Wiring a tortoise

[chootoy]

In addition to the great wiring presented by "rustyrails" and "up north" a great feature is that you can add leds in series with the motors without resistors.  A purist would argue with this but it works just as well as adding a bunch more wires.

[GTX765]

I was successful thanks to all of your help. I have currently two tortoise motors running peco switches on my layout. Its so much better to have the switches moving on the other side of the layout without me walking over to the switch to do it. I have also setup th wiring to add more tortoise motors later too. Thanks again for helping me.

[UpNorth]

... Sorry I am ignorant in wiring 

We all were at some point. No need to be sorry thow  ;-)

[GTX765]

Well not yet I am at work but it is a priority when i get home. Sorry I am ignorant in wiring, I will get it working this weekend. Thanks again for assisting me.

[UpNorth]

So is it resolved ?

[GTX765]

I see well that is where I am wrong I thought the white was common. I really have no clue. I am not into wiring much. The adapter only gives the voltage of +/- with a combination of two wires not an explanation of each wire.

[UpNorth]

And as per MRC... 

" Slow motion or latching switch machines add to a layout's realism, but until now, you needed two DC power supplies for the +12/-12 dual voltage. Now, all you need is one Slow Motion Switch Power Supply and hook-up is quick and simple.  "

Do you have an OHM meter or get acces to an OHM meter?. Mesure the leads till you determine who is 12V- and who is 12V+ and common  if they did not bother to put it in the instructions.

Wild guess;  black is common, red is +12V, white  is -12V

[GTX765]

I am still not getting this right, The wires are not labeled so I have no Idea. There is no instructions or wire labels with the MRC adapter. I have wired everything up but the tortoise will only move when I re-arrange the wires connected to the tortoise. I have this set up as in the picture above but when I move the toggle nothing happens only the tortoise hums. Can someone explain what I am doing wrong? Please. Either I have the wiring wrong or somthing is not right.

Which is the common?

Red wire

Black wire

White wire  

[tomikawaTT]

With Tortoise control out of the way, you now have an extra set of contacts on each DPDT switch.  This opens the way for route indicators on your control panel at the cost of the indicators themselves, a few resistors (if using LEDs) and a couple of feet of wire.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[GTX765]

This was really nice of you to do that diagram, I got it completely now. I will get the wiring started now.

[UpNorth]

Like he said,  use only one side of your DPDT switches to turn them into  SPST switches. Here is a quick and dirty JPG on how to wire it.

[Anonymous]

Sean,

The MRC power supply is + and - 12vdc

MRC Tortoise Switch Power Supply
Slow motion or latching switch machines add to a layout's realism, but until now, you needed two DC power supplies for the +12/-12 dual voltage. Now, all you need is one Slow Motion Switch Power Supply and hook-up is quick and simple.

Your Tortoise instructions should have included the wiring section which discusses the following:

2. BI-POLAR DC WITH SPDT SWITCHES: This system requires two similar DC supplies of
not more than 12 volts each. They are wired in series with the (+) of one supply connected to the ( - ) of the other supply. This common connection feeds a bus wire that runs around the entire layout. One of the motor connections from each TORTOISE connects to this bus. Single pole switches connect either the (+) supply or the ( - ) supply to the single wire that runs from the panel to the remaining TORTOISE motor connection.  This system offers simplified wiring and the use of lower cost SPDT switches for control. This is offset slightly by the increased cost of the two supplies. See Diagram 2 below.

The only difference is that the single MRC power supply does the same thing as the two individual power supplies shown in the Tortoise drawing.  You only need to use one set of contacts on your DPDT switches that you already have (essentially just SPDT).

Your MRC instructions should say which wire is which (by color I assume):  +12vdc, -12vdc, and common.

I hope this helps.
-John

p.s. Here is a PDF version of the Tortoise instructions:

http://www.tonystrains.com/download/man-tortoise.pdf

 

[GTX765]

I have a MRC Slo motion Switch power supply and the tortoise switch motors. I am reading the instructions and i am getting confused. I have the DPDT switches and my issue is the MRC power supply has three wires and the instructions show the DC adapter having 2 wires. Can i please get some help on wiring? I am not good with electrical stuff, so if some can give me a step by step with the wiring or explain how, you would be a life saver.

 

Thanks

Sean