The instructions with the switch machines recommends 16VAC for solenoid operation. Everything I've read on power supplies and turnouts talks about DC voltage. What is generally used. Does it really matter which one?
A solenoid type switch motor will operate on either AC or DC as long as adequate voltage is provided. We use the 12 Volt DC output of a computer power supply to operate some Atlas snap switches on our club layout, but they don't get used that much because they are in a storage yard. As long as your're chaniging only one at a time, you should be okay.
rlandry6 wrote:The instructions with the switch machines recommends 16VAC for solenoid operation. Everything I've read on power supplies and turnouts talks about DC voltage. What is generally used. Does it really matter which one?
Our club has a few twin coil machines. A three way turnout by a CD power supply. Single turnouts by 16vac.
DC voltage is nice if you have a yard ladder matrix.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Twin coil switch machines are just electric magnets that pull when energized. They work on either AC or DC. All things being equal they will pull a little harder on DC than AC but the difference is small. Twin coil machines take a lot of juice, sometimes so much juice that the train slows down when the turnout is thrown. If you are running the entire layout off one power pack, you want to hook the switch machines to the FIXED output, which is usually AC, and run the trains off the VARIABLE output, which is always DC.
If you get the the point that you want/need more switch machine power, you can easily build a turnouts only power supply. Get a 24-26 volt transformer. Then you can get fancy and add a rectifier, and even a big capacitor to improve the surge capacity. All this will easily fit inside the casework of an old dead PC power supply. The casework keeps fingers away from the 120VAC on the primary of transformer.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
My experience has been that they are a bit more quiet on DC.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.