic moulding - but they need to be reasonably close enough that they can be matched up seamlessly in floor and pit walls with a little 'persuasion'. 

 

In the kit I purchased, one segment very evidently was not right, and I obtained an exchange part from Peco to enable the pit to make up.

[Memphis32]

Hi there, and thanks for the responses! I've been meaning to get some photos of the pit to show what I mean, but other things got in the way...

 

I have them now though:

 

 

The three parts have been pushed together as far as I feel comfortable pushing them without risking breaking something!

 

I tried contacting Peco, using the form on their site, but haven't heard back (it's been about a week).

[Memphis32]

I've been making the rest of the kit today, and noticed a couple of things;

 

If I take any two of the three well sections, they fit together fine either way around.

 

Several parts of the deck assembly were very tight when dry fitted, but were easier to fit once poly cement was applied.

 

So should I take the plunge and try cementing the well together, or try contacting Peco by another means, as the web form enquiry I sent almost 4 weeks ago still hasn't had a reply...

[Greengiant]

I've been making the rest of the kit today, and noticed a couple of things;

If I take any two of the three well sections, they fit together fine either way around.

Several parts of the deck assembly were very tight when dry fitted, but were easier to fit once poly cement was applied.

So should I take the plunge and try cementing the well together, or try contacting Peco by another means, as the web form enquiry I sent almost 4 weeks ago still hasn't had a reply...

Phone them, I have found that works and they were very helpful.

 

Martin

[Focalplane]

Yes, call them, they should be back to work by now from the holiday.

 

I have a lot of experience with this kit and it was third time lucky for me with a long learning curve. This was not in building the kit but motorizing it. Even so, the fit of the three well pieces is important if the bridge is to rotate evenly within the well.

 

You will also find that there is some vertical movement of the center of the well. Various methods can be employed to stiffen the well from below.

 

Here is the link to my turntable saga:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/blog-1565/cat-733-turntable

[Memphis32]

Thanks for that. A new well is on its way - we'll have to see how that works! Once I've got one fitted, I may see about forcing the one I've got together and levelling the base with some MDF or similar so I could potentially move the deck between two layouts.

Obviously I'd need to find a way of making up the bearing and contacts for the second one!!

[Ian Abel]

I've had pretty good success with my PECO turntable.

See the pictures below and some of the modifications I employed. I did find the base pieces didn't seem to exactly go together at first but I applied a little pressure and they did finally snap in to place. The key as stated is to be sure they are in the same plane etc., etc.

i) I used a craft shop "clock base" as a simple way to get a round flat subframe, especially as I wanted to allow it to be removable if necessary AND have better stability for motorizing etc.

ii) I also wanted to be able to remove the bridge if necessary - no real reason, just like to have "options"

iii) The bride is driven by a 12V direct drive motor assembly controlled by a DCC loco decoder. The bridge shaft was drilled across its diameter to accept the pin shown, the motor drive shaft extension fits inside the bridge shaft and is ALSO secured by the pin assembly allowing for a secure means of driving the bridge without any need to glue or otherwise attach the drive mechanism.

iv) The motor is mounted on a small frame that is then screwed to the sub-base directly under the center of the turntable.

 

Assembled well.

NOTE: Six screws attaching the well to the sub-base with the three screws one in each drain location. Countersunk slightly to allow the drain grates to be held in plac with blutac.

 

Undserside showing "clock-base" attached to well.

NOTE: center hole has SLOT added to allow for removal of bridge securing pin

 

Closeup of securing pin/washer assembly parts

 

Bridge attached with securing pin/washer assembly

 

Finished article, painted and with brickwork (paper from Scalescenes) around well wall

 

Closeup

 

Motor drive assembly with decoder

 

 

[Alex]

Hi mike

have sent a PM hope you can help

Cheers

Alex

[Focalplane]

I've had pretty good success with my PECO turntable.

See the pictures below and some of the modifications I employed. I did find the base pieces didn't seem to exactly go together at first but I applied a little pressure and they did finally snap in to place. The key as stated is to be sure they are in the same plane etc., etc.

i) I used a craft shop "clock base" as a simple way to get a round flat subframe, especially as I wanted to allow it to be removable if necessary AND have better stability for motorizing etc.

ii) I also wanted to be able to remove the bridge if necessary - no real reason, just like to have "options"

iii) The bride is driven by a 12V direct drive motor assembly controlled by a DCC loco decoder. The bridge shaft was drilled across its diameter to accept the pin shown, the motor drive shaft extension fits inside the bridge shaft and is ALSO secured by the pin assembly allowing for a secure means of driving the bridge without any need to glue or otherwise attach the drive mechanism.

iv) The motor is mounted on a small frame that is then screwed to the sub-base directly under the center of the turntable.

I wish I had the depth of space on my baseboard as the direct drive method would be my preference also.  It's interesting that you also rely on a substrate for stability, though mine is screwed to the baseboard, not the base of the well.

