I bought a Operating Crossing Gate by MTH Trains. The gates are controlled by sensors located between the tracks. When the train clears the sensor on the other side of the crossing the gates are suppose to return to normal position after a 9 Second delay. The problem is that they do not return for 1minute and 6 seconds every time. Here is what I have done so far.
1. Sent it back to M.T.H. who sent me a new one. Guess what same result. They claim there is no adjustment in the unit.
2. Removed a sensor and set the other sensor back by one minute in the track. I figured I could live with that. Guess what. It would do 1 minute and 6 seconds sometime and then would do the correct 9 seconds which would cause the gate to rise before the train got there.
Has anyone had this problem and did you have a solution except to return it to my LHS?
Thanks in Advance
Harold
are these light sensors or infrared?
If they're the former, it sounds like they might not be collecting enough of the ambient light to "un-trip" and so the gates think there's still a train over them until you move or they catch a glint of light from something else, enough that the electronics can be "sure" the train has passed.
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
They are light sensors.. I tried even shinning a flash light directly on the sensor after it past . No difference.
try a bright source on the sensors (so, 2x flashlights), then run a train through the crossing and see what happens...
also, are they wired in the right way (I've never used this, and have wired other things backwards countless times... )
Those between-the-rails sensors are practically worthless unless you have very bright overhead lighting. If you try operating in the dark, the gates will probably never shut off.
That's why I prefer infrared sensors for all my signals and crossing gates, but you may have no choice with a store-bought complete system.
Try holding a flashlight with a halogen bulb and very fresh batteries over the sensor and see if it works better with brighter light. If so, you're stuck with what you have unless you can increase the intensity of your room lighting.