Ok, to set everyone at ease -- this is not about how to wire LEDs to a tortoise.
I have one location on my layout where a single turnout has 2 panels -- the turnout is located in front of a pennisula, and so I wanted operators to be able to control the turnout from either side of the pennisula. The panels use 2 bi-color LEDs, green showing the thrown route and red showing the closed route -- so that's 2 LEDs per panel. I'm currently using a Digitrax DS64 to control the switch machine and momentary buttons, but the green LEDs are barely visible.
So my first question is how many LEDs can I wire to tortoise?
This leads to my second question: Will powering the tortoise using a wall wart instead of the ds 64 provide the power I need to light all of the LEDs... I had wanted to add signal LEDs as well, which would add at least 2 more LEDs to the end tally (total of 6).
Am I thinking about this correctly, or is there an easier way to address this?
Thanks as always!
Jeff
I have situations where I use a bi-color LED in a dwarf signal, another at the toggle switch and a third and fourth at a dispatchers panel, all in series with the Tortoise motor.
Technically, eight LEDs in all (each bi-color counts as two). I may notice a slightly slower movement on these particular machines but overall, they still move the points OK. I'm driving them with slightly over 12 volts DC.Mine are wired directly so I do not have any experience with the DS64. On some of my signal applications I'm using one set of the auxiliary contacts of the Tortoise.
Hope that helps, Ed
I run 18 torti and 18 bi-colored leds, in series with a 1.25 amp 12 volt wallwort.
Jeff,
I'm going to guess that you have the two bi-color LED's wired in parallel (with that "parallel set" then wired in series between the Tortoise and the DS64).
The current draw of the Tortoise is pretty low, and with the LED's splitting that current (wired in parallel), there isn't enough current to light them very brightly.
Wire the LED's in series instead, and see how that works.
EDIT: Corrected typo.
Stevert,
Sorry for taking so long to fill you in, but I was just recently able to get into the panels and under the layout. You were right -- I had 4 bipolar LEDs wired in parallel from the tortoise/DS64 to the control panels. I wired another panel the same way, but I had no more than 3 bipolar LEDs wired in parallel to each tortoise; it seems 4 was one too many. Wiring them in series not only gave me full strength on my LEDs, but also allowed me to simplify my wiring. I'm currently considering rewiring my other panel to simplify its wiring as well.
Thanks!
I have a question? I am just geting into adding signals to my layout.
1. If I wired the LED's in Series and one goes out, won't all the LED's go out?
2. I use Tortouse for all my switches. You mentioned using them also the signals. Can they control flashing gate and if so do you know a web site to show you how to wire them? What other signal can it control?
Harold
I believe that if you wire them in series, then you get the proverbial string of Christmas lights. I'm planning on using the tortoise to control dwarf signals and mast signals. Even if one were to go out, my control panels provide easy access to the LED wiring, and since there are only 2 or 3 lights in each series, it should be fairly easy to locate and fix.
While I know you should be able to use tortoises to control the crossing gates, I don't think you can use them to control flashing lights at the crossing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you need occupancy detectors to operate flashing lights (and lower the gates for that matter). While I'm planning to eventually move in that direction, I haven't worked with occupancy ditection yet.