Santa Fe,
They will work for DC/DCC, but they are designed to get power from the rails using the points to do that. They come with parts for that set up, but on DC, the bulbs will only be lit when there is power to the track. On DCC, you have constant power going to track....but with all the bulbs lit, it will take away from your power rat.ing on your DCC system. The best way would be to use them with a relay and it's own power source. They are really old school technology, for simple layouts that want turnout direction lites. That is one of the reason's why I never used them, among others. There are better ways to do that. They were really designed for fascia mount near turnout, not a control panel.
Good Luck!
Frank
EDIT: I should add, the push buttons control the position of the turnout, with the turnout power supply. The bulbs need a separate supply, they use the track power.
The link below, is the wiring instructions for the #498/#444 switch, also instructions for Tortoise machines.
http://maplewebnj.com/instructions_498.htm
Jerry,
Those are the ones, except for the little more Red on the base of the screw part. Just the bulb is Red & Green on mine. I noitice that it says out of stock and it is from ACME Engineering, same as mine. I guess a person could live with the Blue if they had to. Mine say 14v 2mp on the side, but 12v to 18v works. I do alot of business with Hobbylinc, never thought to look there.
Take care!
Frank,
In the link I provided do these look the same?
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/acm/acm4994.htm
They come clear, red, and blue?.
The blue one is on page 3.
Jerry
zstripeI tried the red, green, but there is somthing going on at the site and was not able to get a pic
Frank:
I don't believe that there is anything going on. I just think that they didn't bother including photos of every item. I suppose if one sees what a clear bulb looks like there wouldn't be a need to show pictures of other colors. Now whether or not they actually have the colored bulbs is a different story.
Maxman,
That would be a great place to start. I was able to click on the 14v screw in clear bulb and it looked exactly like the ones I have. I tried the red, green, but there is somthing going on at the site and was not able to get a pic, or view them anymore. It does appear they have them. Will just have to wait and see what the OP has, there are three different kinds of that ACME switch. Leads, bayonet and screw. But He did say #498 and that is what I have, with screw in bulbs.
Take Care!
EDIT: This is the one that looks like what I have, 0430-300: clear.
http://www.traindoctor.com/service/images/0430-300.jpg
Maybe these people will have the required bulbs: http://www.traindoctor.com/service/bulbs/bulbs.asp
Cacole,
Yes, they are really Red & Green screw-base bulbs, not lense's, they are translucent. Maybe if it was possible to find a clear bulb, you could dye them, but never tried it.
The one reason that I never used the one's I have, is the fact that they draw the power from the points of the turnout track power. So unless trains are running the lights won't be lit. Would work better with a relay, but I also didn't like Fascia mount.
If those really are red and green screw-base bulbs, replacements are going to be extremely difficult to find. I have several major electronics supply house catalogs and none of them show colored bulbs -- only clear glass.
The ones I have are the fibre board switch's, the Red & Green bulbs are 14 Volt, rated at 2 amp. They are screw in and I believe, that they are 5/16 considered standard screw in. Still have five brand new switchs in original boxes never used back when they were, 4.29 apiece. More than likely, I will never use them.
There are several of those Acme Switch Controllers for sale on eBay, and it appears from some of the photos that there are red and green plastic lenses with a screw base covering the actual bulbs. None of the sellers indicate whether they have replacement bulbs.
If those are in fact screw-on lenses covering a bulb, the bulbs probably have a bayonet base. If that is the case, the smallest bulb available is a T3 1/4, which is an industry standard bulb, but you need to know the voltage required in order to find replacements.
Jameco Electronics in Belmont, CA has T3 1/4 miniature bayonet bulbs, but only for 6.3 Volts.
Mouser Electronics in Mansfield, TX has T3 1/4 miniature bayonet bulbs ranging from 2.5 to 28 Volts at prices from 41 cents each to $2.17 each.
Are the ACME people still in business? Their address is at the bottom of the following instruction link: http://maplewebnj.com/instructions_498.htm.
I also see that Bowser may, or at least used to, carry that product. Try calling them: http://www.modelrailroader.net/sup_acme.php
Jerrys HO Santa Fe, I usually have luck finding the right bulb from HobbyLinc. You may have to scroll through a number of pages but they usually have what you need. http://www.hobbylinc.com/model_railroad_light_bulbs Jerry
I usually have luck finding the right bulb from HobbyLinc. You may have to scroll through a number of pages but they usually have what you need.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/model_railroad_light_bulbs
Good. Might be easier than pouring through the catalogs I suggested.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
You can go to the Digi-Key or Mouser Electronics sites and look up light bulb sockets. The specs are usually shown.
Santa Fe all the way!Rich, I'm accessing the site via my phone and its definitely not as good as using a PC. Ive searched EBay, that's where I got the controllers, but no bulbs only. It would help if I had a GE part number or some specs. to go on.
Yeah, I am using my laptop. Certain things I do not do on my iPhone so far. Ok, thought you would have had an old bulb.
Is the socket a bayonet type? The socket would have two spots for the pins on the light bulb base.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonet_mount
Old flashlights and many electronic devices in that era used this type socket.
Santa Fe all the way!I'm trying to find out where to get replacement bulbs for an Acme switch control #298. Does anyone have the part # or know of a source? Thanks.
Try ebay. I have seen the controllers there.
Is there a part number on the bulb? No idea what the bulb looks like.
Just a guess, but by the age of that controller, the bulb might have been something commonly available at the time. I am suspecting a 12 to 14 volt bulb.
Santa Fe all the way!Sorry, couldn't get the edit to work, I meant Acme switch control #498
That is surprising as it works for me. Just tried it.