I am working with N scall Peco turnouts with the PL10 switching motor, however no matter what I try I can not seam to get the switches to throw in one direction they seam to work ok throwing to one side but not the other. Can someone PLEASE help shed some light on this problem if you can.
Thanks New guy to model railroading
Just to be clear that you got it wired up right. There should 3 wires attached to the points motor. Each coil should have single wire attached to its tag on one side. There should be a bridging wire between the tags on the opposite side and the third wire runs from the bridged side back the the negative side of the power supply. Depending on the type of control your'e using the 2 single wire may be attached to the outside pins of a Peco passing contact switch or to 2 brass studs on your panel. If your'e using switches the positive lead from the power supply feed the center terminal on the passing contact swich. If its probe and stud the power feeds through the probe. If this the way you have it wired then look for mechanical problems with the turn-out. If it stiff check theres nothing fouling the turn-out or the hole the points motor wire is operating through is big enough to allow free movement. Make sure that you arn't running too many points motors off the power supply, the voltage drop can cause problems. Its usual to use the 16v uncontrolled output on the control. Long wire runs may mean you need a capacitor discharge unit to give the solenoid that little kick. Thats all I can come up with so far, I hope it helps. My moneys on the wiring!
This is getting rather long, but I am trying to cover as many possibilities as I can.
MAKE SURE THE POWERPACK IS ON.
If you want to test the motor, use two alligator clip leads (A&B). Attach one each to the AC terminals on your powerpack. Then attach one (A) to one terminal on the motor. Quickly touch and remove the other lead (B) to any other terminal on the motor. If it moved, touch and remove the (B) lead to the last terminal. If the motor didn't move, then the previous terminal is the common. Put the (A) lead to it then repeat with the (B) lead, first on one terminal then the other. The motor should now throw both ways. If it doesn't, the coil has an open winding. If it does, then read below.
Looking at the Walther's web site, I see two contacts on one side of the motor. Is there a single contact in the middle on the other side? If there is, that one should be the common wire.
If there are 3 terminals on the motor, the center one should be the common. Wire this to one side of the transformer. Then wire the other two to a single pole double throw MOMENTARY switch (such as the Atlas switch control box, or two normally open pushbuttons) then wire the center terminal of the switch box to the other side of the transformer. When you slide the button to one side and press down the motor should throw. Slide the button back and press again and the motor should go the other way.
Transformer +(C+) Transformer -(C-)
Switch box (N) (C+) (R) (normal) (common) (reverse)
{alternate pushbuttons} these must be NORMALLY OPEN!!! [button one] [button two] (N) (C+) (R) (C+)
Switch motor (N) (C-) (R)
I hope this comes through. Just match the letters. You might have to reverse the N and R to get the motor to throw the way you want, depending on what you are using for buttons.
The advantage of using a single pushbutton {alternate pushbuttons} is that you can mount them in the track diagram in the track line.
You must use Momentary buttons because the motors will not take sustained current. You will burn out the windings in the coil.
If there is anything that is unclear, or you have more questions, just ask. Good luck.
I hate replying to my own post, but something is not clear. The last sentence of the paragraph above should read: If it does throw both ways, then read below.
You might check to make sure that there isn't some ballast or glue for the ballast on the points or blocking the points of the switch from moving to the other side. Often when you put the ballast in, the glue will work it's way under the points or throwbar and, after drying, will make a little trap for the points/throwbar and keep them from moving in one direction. Finally, the advice by others on electrical problems may also be the problem.
-- Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?
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