I can't find the video(s) in MRVP that shows how to wire uo a Tortoise motor to a Peco electrofrog turnout using a DTDS toggle switch? I have my DCC track bus wires and a 12VDC power bus running under the layout. I just need a clear cut diagram/schemtic or video showing how to.
I also need to know how to wire for a crossover using 2 eletrofrog turnouts using a single toggle swutch.
???
The Electrofrog is pretty easy to wire up. For use in a crossover, both turnouts have to be isolated from each other to prevent shorts.
For use with a Tortoise, you must remove the spring. For the DPDT switch, just wire it as you would for a reversing switch, and connect the switch machines to the switch, in parallel, making sure they are wired so they move in the appropriate direction.
If your Electrofrogs didn't come with instructions, google might be able to find a copy. It shows a few examples as well.
as for wiring the frog, I would use the auxillary contacts on the tortoise. From left to right on the edge connector, pin 1 is on the left and pin 8 is far right and the rest are in numerical order. The frog wire goes on pin 4 and DCC track power goes to Pins 2 and 3. If you get a short on the frog then you need to swap pins 2 and 3.
A tortoise has two sets of contacts so you can alternately use pin 5 and frog wire and pins 6 and 7 as your DCC input. again if you get a short on the frog switch pings 6 and 7 and short should go away.
I do modify my my peco electrofrogs a bit. I isolate the frogs completely and wire the points to the stock rails. If its a newer peco (ones with spring on the bottom side) then they already have a gap cut to isolate the frog, however they have jumpers underneath that need to be removed. This removes the chance of an intermittent short if the contacts of the tortoise make a connection before the rails have a chance to move.
Here is a diagram showing stock Peco v. what I do. I do this because i don't like to rely on the rail having to contact the stock rail. It also prevents shorts between point and stock rail if they are different polarities. I also dont rely on the mechanical joint of the point rails to pass electricity. I wire a jumper between the stock rail, stationary point rail and moving point rail so mechanical connections dont have to pass electricity.
To wire a crossover to a single DPDT switch, Pins 1 and 8 of the second tortoise are wired in parallel to the first turnout.
if the electrofrog turnouts are back-to-back to create the crossover, you will need to put insulating railjoiners on both rails.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Is it best to wire pins 2 and 3 to the track (near the turnout) or straight to the DCC bus?
Wire it to the local track power, that way it will be in the same power district for short protection. Unless your whole layout is just one big power district, but still - why run all those extra wires all the way back to the booster?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I've run into a problem with one of my Tortoise motors. Pin #2 on the switch is not making a solid connection with the unit. Instead of using pins 2, 3 and 4, can I use pins 5, 6 and 7 instead? It's just the other switch in the motor.
Yes