Per the helpful September 8 post regarding wiring the frogs on Shinohara turnouts, I plan to attach the wire to the inside wing rail of each turnout as recommended, rather than from underneath. All my turnouts will be operated by Tortoise. My layout is DC.
Now, I assume I have the option of connecting the other end of the wire to either:
1) the main bus wire; or
2) to any terminal (nos. 2-7, that is, since nos. 1 and 8 power the turnouts) on the Tortoise.
Is this correct? And if to the Tortoise, does it matter which terminal I use (other than nos 1 or 8)?
Circuitron's AN-6000-2 (entitled "Switch Point and Signal Wiring Using the Internal Switches on the Tortoise") alludes to this as an aside, showing the closure rail and terminal no. 4 wired (as all the others are otherwise wired) together via a terminal block (barrier strip).
I appreciate your help!
Kerry
Hi,
Yes, it matters.
The Tortoise has two independent single pole double throw sets of contacts.
Only the wire from terminal #4 OR #5 should go to the frog. I use a standard set of colors for my Tortoise wiring. So, as an example, if you use terminal #4 to feed the frog that allows you to use #2 and #3 as the "supply side" to this contact.
If you choose to use #5 to the frog then only terminals #6 and #7 would be used to supply this contact.
Tortoise by Edmund, on Flickr
Once your Tortoise is installed you can then "ring out" or test the continuity to determine if wire #2 goes to rail A or rail B. Of course that leaves the other wire to go to the remaining rail. These wires can be attached to where ever you have your feeders joined. A barrier strip is a good choice. I use these spring push terminals:
IMG_8738_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
It sounds more complicated than it really is. You know that the frog has to have the same continuity to the rail that the switch point is aligned to.
That leaves the other single pole double throw set of contacts that you can use for a signal if you choose.
Hope that helps, Ed
HOmainlineNow, I assume I have the option of connecting the other end of the wire to either: 1) the main bus wire;
That's not an option, at least not one that will work.
The frog has to be, at different times, two different polarities.
In DC you don't have just one bus wire. Even if you run common rail, there is a second wire that that has to attach to the common rail. Whatever bus wire you choose to attach the frog wire, will only work 1/2 of the time.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley