Hi I have an LGB 5180 electric switchbox. It has connectors for 4 seperate switches, but Im wondering if I could control 2 switches from the one terminal? That is, when I press a button, it sends a signal to 2 switches rather than 1. Would this overload something?
Regards,
Dan
Dan, when I get the trains out at Christmas time, the two crossover switches are always in parallel so they can be controlled with one toggle switch and they work fine. Been doing it for some time.
But switches are controlled by the 51750 Momentary Switch Control Box. The 51800 has on/off switches to control the power to various sections of track and can NOT be used to control the EPL motors on the track switches.
Art
As for the 51750 controlling two switches from one terminal, yes, it will work, but WHY would you want to do that? If you are thinking of controlling a siding for two train operations, you are making twice the work.
Tom Trigg
Just curious....what is the idea behind throwing two switches at once? Could be some interesting set up???
underworld
!!!!!!!!!
yikes....
thanks for this advice, I haven't used it yet. (glad I asked!) I found this box stored away without instructions and couldnt find any online for that particular unit.
I was wanting to control 2 switches at once as there are 6 switches on my layout that operate 3 tracks that loop out from a main circuit. (attempted diagram below)
0)))
By doubling up on the terminals it will be possible for 4 switches to configure the four tracks one by one.
I'll look into buying a 5075 now.
Thanks for your replys!!!!
Souds like an interesting set up. Post photos when you can.
The part numbers. 5175 and 5180 are the old 4 digit part numbers and a zero was added when LGB went to a 5 digit part number. So a 5175 is now a 51750.
Underworld asked 'why throw two switches at once', and here are two situations:
1: If you have a double track with two switches forming a crossover, powering both switches with a single control makes sense. If the track is not bi-directional, the trailing point switch could of course be left unpowered or even be a spring switch. But if trains run both directions on both tracks, both switches would need to be powered and it's definitely more convenient - and safer - to control both at the same time.
2: Another consideration is a yard. The first switch leading off from the main line into the yard needs to be powered by one toggle. A switch following that to provide two yard tracks would also need to be powered by a second toggle. But if two more switches, one on each of the current yard tracks, are added to provide 4 yard tracks, then these two can be thrown by a third toggle as only one switch at a time can be used for a particular move and the position of points on the other simply doesn't matter.
Those 51750s are not CHEAP.
ttrigg wrote:................................ yes, it will work, but WHY would you want to do that? If you are thinking of controlling a siding for two train operations, you are making twice the work.
Simple. I do this anywhere I have a crossover between two parallel tracks. Either both switches are set for the mainline, or both are set for the crossover, anything else will be a disaster. So why not control both with one button? You are halving your work, not doubling it. This is a common tactic in puny HO scale using route selection in yards via a diode matrix system, one button will throw any number of switches along the route selected. It will work also in G scale with any kind of momentary contact button and a diode contoller box wired into a central panel.
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
I have to quibble a bit with ttrigg about the 'short burst of power'. There is nothing inside a 51750, with the exception of 8 diodes, that limits current or duration of current. When the toggle is released is when the current stops.
No Tom is right, you do not use standard switches to operate points motors. you use what they call momentary switches, MTS or supplementary switches, working off other switches; I also use track contacts, which along with the other methods pulses the points (switches) across with a half wave DC pulse from an AC power soiurce. This is important as you give a pulse of a limited length and the polarity of that pulse will determine the direction of stroke of the points.
It is LGB policy, as i understand it anyway that you can certainly operate two points motors off the one switch, i think you can do more but LGB say 2.
There is an LGB text book on all this called EPL techniques or similar.
Rgds Ian
artschlosser wrote: I have to quibble a bit with ttrigg about the 'short burst of power'. There is nothing inside a 51750, with the exception of 8 diodes, that limits current or duration of current. When the toggle is released is when the current stops. Art
Tom i really don't know how long the pulse is but it looks to me to be less than a second, that is from an LGB 10700 track contact. I am doing some fancy stuff in that direction right now and i had a digital voltmeter across the points motor and all it read wa about 6 V DC for less than a second much less i guess.
A NEW THREAD POSSIBLY.
i have an LGB 10700 track contact driving a switch motor and a set of signals off one side of the track contact, lets call it the positive direction but now i want to operate another point motor in the opposite direction off the other side of the track contact, lets call it the negative side a) do you think it will work, b) has anyone done it, c) will the switch be doing anymore work at the one time, possibly shortening its life?
rgds Ian
Tom, I added the post because although I knew you meant a push on the toggle made a pulse, some one, somewhere, might think the 51750 created a pulse and decide to hold the toggle down a bit longer 'just to make sure' they held it long enough to get the pulse out.
Some day maybe I'll be rash enough to do a destructive test to see how long it takes to 'fry' a switch machine and how many switch machines can the diode in the 52750 handle before 'evaporating'. At the price of those items, it won't be very soon.
I don't think you will fry them as such, although it might! what the trouble is, the switch has a little rack and pinion in it, driven by an equally small permanent magnet electric motor and i think you will strip your gears as well.
Operating two sets of points with one 17100 track contact worked beautifully but it had an unwantted side affect and i had to abandon the idea. Not only did it operate the points but so did every other track contact on that circuit and this was unwanted. But i have finally worked out the logic for the situation and all is well.
artschlosser wrote:Tom, I added the post because although I knew you meant a push on the toggle made a pulse, some one, somewhere, might think the 51750 created a pulse and decide to hold the toggle down a bit longer 'just to make sure' they held it long enough to get the pulse out. Some day maybe I'll be rash enough to do a destructive test to see how long it takes to 'fry' a switch machine and how many switch machines can the diode in the 52750 handle before 'evaporating'. At the price of those items, it won't be very soon. Art
If you have that urge now, then remind me to NOT invite you over to play with my trains!
artschlosser wrote: Some day maybe I'll be rash enough to do a destructive test to see how long it takes to 'fry' a switch machine and how many switch machines can the diode in the 52750 handle before 'evaporating'. At the price of those items, it won't be very soon. Art
Ooooooooo!!! If you do this, please video tape it and post it. If it smokes a lot it will be pretty cool. Maybe wet the contacts with a bit of smoke fluid.....for good measure!!!!!
Wellllll, Underworld, please don't hold your breath. I'd like to say, "My Mother didn't raise any stupid children', but after thinking over my past and the things that 'have gone wrong', I'm just gonna go and play with my trains. - - Maybe with the power OFF! ;-)
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