Let me begin by saying that electronics is my main shortcoming in this hobby,..so please forgive my ignorance..
I just bought a set of NJ international crossing gates, but when I connect them I get only one light that works, no blinking, just one light lit..
Did I miss something? the factory instructions are quite vague...do I have to buy the $59 flasher system to get them to blink properly?
Yep, you need some sort of alternating flasher circuit for the lights.
Rich
Alton Junction
Yes, but there are less expensive flashing controllers available. There are some cheap kits (I know you don't feel very electronically enabled?) for under $10 also. Check Ebay or some of the electronic houses like All Electronics, where I bought mine from.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
I installed a crossing flasher on a museum layout i'm working on using a Dallee flasher module that will alternately flash the left and right bulbs. Part # 367, $24.
Here is the flashing LED kit I purchased and built; works great and is very easy to assemble. You must solder it though.
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/MK-1021/ADJUSTABLE-LED-FLASHER-KIT/1.html
Is this kit for an alternating flasher for two bulbs or leds or is it an adjustable random flash of two bulbs or leds.
Ron High
Be sure that the flasher is an alternating flasher and that it can be powered with a DC power pack as opposed to a 9 volt battery.
Plus, you need some sort of occupancy detector to trigger the alternating flasher, unless you intend to do it manually.
The kit is for two alternating flashing LED's. You adjust the flashing rate with potentiometers on the board. I built the kit just to see if it would work for my crossing flashers and it will. I will remove the 5mm LEDS and wire it to my crossing flasher LEDs. I don't have a detection unit yet, so that may alter how I finally hook it up to the flasher. I plan to power it with a 9vdc wall wart, which I have. I have checked the voltage on several of the wall warts and none of them put out the voltage marked on their case, so don't assume they are what they are supposed to be. Many are putting out more voltage than marked??
farrellaa I have checked the voltage on several of the wall warts and none of them put out the voltage marked on their case, so don't assume they are what they are supposed to be. Many are putting out more voltage than marked??
Bob,
I believe when you check the voltage of those wall warts they read high because there is no load on them. I think the voltage rating is based on the near maximum (or percentage) of the rated power output so you would have to put a load across it to get a better reading.
Take care... ED
ED,
Good point, didn't think of that. Will have to go back and test each one with a 'rated' load. I have about 6 of them on a shelf, each marked with output voltages without any load.
Thanks,