This is a basic LED wiring diagram. It's drawn for a Tortoise, but you can do the same thing with a SPDT toggle. Note that pin 5 on a Tortoise is the center (common) post of a SPDT toggle. LEDs are polarized, so you have to be careful of which way you connect them. As long as you've got a reasonable power supply and the resistor, though, you won't damage the LED by wiring it backwards. It just won't work.
I drew this picture some time back on my computer at home, using PowerPoint. Yesterday, I tried to re-create it at work, but they've got the "new" PowerPoint so messed up here that I couldn't figure out how to do anything but the endless bullet-charts our business thrives on. Sorry for the delay.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The LEDs are already on my panel. I have this DPDT switch handy. That is why I wanted to use the wiring diagram above. All I needed is the wiring as shown in the diagram.
Harold
Not really in this case - there is no switch motor, per the OP. This is just a toggle switch to turn on 1 LED or the other. You save one wire because of the common LEDs at the expense of having to use a DPDT toggle AND having to do the X wiring to flip polarity.
If this were inline with a Tortoise (no resistor), or even to put parallel with the toggle switch operating a Tortoise (resistor required), I would agree, easier to use a bicolor LED.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It would be a lot easier, and less wiring, to just use a bi-polar (red/green) LED.
Rich
Alton Junction
Found this one. You don;t even need a DPDT toggle, just a SPDT one.
http://www.grumpyoldgeek.net/images/fullcircuits_clip_image022.jpg
The web site where this appears has a lot of simple wiring explanations.
The wiring of the lights is illustrated in the photo. It contains DPDT switches, 1K resistors, and LEDs. I think it is the same as your drawing.
Richard
I have no problem with the wiring of switch machine. I have about 20. That is why I put in the drawing without a switch. I neen to know how to wire that.
Thanks
I just barely did the same thing but with two green LEDs and Tortoise motors. Here is a picture of my wiring board.
In a nutshell, I ran the DC wires to one pole of each switch. I then ran wires to the opposite poles reversing the polarity. The center poles go to both the switch motor and to the LEDs. I took advantanges of the "diode" aspect of the LEDs, in that they only let current flow in one direction. I ran wires from the center leads on the switch to both LEDs, had them share the resistor, and reversed the polarity on the LEDs. Bottom line it worked like a champ.
Oh yeah, one other note, this was my first real electronics project in 30+ years. Having everything work was pretty close to a miracle.
You are correct. That is exactly the way it is.
Just so we're perfectly clear, the idea is that you will operate the turnout and the DPDT toggle at the same time, right? So all you need is to have the toggle turn off one LED and turn on the other?
And these are two separate LEDs, one red, one green, each with two leads?
I need to install indicator lights on my panel. These are not tied to a switch. The switch is manual ONLY INDCATOR ONLY. Please show wiring to a DPDT switch as per my drawing. Use a drawing as I learn from seeing. A visual learner. Thanks Harold
I need to install indicator lights on my panel. These are not tied to a switch. The switch is manual ONLY INDCATOR ONLY.
Please show wiring to a DPDT switch as per my drawing. Use a drawing as I learn from seeing. A visual learner.