022 electrical problem

[RGL333]

I have a vintage 022 switch that has begub to flutter when i change direction. It does not happen all the time. cannot figure a pattern. tonight it also occasionally started fluttering when a train rolled over it- again not all the time. Thank you.

[BigAl 956]

Can you further define 'flutter'? Do you mean pulsating back and forth? That usually happens when one of the insulating pins shorts out or is not present.

[RGL333]

Yes exactly. By insulating pins if you mean the fiber rail joiners I checked and they are all in place. Thank you

[Rob412]

Are the rails being adequately seperated by the fiber pins. I had a switch do this and the fiber pin was in but the rails were so close that the vibration in the track would cause the rails to touch just enough to cause the flutter. Not always though. Try to seperate the rails a little

[RGL333]

BigAl 956

Can you further define 'flutter'? Do you mean pulsating back and forth? That usually happens when one of the insulating pins shorts out or is not present.

yes exactly. If by insulating pins yu mean the fiber rail joiners i checked and they are all in place- notheing has changed except for this occasional fluttering. Sometimes when i throw the switch and sometimes when a car passes over. The non derail action works fine. started suddenly. Thank you

[RGL333]

Rob412

Are the rails being adequately seperated by the fiber pins. I had a switch do this and the fiber pin was in but the rails were so close that the vibration in the track would cause the rails to touch just enough to cause the flutter. Not always though. Try to seperate the rails a little

there is a bit of seperation- not tight against fiber pin. Thank you.

[lionelsoni]

Try sliding a little strip of paper or thin cardboard between the ends of the rails, underneath the insulating pins.  I have had a problem a few times with almost invisible bits of metal getting in there.

[Rob412]

Are the switches on a fixed power or track power. If it's track power you may not be supplying enough voltage for a clean snap of the switch. Try removing the engine from your track and put your transformer to about 14 V and see if the fluttering stops.

[RGL333]

lionelsoni

Try sliding a little strip of paper or thin cardboard between the ends of the rails, underneath the insulating pins.  I have had a problem a few times with almost invisible bits of metal getting in there.

will try that. Thank you

[RGL333]

Rob412

Are the switches on a fixed power or track power. If it's track power you may not be supplying enough voltage for a clean snap of the switch. Try removing the engine from your track and put your transformer to about 14 V and see if the fluttering stops.

Always have been on fixed. Even tried on track power and same situation happens, again occasionally. Have not done or changed anything, just started out of the blue. Thank you.

[BigAl 956]

To be sure have you the fibre pins in the correct rails? Here is a link to a photo of the O22 that shows the correct position of the pins.

mwc5FK

[RGL333]

BigAl 956

To be sure have you the fibre pins in the correct rails? Here is a link to a photo of the O22 that shows the correct position of the pins.

mwc5FK

Thought of that but i haven't changed the pins since i added this spur months ago. As i said, i have done nothing to change anything and this has just popped up. Beginning to suspect an intenal problem as nothing on the exterior has been touched or changed. Thank you

[RGL333]

RGL333

BigAl 956

To be sure have you the fibre pins in the correct rails? Here is a link to a photo of the O22 that shows the correct position of the pins.

mwc5FK

Thought of that but i haven't changed the pins since i added this spur months ago. As i said, i have done nothing to change anything and this has just popped up. Beginning to suspect an intenal problem as nothing on the exterior has been touched or changed. Thank you

Thanks for taking the time to snap the pic. And i love the epoxy floor!

[servoguy]

Use Google to search for 022/711 switch operating pblms.  It is a long post I did a few years ago on restoring 022 switches.  It is on this forum.

[RGL333]

servoguy

Use Google to search for 022/711 switch operating pblms.  It is a long post I did a few years ago on restoring 022 switches.  It is on this forum.

thank you will see if it helps. Suspecting a short internally.