These frog powering devices look great. Has anybody used them and can report?
73
Bruce in the Peg
That was discussed recently.
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/191349.aspx
Jack W.
jalajoie That was discussed recently. http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/191349.aspx
Unfortunately that thread doesn't explain very much. What I'd like to know, in very simple terms, is how it works and what advantage does it have over just powering the turnout frog from the switch machine contacts.
Thanks
I assume from the sparse details that only 1 lead is required per frog and "power" Again I assume that "power" is track power as opposed to a DC power source. There, it stands to reason that, with a hex juicer, there is a maximum of 8 wires going to the unit. OR, is there a separate power input for each frog?
One of the Bay Junction videos on the MR web site installed a frog juicer.
The board gets connected to the DCC bus wires (2). Then there is one wire that is connected to the frog on the turnout. (Of course, the frog has to be isolated from any other track power.) The Frog Juicer acts as an auto reverser for the frog. The Hex Frog Juicer has output wires for multiple frogs.
The advantage is that power wiring of multiple frogs is simpler than using the switch machine contacts. Specifically, you don't have to worry about getting the phase or polarity correct. It is done automatically.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
gandydancer19 The advantage is that power wiring of multiple frogs is simpler than using the switch machine contacts. Specifically, you don't have to worry about getting the phase or polarity correct. It is done automatically.
The list for the mono-juicer is $13.99. I think I'll just go with figuring out the polarity from the switch machine contacts.
With the Hex juicer yes, there are 8 wires. But all turnout getting their frogs juiced have to be in the same power district. There's no polarity to figure out liek with switch motor contacts, just connect the track power to the input of the juicer and conect each frog to one of the outputs. Can't mess it up, if the loco wheels hit the frog and the polarity is wrong, it flips it, just like that.
Like most electronic devices liek this, the incremental cost of providing more outputs is very little. A mon juicer is kinda too expensive, although it also functions as an autoreverser. It has a higher current capability than the Hex Juicer. The Hex Juicer isn't bad per turnout.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
one advantage is that if you run a point/switch capable of trailing operation with bonded rails 'wrong road' then you wont get a short as the juicer sorts it for you.
Using the switch contacts is probably a better solution, ff you have switch contacts. However, not everyone powers their turnouts with Tortoises. I've got a number of Atlas #6 turnouts, for example, that I drive with Atlas above-ground machines. They have dead frogs, and the machines have no contacts. Others may find that they've used up their Tortoise contacts to run signals or whatever. For the many users who like ground throws, again, this is a solution to their dead-frog issues.
Randy is right about the power district thing, as a "best practices" statement. On the other hand, I'm guessing that you would get away with having a Frog Juicer cross districts most of the time. It should be no different than running a train across the gap between districts, right? There is a connection established between the districts as long as the metal wheels are bridging the gap, or in this case, on the frog. The rest of the time, the frog is isolated and there is no district-to-district connection.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Theoretically (twice in one morning..yay!) it shouldn't matter, so long as the polarity matches, which the Juicer will take care of. There's very little current draw throught he frog, unless you handlay turnouts and cutt he diverging side gaps several inches fromt eh frog, all but the tiniest of engines will be touching both a normally powered part of the turnout and the frog. It's not likely the entire runnign power for the loco will be coming through the frog - this goes for DC or DCC, and using the switch motor contacts too - at most there can be no more than 1 loco drawing power through the frog, which is why I wonder at peopel worried that the Tortoise contacts can't handle it.
The ther place a Frog Juicer is handy - manual turnouts or not, is complex trackwork. Take a look at Tim Warris's CNJ Bronx Terminal layout. Be my guest if you want to figure out the correct combination of switch motor contacts to set all the polarities of those frogs correctly - with the Juicer it's a no-brainer, connect a wire to the frog, and you're done.
I had to find that again:
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/1303
A bit off-topic, but the CNJ Bronx Terminal is such a masterpiece of trackwork that I just had to remind people. I was lucky enough to see this layout at the Hartford show a couple of years ago.
Where is a good place to buy these juicers on line?
I think Fast Track is the sole distributor.
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/
You can also buy Direct from Tam Valley:
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/dccpowerfrogjuicers.html
Shaun
I didn;t think you could order the Hex Frog Juicer directly, but after going to the web site and clicking Add to Cart you indeed can purchase direct from Tam Valley. ALso, reference to another thread, a Hex Frog Juicer might be an option for PowerCab users for reverse loop controllers - a single HFJ can run 3 reverse sections, and there is a specially modified version for the PowerCab.