Been a while since I did this. Putting in the switches/wire for my TT bridge track power. DPDT switch. (top on, bottom on) X solder 1-6 and 2-5, right? Buss power to 3 and 4. 1 and 2 to track, 5 and 6 to track. Right? Flip switch, polarity reverses. Right? And I can jump 1-5 and 2-6 and go to my track with just two wires, right??(my brain's getting old...)
loathar Been a while since I did this. Putting in the switches/wire for my TT bridge track power. DPDT switch. (top on, bottom on) X solder 1-6 and 2-5, right? Buss power to 3 and 4. 1 and 2 to track, 5 and 6 to track. Right? Flip switch, polarity reverses. Right? And I can jump 1-5 and 2-6 and go to my track with just two wires, right??(my brain's getting old...)
It sounds a bit confusing the way you said it, but you don't need two sets of wires to the track. (1 and 2 to track, 5 and 6 to track). One set will do since you've put the "X" of wires from 1-6 and 2-5. But your last sentence seems to indicate you've figured this out.
The wires from 3 and 4 go to the track. Power from the powerpack goes onto 1-2 or 5-6. Because of the X you added, the output from 3 and 4 will be reversed depending which way you throw the toggleswitch.
wjstix The wires from 3 and 4 go to the track. Power from the powerpack goes onto 1-2 or 5-6. Because of the X you added, the output from 3 and 4 will be reversed depending which way you throw the toggleswitch.
Thanks! I knew something wasn't making sence the way I was looking at it.
As long as you have the X from 1-6 and 2-5, the following are all valid:
1-2 to power, 3-4 to track
5-6 to power, 3-4 to track
3-4 to power, 1-2 to track
3-4 to power, 5-6 to track
My advice is to make all such controls the same so you don't confuse yourself later on. And tag the wires, because a year from now you'll never remember which two go to power and which two go to the track.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
as randy points out, it can be done either way, either the X as the feed in, or the feed out, it doesn't matter at all.
Easiest way is to look at the terminals as if it were a 6 cylinder engine.
So you have 1-3-5 on the left, and 2-4-6 on the right.
Power comes in one 1 and 2. (They are contacts, as are 5 and 6.)
A wire is used to connect 1 and 6, and another for 2 and 5, forming an "X".
Power is routed out on 3 and 4. Which are the blades of the switch.
You can use the 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 pairs interchangeably for in/out. The real secret to wiring is that it should be neat and consistent, which makes troubleshooting and repair easier. (Not that I really follow that rule all the time.)