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Signal Wiring problem

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Signal Wiring problem
Posted by wolfman hal on Friday, May 22, 2020 9:23 AM
Inline image
I have just built a track signal. 
 
1. Tested the LED's in the signal to make sure they worked. They worked
2. Wired the IRDOT-1 as indicated above. Tested Circuit on the bench. Worked
3. Have now connected IRDOT-1 to Signal on the layout.  NO LIGHTS
4. Checked all connections. Are all correct.
5. Checked voltage between #1 & # 6.  12V
6. How can I use a meter to check and see what is wrong? Be specific for connections and values.
 
 
Thanks in advance
 
Harold
 
 
 

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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, May 22, 2020 9:34 AM

Correct polarity on 1&6?


Mel


 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

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Posted by wolfman hal on Friday, May 22, 2020 11:59 AM

Changed polarity.  Same result.  No Lights

Next

Harold

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Posted by chenxue on Friday, May 22, 2020 12:26 PM

wolfman hal

Wired the IRDOT-1 as indicated above.

I don't see any image indicated above.

BUT if it worked on the bench, AND the wiring is unchanged, then it will work on the table, no?

You get no green light?  But you got a green light on the bench?  

WHY did you change 1&6 polarity?

Connect meter red lead(+) to 1 and black lead (-) to 6. Should read 12v with NO minus sign.

Cid    (Memphis, Tennessee)

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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, May 22, 2020 12:34 PM

Back to the bench and see if it still works.


Mel


 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

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Posted by chenxue on Friday, May 22, 2020 12:39 PM
yes :)

Cid    (Memphis, Tennessee)

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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, May 22, 2020 1:02 PM

What is difference between the bench and the layout?


Mel



 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, May 22, 2020 2:15 PM

Are you supplying power for the IRDOT from DCC?

The picture we can't see might be the one from this thread

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by wolfman hal on Friday, May 22, 2020 2:40 PM

irdot-1 operating train detect and train not detected leds I don't know why this image did not copy. I do not want to confuss you. When I said I created the circuit on my bench, it was not the one that went to the layout. The LED's were hooked directly just like the one,  so I see if the circuit worked.  Then I used another board on the layout.  My next step if I do not find the cause is to take it apart and start again. I made sure I did not solder any wires until I saw it work.

Harold

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Posted by RR_Mel on Friday, May 22, 2020 2:48 PM

So you duplicated the signal for the layout.  Did you check the duplicated signal at the bench?


Mel


 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    April 2013
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Posted by chenxue on Friday, May 22, 2020 4:24 PM

Well, I think the "signal" is just the IR pair on the board, right? Or are they extended off the board?  Signal or no signal you should get the green light, right? Sorry, not that familiar with these other than reading up on webEmbarrassed

 

OK I see one version has 18" leads, and one has IR Pair on the board itself. Which do you have?

Cid    (Memphis, Tennessee)

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Posted by wolfman hal on Friday, May 22, 2020 4:28 PM

I did.  I have just taken the IRdot-1 from under the layout and checked the connections.  They are all in the right place.  Over the weekend I am going to first run power to the LED,s in the signal to make sure they are working and built a new IRDOT-1 just to make sure it does not have a bad component. I will let you know how it turns out.

Harold

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Posted by wolfman hal on Friday, May 22, 2020 4:30 PM

The one in the diagram. 6 leads

Harold

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, May 22, 2020 4:56 PM

wolfman hal
Over the weekend I am going to first run power to the LED,s in the signal to make sure they are working

You should know, from your second thread, that you will need a resistor, you can't just hook them up to 12V. 

I gather there are at least two IRDOTs one at the bench and one at the layout.  The IRDOT or the LED's could be DOA .  

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by wolfman hal on Sunday, May 24, 2020 11:06 AM

Now I am completely confussed. I hooked a clip to the positive side of a 12v Reg DC. I then hooked the other end of the clip to a 1K resistor. With another clip I attached it to the other side of the resistor. I connected the negative side of the 12v to my meter. 

1. Tested voltage at the source                       Read 12v

2. Tested at the power side of the resistor        Read 12v

3. Tested on the other side of the 1K resistor    Read 12v

4. Tested at clip at bottom                                Read 12V

Why am I not seeing a voltage drop?

The red LED is no longer working.

Last week when I was going to see if a LED was working I hooked it direct to the 12v supply and blew the H out of it.

Harold

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Posted by Mark R. on Sunday, May 24, 2020 11:32 AM

wolfman hal

Now I am completely confussed. I hooked a clip to the positive side of a 12v Reg DC. I then hooked the other end of the clip to a 1K resistor. With another clip I attached it to the other side of the resistor. I connected the negative side of the 12v to my meter. 

1. Tested voltage at the source                       Read 12v

2. Tested at the power side of the resistor        Read 12v

3. Tested on the other side of the 1K resistor    Read 12v

4. Tested at clip at bottom                                Read 12V

Why am I not seeing a voltage drop?

The red LED is no longer working.

Last week when I was going to see if a LED was working I hooked it direct to the 12v supply and blew the H out of it.

Harold

 

The only thing in your test circuit is the resistor. A resistor doesn't "use" voltage, hence no voltage drop. 

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

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Posted by wolfman hal on Sunday, May 24, 2020 11:39 AM

Doesn't it mean 12v is going to the LED? Or does it drop the voltage through the LED?

The signal is now on my bench and the red LED does not come on. Tested as above through a resistor Before it was installed on the layout I had tested it and it worked?

How can I test the LED to see if it blown?

Harold

 

 

 

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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, May 24, 2020 12:12 PM

 No, the LED needs about 3 volts, leaving 9 left over for the resistor, which is where the current calculation comes from. 9mA - 9 volts divided by 1000 ohms. A meter by design puts as little possible load on the circuit as possible, so as not to influence the circuit under test.

                             --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by chenxue on Sunday, May 24, 2020 1:10 PM

"How can I test the LED to see if it blown?" A 1K resistor in series with the LED, connected across your 12VDC power source.  Mind your polarity.

Cid    (Memphis, Tennessee)

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Posted by RR_Mel on Sunday, May 24, 2020 1:12 PM

A simple check for red and green LEDs is with a multimeter on the lowest range (ohms) across the LED leads.  There is enough voltage coming from the meter to make an LED glow.

I bought a cheapo A830L meter off eBay for my hobby needs and it even lights up white LEDs on 200Ω range.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=a830l&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_odkw=a830l

I like it much better than the freebees from Harbor Freight, better features on the A830L.

Edit:

It looks like a mini Fluke too.



Mel



 
My Model Railroad  
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, May 24, 2020 1:19 PM

 I have 2 meters that will light an LED when used in the diode test mode. Also very handy if you've trimmed the leads and the LED doesn't have the flat to indicate polarity, and it's opaque enough that you can't see the insides. If you connect the meter the right way, the plus meter lead will be the anode and the negative meter lead will be the cathode.

                                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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