[Alex]

cheers for quick reply mike will put out a request see if anybody can help.

 

i have just bought 293  stripstyrene  angle 2.5mm, to use as uprights (posts) then plan to use wire which i think will look better and should tarnish to give more realism.

TT was bought from a swap meet and upright (posts) broken

 

Cheers

 

[Ian Abel]

I wish I had the depth of space on my baseboard as the direct drive method would be my preference also.  It's interesting that you also rely on a substrate for stability, though mine is screwed to the baseboard, not the base of the well.

Paul,

  Original intent was to attach mine to the baseboard also, but the weight of it as built allows it to simply sit in the hole and I have done nothing further to secure it - I am thus able to remove it "relatively" easily. "Relatively" in the sense that I DO have to remove the approach tracks and the overrun(if that's what they're called?!?!) tracks to actually remove it if I need to. It just seemed an additional hassle to attempt/implement a method of fixing, I really didn't want to glue the rim to the baseboard...

Far as depth goes, with the motor I found the assembly barely hangs lower than the 1 x 3 baseboard edge, so I didn't need to worry about under board clearances.

[bgman]

Having installed my altered ( just cosmetics ) Peco turntable and attached wires to the main bus for the two deck tracks and a dcc decoder to operate the motor I would be interested to know if anyone has used Hex Frog Juicers, either the single units or larger 6 outlet unit to maintain polarity ?

I would really like to know if this works satisfactorily as the deck rotates without cutting the power to the rails / loco. The in / out roads are all isolated by the "air gap" as it rotates.

Am I correct in thinking that each rail would require a separate juicer to each rail ? Using the Juicer is my preferred method wired to the tabs which protrude from the underside of the deck if possible.

I have looked at various sites including Alan Gartners but can't seem to get my head around it at the moment so any help / advice would be most appreciated.

 

Cheers for now

 

Grahame

[Ian Abel]

Grahame,

  If you install the turntable "oriented" per the Peco diagram/instructions (don't have it right in front of me now) so that the split in the ring doesn't occur where a road is or you don't have so many roads in a broad radius around the table that cross the area where there is a polarity change/switch, you don't have to do anything to make it work.

The split ring works suitably so that there isn't a polarity issue, unless you have so many roads that you cannot set the break as noted in the instructions - in those cases you WILL have to reverse the polarity of some roads.

My TT has 4 roads ion the same side and I have no problems or need to use a juicer or any other method to switch polarity on the bridge rails - it works "out of the box" if you orient the table correctly under these conditions. See below - the short tracks on the near end are just run-off protection and will have a buffer stop on each and are dead, I.e. no wiring to them.

 

 

 

[RexAshton]

Having installed my altered ( just cosmetics ) Peco turntable and attached wires to the main bus for the two deck tracks and a dcc decoder to operate the motor I would be interested to know if anyone has used Hex Frog Juicers, either the single units or larger 6 outlet unit to maintain polarity ?

I would really like to know if this works satisfactorily as the deck rotates without cutting the power to the rails / loco. The in / out roads are all isolated by the "air gap" as it rotates.

Am I correct in thinking that each rail would require a separate juicer to each rail ? Using the Juicer is my preferred method wired to the tabs which protrude from the underside of the deck if possible.

I have looked at various sites including Alan Gartners but can't seem to get my head around it at the moment so any help / advice would be most appreciated.

 

Cheers for now

 

Grahame

Hi Graeme

 

The frog juicer should be fine with your turntable. It works by detecting the inevitable short circuit that occurs when you rotate the table. It will then instantly reverse the polarity. Unlike a point though you will have to use the dual juicer or two parts of the hex juicer as you have to switch both rails.

[bgman]

Ian and Rex, thank you for your replies it's much appreciated.

 

Ian

I have installed the T/T as you quite rightly say but the main concern was regarding the matter of the dead spot regarding sound/ light issues and I will try the method with a Frog Juicer as suggested by Rex in his reply using dual outputs from the unit.

Rex

I will be trying the method you have suggested which was what I had originally considered.

 

Round and round we go then !

 

Cheers for now

 

Grahame

[Focalplane]

I am following this with interest though my motorized Peco turntable was never upgraded to provide unbroken DCC sound.  My current project is a Metalsmith 0 Gauge turntable kit which will also require modification to allow continuous sound.

 

This is my concern with the last few posts.  The pickups to the Peco bridge track have a gap.  This is the problem for continuous sound.  Surely that gap needs to be closed?  The automatic polarity reverser would come into effect when the locomotive moved off the bridge and shorted with the now reversed lead in track.  The reverser would be wired in to the bridge.

 

The Metalsmith solution is to feed the bridge rails independently, one from the metal rail that supports the ends of the bridge, the other through the central metal shaft. In this way there is no break in current supply to the bridge during rotation.  A simple Digitrax AR-1 reversing module (cost £21 or so) is all that is needed.  Could this arrangement be fitted to the Peco kit?  I would think so.