Lionel Contactors: 145 vs. 153c

[Hotrod]

As you're aware the difference between these 2 contactors is 2 vs. 3 posts. My question is whether you can use the 3 post 153c for accessories that only have 2 wires, not 3, such as the post war banjo signal that are activated by weight. If the 153c can be used, what is the wiring scheme since my tries have failed so far.  Thanks, Rod

[lionelsoni]

The simplest way is trial-and-error.  There are only 3 possible ways to omit 1 out of the 3 terminals and no harm will come from trying all of them.

[8ntruck]

I'm thinking that the 153 contactor works like a single pole double throw switch.  One contact is the common, one contact is connected to the common when the contactor is up (no weight on the track), and the third contactor is connected to the common when the contactor is down (weight of the train on the track).

The 143 is a single pole single throw switch - it is on with weight on the track and off with no weight on the track.

Working from memory here, so I could be wrong.....

[ADCX Rob]

Using clips 2 & 3 on the 153c will produce the same function as the 145c.

[jwse30]

Even though your question was answered already, I thought I would add that during the MPC era (and possibly later?), some signals came with the 153c when a 145c would have worked. My 2252 crossing gate, the 2162 crossing gate, and 2140 banjo signal all came with 153c contactors.

 

If you hooked the contactor up the way ADCX Rob shows and it still doesn't work, perhaps the set screw on the contactor needs adjustment, or perhaps you are omitting the return path from the signal back to the transformer?

 

J White