I have been installing Red & Greeen LED's on all my Panel controlling my Tortoise switches. I wanted to install a single Yellow light at my Double Crossover to indicate the crossover. I cut one of the incoming wires coming from the Tortoise to the panel and put the LED on that line. Only one problem. Now the lights goes on but the switches do not throw. What am I doing wrong. Thanks in advance for your answers,
The LED only allows current to flow in one direction, so when you try to throw to the other direction, no current, no movement.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
Do I just reverse the LED leads?
Well, then it would work in the other direction! A diode going the other way, or another LED would do the trick, if the problem is what I am picturing.
Sorry I did not explain it well. The switch on the panel is a DPDT. What I am looking for is that when the switch is thrown and the turnout moves to the crisscross position the Yellow light comes on. When the track is straight the light is off. The way I have it now the LED is on and off when the Panel switch is in the correct position to throw the turnout. The problem is the turnouts are not being thrown. Also, One switch is controling two turnouts so both ends of the crossover change. I hope this is a better explanation.
Is the crossover "stuck" in the cross position? I am pretty sure my first instinct is correct. Since the LED only conducts in one direction, the crossover is going to stay in the position where the LED is on, no matter how you throw the switch. If you add another LED (or any diode, for that matter), parallel to the first, oriented in the other direction, I believe things will work. I am concerned that you LEDs may be getting more current than they like, and could die an early death. A tortoise expert may jump in with a better way of doing what you are doing.
put in a bi-colored LED is series on one lead to the torti, power will be on in both directions. Green for straight, red for divergent ( or whatever colors you wish). If the lights are backwards just reverse the led..
Simplest things to do is put a regular (1N4001) diode across the yellow LED the opposite way. Now when the turnout is thrown one way, the yellow LED will be on, the other way, no light, but the extra diode will allow current flow so the motor works.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Exactly. The other thing you can do is run the LED off of one of the torti contacts with a dropping resistor. That would give you a positive indication when the torti actually transferred and not just when it was commanded.
Springfield PA
Or use an LED of a different color, like red, instead of a plain diode, to show the route is set against you. That gives a pretty positive indication since series LEDs glow dimly while the Tortoise motor is moving and then brighten up when it stalls.