I have a CDU made by minatronics Not only does it protect the coils from burn out it makes them snap with authority. Most layouts need only one CDU.
Joe Staten Island West
I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I recently "discovered" the Peco "sliding contact" turnout switches. I wish I had known about these when I first built my layout 20 years ago. These are lever-type switches that only produce a "momentary" contact with each full throw, up or down. The (only) two I have work perfectly!
Mike C.
Former BN guy Thanks for the reply Broadway Lion. My neighbor is a little lax when it comes to being careful with exposed wires and all.
Thanks for the reply Broadway Lion. My neighbor is a little lax when it comes to being careful with exposed wires and all.
And if you are using that ATLAS 200 Snap relay, you need to know that it is a Make-Before-Break arrangement. That can be problematic for some designers.
Most switches and relays are Break-before-Make.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Thanks for the reply BigDaddy. I haven't seen these under the table switches. I'll do some checking.
He has a faulty push-button somewhere, perhaps more than one.
The problem is at that end of the wire.
zstripe I use normally open push buttons for control on control panel.
Good point,
Push button switches come Normally Open or Normally Closed. Externally they look the same.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
The Circuitron Snapper will prevent this. It operates of off, AC or DC. Look it up.
I made my own many years ago with a 10,000 ufd cap and a couple resistors. Mine operates off of about 16 vdc. It can fire a yard ladder, no problem.
To my knowledge, even if a switch does not release, the coil should not burn out. The capacitor will just not charge up but I have never had that happen.
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.
Atlas recommends 16-18 VAC @2AMP for their switch machines/snap relay.
I have 45 Atlas under table machines with relays for frog power, panel lights, signals. With a dedicated power supply 36 vac center tap @6amp.....center tap is 18vac 6amp.....never found a need for a capacitive discharge unit....been up and running since 1980..not one problem in all those yrs. I use normally open push buttons for control on control panel. 20 switches are manually thrown with caboose industry ground throws.....but N-scale instead of monster HO- scale ground throws......works fine for Me.....
Take Care!
Frank
Read Power requirements:
While a power supply is capable of putting out 10 amps, it doesn't force 10 amps down your throat if you only need 3 amps. The powered device takes the amps it needs.
Is he really using a momentary switch?
Ok I never used Atlas switch machines. I see you can buy undertable switch machine from Modeltrainstuff for a lot less than $20. Maybe this diagram will help
I am brand new into this as I periodically help my elderly next door neighbor with his huge "N" scale railway setup that's set up on a 4' X 8' sheet of plywood in his launi. Yesterday he asked for my help with Atlsa switches. He's burning them up @ $20 a switch. I didn't know what kind of power source they needed, AC or DC and at how many amp or milli amps. He's got a power supply that has 2 DC outputs of 14.5 VDC @ 10A and 1 AC output @ 10 amps. I believe the AC voltage was somewhere between 14 - 16VAC. He wants to use this power supply. I think I understand that the switches use 3 -16 VAC @ about 3 amps to move the switch using a momentary switch for a control device. He's got about 24 switches to hook up. Do I need to put resistors in-line with the switch power to limit the current to the switch? I don't know the name of the power supply right now. I'll get it later when my neighbor gets back home. I really can't find the actual specs for these switches. Thanks for any help!