Does anyone have any experience with this combination of components? I can't get them to work together, although it seems that they should. I am trying to get them to work as hand thrown turnout, no motor. According to the maker of the Frog Juicer, it should work as connected.
I installed an N Scale Code 55 Peco Three way turnout on the layout, powered from the toe (non-frog end). These come with two integral feeder wire connected to the three frogs. These two wires are to be connected to two SPDT switches, which are also connected to motors (ie. Tortoise).
Instead of the SPDT recommended, I connected the feeders to the Frog Juicer, which is nothing more than an electronic SPDT.
I get no response from the Frog Juicer when either or both turnouts are thrown, but I have tested the juicer and it's working. I checked all the electrical connections (track, wiring, solder), and they are good.
I don't know enough electronics to really puzzle this out, but the obvious answer to me seems to be that the turnout feeder connections integral to the turnout are no good. The turnouts are $50 each, so buying another to check is the last thing I want to do.
Has anyone run into this? If so, how did you solve it?
Thanks, Owen
Clarification after I read my post again.
Thanks all
Single frog juicer, or two outputs from a hex frog juicer? You need two different outputs, just liek you'd need two different SPDT switches. One frog juicer output cannot run all three frogs, there will be route combinations that result in one frog needing to be rail a, and the other needing to be rail b, and of they are all one there will be a short.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi Randy: Yes, I hooked up the frog leads to two outputs on a hex frog juicer.
ANd by no response, what do you mean? Nothing will happen until a train runs through the turnout and one or both of the frog polarities needs to reverse. You can trigger it by jumpering from one of the stock rails to the frog. The light for that output of the juicer will either turn off if it was on, or turn on if it was off. If nothing happens, try jumpering to the other stock rail. One or the other should make something happen. You do have the juicer inputs hooked to the same DCC power feeding the point end of the turnout, right?
Also try disconnecting everything and turning off track power, and check continuity between the closure rails and the frogs. If the insulation has failed for any of the frogs you also may have trouble. Go back to volts and turn the power on and check for power at various points throught the turnout to make sure power is being carried into the turnout. If you have no power approaching the frog, the juicer won't do anything because there is no polarity to flip - but locos would also stall.
Randy: Thanks.
You may have uncovered the problem --- I did not run any locos thru the turnout as part of my testing. I installed it, and threw the turnout, but no polarity change was indicated by the juicer.
Are you saying that in this case the change in polarity is initiated by the passage of the loco thru the frogs?
This did not occur to me because regular turnouts using the juicer show a change in polarity when the turnout is thrown, running a loco thru the turnout does not initiate the polarity change.
I assumed that the three way worked the same way, that is, a change of polarity would occur when the turnout was thrown.
I will re-install the on the layout tonight and see if running the loco will change the polarity.
If that's the answer, great. If not, I will troubleshoot as you suggest, and let you know. One way or the other.
Joel
The change in polarity is caused only when something actually shorts through the juicer, and then it flips to make things match. Since the frogs are insulated from the running rails, nothing should happen until a loco or metal wheels bridge the gap between the running rails and the frog. And even then it's a 50-50 shot, at least the first time, that the polarity may be correct to begin with.
Thank you, Randy! Turnout and frog juicers working as adverti
Thanks, Randy! Ran a loco thru and all is working perfectly. Good thing I don't embarrass easy! .
SW1200 and NW2 in N scale both crawl thru the three way! Fantastic!