The 1122 switch solenoid hums when switch is in one direction but not the other. I have a new controller. I can see no problems with track fiber pins in place. The swivel rails respond normally. Any ideas?
What controller model are you using? The controller contains a lamp that is receives its current through one of the turnout solenoids. The 1121C-60 controller looks the same as the 1122C-100 controller, but uses a number-431 lamp, which draws over twice the current of the number-53 lamp used in the 1122C-100 and may be the cause of your hum.
You can tell the two controllers apart by the order of the wires in the cable. The 1121C-60 has the common wire in the middle; the 1122C-100 has it on the outside. You can of course use either controller with either turnout type if you get the wires on the right terminals; but, whichever controller you have, if it doesn't have a number-53 lamp, put one in.
(The number-431 lamp has a bulb diameter of 9/16 inch; the number-53 has a diameter of 7/16 inch.)
Bob Nelson
After I posted I did find out that the problem was an incorrect bulb. I did not realize that the wrong bulb would activate the solenoid. The controller is new purchased on e bay made by Lionel with two lamps but with no product number. It works the switch perfectly. The good bulb is imprinted as 18 volt , one amp. I don't know which product number would match it for replacement. I am guessing it is possibly the 18 volt 1445-300 or the 57-300. The wrong bulb that caused the problem was a GE 363 which is 14 volt bulb.
Many thanks for help.
The 53 and 431 bulbs are 14 volts. I tried several of the 14 V ones I have and all caused the same hum.
How many levers does your controller have? The 1122C-100 controller (and the 1121C-60), which was sold with your turnout, had 2 levers and controlled two turnouts. Each lever moved a shutter inside the controller that covered one or the other of the red and green lenses, to show which way that lever had been moved last. It had only a single lamp inside, powered through one of the turnout solenoids.
The 022C-1 controller, which was sold with 022 turnouts, had a single lever and controlled only one turnout. It had two lamps inside, which indicated the actual position of the points, not just which way the lever was last moved. The 022C-1's lamps are useless with a 1122 turnout and will both light, regardless of the points position. If that is what you have, you might as well remove both lamps.
There is one lever. My other controller, as I have 2 of them, works perfectly and each lamp comes on separately depending on direction of lever. I have bought some 1445 18 volt bulbs on e bay and I will see if they are the correct bulbs. Thanks
If it has one lever and two bulbs, it might be an 022 switch controller. If so, it would have two screw based bulbs. They originally had #432, which if I remember correctly, are rated at 18 volts, .25 amps.
I think that you will find that both lamps light when you let go of the lever, regardless of the points' position. One lamp or the other will go out as long as you hold the lever at either end of its travel, but they won't tell you anything about the position of the points, as they would when used with an 022 turnout.
I also think that you will hear no hum after you remove both lamps.
Both the 53 and the 1445 lamps are rated at 14.4 volts; the 1445 also has a rating at 18 volts. The 1445 draws more current at any voltage than a 53 does at the same voltage.
Also, each bulb will flash as a train passes through the switch in the corresponding leg.
Rob
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month