rrinkerJust what are we powerign and controlling witht he DPDT?
If you are talking about the DPDT (two single SPDT stacked) on the Bull frog I am using them to power my bi-color LED's for T/O position. Thats why I needed the third switch for the frog, Actually I think you were one of the folks who showed me the wiring for using a DPDT switch for Bi-color LED's about a year or so ago. I have 12 Tortise and only 2 Bull Frogs so it wouldn't be feasible to do the AC technique. And like I said I have a butt-load of SPDT micro switches on hand.
As far as my Tortise wiring I do it the way you mentioned with the LED's in series with the motor and use one switch for frog polarity, Yes using the Tortise sure makes hookup easy.
Sure PM me about the detection circuit.
Just what are we powerign and controlling witht he DPDT? MY idea was just a simple way to add the desired indicators tot eh Bullfrog withotu havign to add a third microswitch. If you are planning to control Tortoises, it's much easier to use DPDT switches and DC power - you can just put indicator LEDs in series witht he Tortoise motor with no resistors or extra bits needed. I helped a friend wire up his layotu and he used the steering diode idea with a 12VAC bus around his layout. I got the LEDs to work but it also required using one set of the Tortoise contacts. He also used pushbuttons - with a DPDT toggle plus the steering diode method of running the Tortoise, you actually have the second set of contacts on the DPDT available.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yeah, next he'll be eating dog or kat food to be able to enjoy his hobby. I think that the government should have a stimulus plan to give tax credits to those who want to buy steam loco's. Especially if they're retired vets. Oh and except for the one's that the democrats call baby killers of course.
Springfield PA
scubaterryWell John I wouldn't say they FORCED me to eat fish heads and rice
Shhh!!! You're going to ruin my entire foray into yellow journalism! You know, where you ignore any little detail that doesn't fit with the slant you're trying to present!
John
Well John I wouldn't say they FORCED me to eat fish heads and rice, however I have had my eye on the Class A since it came out prior to the Blueline version. Finally got a deal I could afford at Trainworld. So I don't mind FH&R for a while. The funny thing is I model the NYC and the NKP during the transition period. I have the PCM Big Boy, PCM Y6B and now the NW Class A all in NYC colors. Hey its my railroad!
And I prefer just plain ole white rice. Spent three years stationed in the Phillippines and did 8 westpacs so I developed a tast for oriental food.
Randy thanks for the SPDT idea. Unfortunately I just bought a butt-load of DPDT switches but I will keep your trick in mind. I do have a large assortment of 1N400x in stock. I have a detection ckt I found online I want to try but have ? maybe I will PM you if you don't mind.
Randy an additional note. I have an old DC pwr pac a Railpower 1370 and it has a set of accessories AC contacts. Is that the AC I could use for the SPDT idea? How much voltage is it normally?
Eatin FH&R in Sunny Florida
Want a sneaky way to do it with a single SPDT set of contacts? Use AC power, and a pair of 1N400x diodes. The diodes get wired to the outside terminals of the SPDT, in oppisite directions. The common contact of the switch goes to the bi-color LEDs. Plus suitable resistor. Other side of the bicolor LED to the other power supply terminal.
scubaterry I am retired Navy and on a pretty fixed income. Don't get me wrong I will eat fish heads and rice for a month to buy a decent Steam engine (just bought a NW Class A BlueLine)
I am retired Navy and on a pretty fixed income. Don't get me wrong I will eat fish heads and rice for a month to buy a decent Steam engine (just bought a NW Class A BlueLine)
Ya hear that !?!?
BLI is forcing Military Veterans to Eat Fish Heads and Rice !!
They should be ashamed of themselves!
(By the way, what kind of rice are we talking here, regular or Texmati?)
Well to be honest I could use the Tortis there but it is a dead end section going into my engine house. It is at the back of the layout. There are two T/O's associated with this area and I just didn't want to spend another 30 bucks just for 2 Tortis. I am retired Navy and on a pretty fixed income. Don't get me wrong I will eat fish heads and rice for a month to buy a decent Steam engine (just bought a NW Class A BlueLine) but for this project I went the cheaper route. And I would end up having to buy yet another DS-64 if I wanted fasica buttons. So the cost is the big factor. With the BF I pay only half for the controllers. I all ready had a bunch of micro switches on hand and I have plenty of push rod/sleeves from my RC airplane days so I don't need a DS-64.
Eating Fish heads and Rice in Sunny FLorida
If you ever do want to use torti's at those locations there are options other than placing under the turnout. I've seen some very good ideas posted in other threads that would work great.
Actually with my Tortie I put the LED's in series with the motor (pins 1 and 8) and use one built in switch for the frog. This particular app for the Bull Frog was required because I am not using Tortie on two of my T/O's. Long story but using Tortise on these two T/O's would be a real PITA so I went with the Bull Frog.
Good Application. Do you realize that the torti's have 2 contacts built in that can be used for LED's?
For those of you that have tried the new Bull Frog Manual T/O controller by Tim Warris of Fast Tracks here is a little mod I made to make it do even more work for you.
I like to have a bi-color LED to tell me what position my T/O's are in and that typically takes a DPDT switch just to run the LED's. With the standard Bull Frog you can add a second switch on top of the original to give you the DPDT you need for LED's. But if you do that you have nothing left for switching the Frog polarity. So what I did was add a third switch to the Bull Frog to give me the multi-tasking I needed,
Here you see the two SPDT switches stacked up. I had to place itty bitty washers in between each and the wood to make the push button switch line up with the skids, The un-assembled Bull Frog costs six dollars and it comes with one SPDT switch. Additional switches are available to purchase at the same time.
Here is the third switch installed in the bottom of the base. You have to drill three holes in the side to allow the switch contacts to protrude. You will also need to have a SPDT micro switch with the lever for this to work. You notice the octagonal hole that is for the push rod sleeve to pass thru,
This morning I installed the prototype on the layout and it is working fine. All of my T/O's are Tortise driven but I have two T/O's in a location that makes a Tortise difficult and this solution fits the need perfectly. This is just a quick and dirty post to show what you can do with this manual T/O controller. If you have any questions on this process I would be glad to answer them for you.
And I must add I have no afilliation with Tim Warris or Fast Tracks I just think a manual T/O controller for six bucks is awesome. With this mod it makes it even more so.
OOPS! Forgot to mention you have to cover the notch in the swing arm or you have nothing to make contact with the lever on the third switch. I used a piece of thin styrene and glued it on with ACC. Once dry I filed a nice rounded edge to it to ride onto the lever of the switch.