I'm curious what size/brand of dpdt switches folks use to control Tortoise switch machines? Also, what gauge of wire do you use to connect to the lugs. I'm soldering the wire to the lugs. It's working but it's somewhat cumbersome and time consuming to get all of the wires soldered.
I'm finding it difficult to work with mini-dpdt switches, as there is not much space between the lugs. Maybe a switch that is a bit larger? I've also tried solid vs stranded wire, gauge 22. The stranded wire tends to barely fit through the lug hole and fray, leaving chances for a short. The solid wire can bend too much and break. What solutions have you come up with that's dependable, easy, quick?
Specific dpdt models and wire gauge recommendations appreciated!
Rich had a recent thread on DPDT switches that he is getting rid of. A specific brand was discussed. You want center off.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
No, you do NOT want center off for a Tortoise. You want on-on, so the Tortoise is always powered one way or the other.
You can use pretty much any size switch, since the Tortoise draws so little current. The smaller they go, the harder it is to get wires in the terminals. Yoiu do overkill and use really big toggles if you have room in your control panel, which are easy to connect wires to, but that may be equally as silly as using too small a switch.
Telephone/network wire is a good choice for Torotises - again because of the very low current draw. Solid should not be that difficult to work with - bend a hook in the stripped end with needle nose pliers, don;t crush it over with your fingers, then it won't break off. Thread through the hole in the switch terminal and solder. Trim any excess. If using strnaded wire - give it a few twists, with a little practice you will get all teh trands twisted together and not leave one hanging loose to short. You can also put pieces of heat shrink over the wire, put the end through the switch terminal, solder, and then slide the heat shrink down and shrink into palce. This will prevent a wire in one terminal from shorting to another.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Tortoise has to keep the points closed. The motor only draws about 20ma at twelve vdc. In the instructions I think. A bipolar red,green LED in series with one lead can be used for indication. No resistor. Some run them at 9 vdc. I did.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
BigDaddy Rich had a recent thread on DPDT switches that he is getting rid of. A specific brand was discussed. You want center off.
When I wired up my DPDT toggle switches, I used 18 gauge solid wire for the X-pattern. But, I used 22 gauge stranded wire for the DC power inputs and for the center tab wires leading to the Tortoise power tabs.
I used the 18 gauge solid wire for the X-pattern because the insulation was firm, not floppy like higher gauge wire. I used the 22 gauge wire for the power feeds because I had so much of it on hand in so many different colors and the floppy insulation made it easier to string the wire from the DC power pack to the DPDT and from the DPDT to the Tortoise.
Alton Junction
rrinker No, you do NOT want center off for a Tortoise. You want on-on, so the Tortoise is always powered
No, you do NOT want center off for a Tortoise. You want on-on, so the Tortoise is always powered
I use DPDT on-on mini toggles (Cat# MTS-8) from All Electronics with 22 gauge stranded wire to power my Tortoise machines.
Schematic drawings typically show DPDT switches with wires installed in an X pattern across the back of the switch to connect the outer end lugs. The mini toggles are too small to do this easily, so I simply run the wire around the toggle (going from the lower left lug, up the left side, across the top end and connected to the upper right lug, then on to the next switch, etc.
I use a separate length of wire for each "link in the chain", so each end lug has two stripped wires (inbound & outbound) inserted into the hole, bent over and soldered.
Jim