Elec problem for switch machine

[zstripe]

He probably,went back to working,on His Ski-Lift..

Cheers,

Frank

[richhotrain]

zstripe

richhotrain

Randy, I'm not sure who you were addressing your comments to but I, for one, don't consider it a "bad circuit design".   I just don't consider it necessary.

Rich

I don't understand why not,,what the red LED,tells you that the turnout is set for the diverging route and the green LED,for the straight route,on his control panel.

Cheers,

Frank

I use DPDTs on a control panel to power my Tortoises, and I also have bi-polar LEDs on the control panel to indicate turnout direction.  But I simply connect the legs of the LEDs to the center terminals of the DPDT.  That works just fine.  No problems like what seem to be going on here.

Rich

[zstripe]

This is just another way of doing it, nothing more. Didn't you at one time ask,if one side of a two color Bi-polar LED,can burn out and only have one color working? Could have been someone else..

Cheers,

Frank

[richhotrain]

That was probably me, Frank, since I did once have one side of a bi-polar LED burn out, and the power to the Tortoise was not interrupted as a result.

Rich

[zstripe]

Well in His case,the way it is wired,if the LED is open,(burnt out) it interrupts the circuit,so it is not complete and the switch motor does not get any power, like a blown fuse.

Cheers,

Frank

[rrinker]

 If you put the LED parallel to the Tortoise, it will always work even if the Tortoise fails, but you do need to have a resistor there,

 LEDs in series with the Tortoise, the Tortoise limits current to about 15ma. Plus you cna use a 12V power supply and the Tortoise will see just under 10V and run quieter.

              --Randy

[richhotrain]

zstripe

Well in His case,the way it is wired,if the LED is open,(burnt out) it interrupts the circuit,so it is not complete and the switch motor does not get any power, like a blown fuse.

I think that conclusion has already been made, but that is why I don't prefer that circuitry method.

If, indeed, the Red LED is burned out, now he has no power to the Tortoise.

Rich

[gregc]

hwolf

3. All wiring appears to be good .  This was a working machine

since it use to work, either something failed, or as rich said, there's a broken/loose connection

richhotrain

But I simply connect the legs of the LEDs to the center terminals of the DPDT.  That works just fine.

So in your case, if the Tortoise fails or there is a connection problem to the Tortosie, the LED still indicates no problem.

If the LED is unlit and the Tortoise is OK, it could indicates no power, or it could be that the LED failed and the Tortoise is OK.

your LED may or may not indicate a problem

simply putting an LED in the path indicates

• that the Tortoise is active (working)
• the direction
• that power is available.

pretty neat!

[richhotrain]

gregc

hwolf

3. All wiring appears to be good .  This was a working machine

since it use to work, either something failed, or as rich said, there's a broken/loose connection

richhotrain

But I simply connect the legs of the LEDs to the center terminals of the DPDT.  That works just fine.

So in your case, if the Tortoise fails or there is a connection problem to the Tortosie, the LED still indicates no problem.

True, but I have never had a Tortoise fail.

And, if I did, I don't need an LED to tell me that the Tortoise isn't working, I will know it.

Rich

[hwolf]

Problem solved.

Followed several good ideas.

Found 1.5 dcv  across the LED that works and 7.5dcv acroos the BAD LED

Hooked a jumper across Bad LED and Tortoise works.

 

Thanks for all your good advise

Harold

[richhotrain]

Congrats to Soo Line Fan.  Jim called it first.

Rich

[MisterBeasley]

High fives and beers on me at Elliot's Trackside Diner.