auto reverse

[3155944]

I istalled a digi trax auto reverse last winter. It worked well. I didnt get to my trains from april till now. the AR has quit. The relay  does work but no matter where I set the trimmer it will not reverse.This doesnt seem very good.

Which is the most reliable AR

3155944

 

[gandydancer19]

Right off hand, I don't have a specific manufacturer in mind.  Try to find one that does not use a relay, but is all solid state.  Most of the DCC manufacturers make some sort of reverser, and as far as I know, they are all compatable with DCC track and power.  Check through their web sites.

[MisterBeasley]

I've got an earlier model of the Tony's reverser, and I'll agree with David that it's a very good unit.

But, I'm not sure I'd give up on the AR just yet.  If you take everything else off the tracks, can you get the reverser to throw back and forth by simply using a wire to jump the gap at each end?

If you haven't run the trains since April, what's the condition of your track and locomotive wheels?

Are you by any chance running a DC loco as Engine Zero to test this?  DCC Auto-reversers won't work with DC locos.

[jbinkley60]

Tony's PSX-AR

David B

Agreed.  They are all electronic and have no relays to go bad.

 

[Texas Zepher]

 ...  The relay does work ...

How do you know this?

but no matter where I set the trimmer it will not reverse.

So the train runs fine on the "main", but on entering or exiting the "reversing" section (depending on which way the "normal" setting of the AR is) the train shorts out the power supply?

[cacole]

Double check and make sure both rails on both ends of the reverse section are thoroughly insulated so the reverse section is totally isolated from the rest of the layout.  If you have made any changes at all to your track or electrical wiring, you may have inadvertently removed an insulated rail joiner or miswired the AR module.

[3155944]

I checked Potter brumfield specs for the solenoid pins and id a 12volt check

[MisterBeasley]

Try this.  You may need someone else to help, depending on where the AR is located relative to your loop tracks.

Take all the trains off the loop, including from any sidings that come off the loop, too.  Power up the layout, and put an engine somewhere on the main.  Turn on the headlights, but leave it sitting there.

Take a piece of wire or a cliplead and jumper over just one of the insulated joiners (or gaps, if you don't have joiners.)  Then remove the jumper and put it across the break at the other end of the loop.  While you do this, listen closely to the AR.  You should hear a click, maybe or maybe not the first time, but certainly the second.  If it does click, that indicates that the sensing circuitry is working correctly.  Also note what happens to the headlight on that engine on the main.  Does it go out at any point?

Now, move the engine somewhere on the loop, just not at the ends.  Do the test again.  What happens to the headlight now?

Let us know the results.  This should give some kind of clue what's going on here.

[Texas Zepher]

I checked Potter brumfield specs for the solenoid pins and id a 12volt check

So you apply 12 volts to the relay and can hear it click?  Or you are checking the relay output (while it is not connected to the track) and see a polarity reversal on a meter?