Good morning I want to build a Z scale layout and have bought some electric turnouts but want to test them before laying track. They have two blue wires and one yellow, when i have researched on the net they have three different colours so I am confused as how to wire to the power and then to the switch can someone please help? Thanks
Welcome to the forum Garyreg!
Not sure just what you have for equipment, but if I had to guess, the yellow is the common wire. To test them, use the ac connections of your power pack and touch one yellow and one blue and it should activate the switch motor, then switch blue wires and it should activate it the other way. Make sure to simply touch momentarily. Don't hold it steady or you will burn up your switch motor. Do you have some sort of switch controller or buttons you are using to wire them up permanently? Need that detail in order to describe how to wire them up.
Also, usually the more details you can provide, the better. What track you are using, controls, power, etc. Don't get frustrated as you work your way through being moderated to start with. Just be sure to follow up with us.
Mike
Welcome aboard!
Since you have two otherwise indistinguishable blue wires, consider going to a craft store like Michaels or even WalMart. Buy a container of cheap red craft point and a container of green, plus a cheap paint brush. When you determine which blue wire clips the turnout to the straight path, paint a couple of inches of that wire green, and paint the other one red. This will make it easier to wire later when you actually lay down the track.
Cheap craft paint is generally a water-based acrylic. When you're done, rinse the brush with water and don't forget to close the paint containers so they don't dry out.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Another way to keep track of those two blue wires:
Since you have to strip the ends to connect up your testing arrangement, just strip one "long" and one "short". And make a note of which is which.
On each switch, put a number on the bottom with a permanent maker.
Or, of course, once you prove that each blue is for each coil, you can just sort them out later--after the track is laid. You don't NEED to know until you're hooking the wires to your terminal strips.
Ed
GaryregThey have two blue wires and one yellow,
It seems like you have a turnout manufactured by Märklin.
This may help:
http://www.guidetozscale.com/html/marklin_system.html
Good Luck, Ed