I'm useless when it comes to even the most basic wiring issues. That's one of the reasons I installed Tam Valley Mono Frog Juicers on my NCE PowerCab system: so that I wouldn't be stalling on turnouts. (And maybe I'm not stalling on turnouts any more because of reversed polarity, but I still occasionally stall on turnouts, and only on turnouts. But that's another issue.)
I need to install Circuitron Tortoise switch machines on two turnouts. I've watched several videos and have read the instructions, but I want to be clear about this. Several, though not all, of the installation videos talk about running wires from terminals 2,3, and 4 of the Tortoise to the outside rails and frog, respectively, of the turnout by way of a DPDT switch. But I already have wires connected in those places. Surely there's a way to combine these things, or is there?
The contacts on a Tortoise form two separate single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) toggles. What you're describing is a typical wiring to use the Tortoise to power the frog. If you do that, you don't need the Frog Juicer, and if you use the Frog Juicer you don't need to run those wires from the Tortoise.
If you're going to drive the points with the Tortoise, you'd might as well use it to power the frog, too, and use the Juicers for something else.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
No experience with Frog Juicers, but they are basically a unit to automatically correct the polarity of the track the turnout is thrown to phsycially IIRC?
What the contacts do on the Tortoise is handle that electromehcanically via a set of internal contacts that switch power as the points are moved physcially.
I would say you do one or the other. Personally, if using Tortoises already, let them do the work, and salvage the Frog Juicers for use elsewhere.
BTW, there are TWO sets of those contacts on the Tortoise.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
It's either/or. You power the frog with the Tortoise contacts, OR you use a device liek the Frog Juicer.
What turnouts are you using? The problem may not be power to the frog, but rather power to the points/closure rails.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerWhat turnouts are you using? The problem may not be power to the frog, but rather power to the points/closure rails.
Thanks to everyone for the help. I apologize, Randy, that I shortened my post and deleted the fact that I use ME DCC-friendly turnouts.