Please help : Wire Peerless ho scale model train auto reverse unit

[imodelho]

 I hooked up the system 550 and 525, auto reverse and timing unit per the instructions, did not work.  Looked at it numerous times, finnally got something to work on one side of the point to point. The only reason I am questioning the instructions, are becasue when I swithced the wires the way I thoguht it should be, it worked to one point.  But I just cant get it to work properly.  Unless I am missing something that maybe be obvious or not, cant figure what I am doing wrong or if it defective. I was just wondering if any one has any info or can shed some light on this peerless auto reverse.

[cacole]

Where are you located and who makes this Peerless 550 product?  I've never heard of that brand name and Google can't find it listed anywhere, either.

[rrinker]

 Second Google link, first one is this thread: http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/HO-Scale-Track-and-Electrical-Peerless-Industries/HO_TRK_564_1.html

Just someone selling them, but at least there's a picture of them. I see 5 wires on the auto reverse unit, my guess is two are power in, 2 go to the track, and the single wire goes to an isolated section at the end of the run so that it can detect when the train reaches the end. I'd also guess this can only detect locos and not cars with insualted wheels. And probably also will have issues with split pickup, such as a steam loco that picks up from the loco on one side and the tender on the other. I don;t see any place to download the instructions so this is pure guesswork based on what the unit is supposed to do. I even found their patent, which expired in 1994, although to see the circuit diagram you have to be registered on the various patent sites. All I can suggest is to carefully read the instructiosn and make sure you've done everything EXACTLY as described, not just that it 'looks right'. I see nothign that gives me a clue how the time delay module works - I'd try it with just the reverse to make sure that works, then add the delay unit per instructions.

                                    --Randy

 

[imodelho]

Thanks for the reply, you can get these at hobbylinc.com and other numerousshops.  thank you for the replies.  Yes I have already tried all that, and still nothing.  I am going t obring it back as now I believe it is defective or is not a good unit.

thanks

again

[krskrs]

After 8.5 years, here is your answer on the Peerless 525 Reverser and the Peerless 550 Delay units:

First, the 525 Reverser:

Your power supply for this application must be a dedicated unit with a filtered or regulated output and once installed, the reverser switch must not be changed. Determine the +v output terminal and the -v output terminal.

2 wires, red and black go into the 525 unit, the red wire goes to the +v and the black wire to the -v output of the power pack. 

4 wires come out of the unit. At each end of the track there should be a short isolated section of track that are used to detect the presence of the train, specifically an engine or car with metal wheels that momentarily shorts the isolated section to the powered section of rail. Connect the colored wires as shown below:

  white                     black

___________   _________________________________________________

__________________________________________________   __________

                                red                                                             blue

The train will stop and reverse when the metal wheel connects the red and blue wires/rails and then again when the metal wheel connects the white and black wires/rails. So, plan your gap positions according to where you want your train to stop and reverse. 

Second, the 550 Delay unit: 

The unit has an engineering design flaw in that it will not work using 12 v dc on the green and white wire power inputs because the voltage drops in the circuit do not provide enough voltage to pick the 12v relay which interrupts power to the output. They should have used a 6v or 9v relay.

(12v - 1.5v diode loss - 3v resistor loss - 1v 555 timer output loss = 6.5v to relay)

So, use at least a 12v ac source or a 16v dc source for the green and white wires.

The red and black wires that go into the box with the green and white wires attach to the power source, so when it reverses polarity, the circuit detects the change and activates the relay for a period of time determined by the setting of a potentiometer inside the unit.  The relay breaks the connection between the input black and red wires and the output black and red wires (which exit the box at a separate port). To use the delay unit with the reverser unit, connect the reverser unit's output black and red wires to the delay unit's input black and red wires, respectively, and the delay unit's output black and red wires to the black and red track. Leave the reverser unit's white and blue wires connected as shown above. 

[Joe1599]

Are you saying that I need a separate controller for the Peerless unit and a separate controller for the train