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Varipulse 852B

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  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 7:39 PM

No, no second throttle connected

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Thursday, September 2, 2021 7:36 PM

Do you have a second throttle of any kind connected to the other input of the Atlas Controller?

If so is a a product that requires separate power supply like the Varipulse?

Is that throttle connected to the same AC source?

That won't work.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 6:20 PM

Thank you Greg, I appreciate you working with me to try and remidy my problem. Obviously electronics is not my strong suit. Happy Trails 

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,678 posts
Posted by gregc on Thursday, September 2, 2021 4:38 PM

by now you should see how you need to find where power is and where is isn't and identify where between those two points there's a disconnect.

Dunderhead
I get no reading in this situation

presumably you're using a voltmeter or lamp to measure voltage.  if the only way you have to check for power is by seeing a loco move on the tracks, then you'll need wires from the track that you can touch various terminals on the atlas controller or selectors

 

there should be power between the two terminals on the top left side of the controller which i assume are connected to the 852b output.

there are three screw connections at the top of the controller: C, X, Y.   i hope it's clear that the "common" rail connection is the C terminal.   there should be power between the C terminal and one of the two power terminals on the left side of the controller that the 852b is connected to (depending on the position of the CAB A switch)

if there isn't, there may be something wrong with the controller.  (make sure the CAB A switch is not in the middle)   you might try sliding the switches back and forth many times to clean any corrosion

if there is power, then there should be power between the C terminal and the top screw connecting the controller and selector.

if there is, then there should be power between the C terminal the terminal on the top of the selector when the corresponding switch is in the up position.

and if there's power on the selector, then there should be power to that block of the track (assuming the other rail is connected to the "C" terminal)

 

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 4:02 PM

I get no reading in this situation

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,678 posts
Posted by gregc on Thursday, September 2, 2021 2:34 PM

how is fig 2-10 different from fig 2-9 which i posted?

with the switches set to power the outputs/tracks, do you see power on the atlas "selector" outputs and the "common" connection on the 220 "controller"?

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 2:18 PM

Yes I have the Atlas 220 controller. I have things connected like figure 2-10 except that X and Y go to a wye and not a reverse loop. And I have 3 selectors because I have ten blocks.

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 12:56 PM

OK so the throttle is connected to the phone jack with a crimped connector. The power goes all the way through to the cab connection on the controller. I took the leads that go to the cab connection and clipped them to my test track. It worked. The locomotive ran on the test track. There is output from the throttle through the phone jack.

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,678 posts
Posted by gregc on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:51 AM

so presumably you have a old phone cable that you tested the continuity thru the phone jacks

how is the throttle connected to the phone jacks?   it's sometime difficult to make good crimps on the phone plugs.

presumably with power to the phone jack and the 852b plugged into the phone jack you see power to the 852b but you don't see output from the 852b thru the phone jack.   is this correct?

if so, can you measure continuity from the 852b with it plugged into the phone jack, thru the phone jack

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:22 AM

Yes I do have separate jacks for each cab, and yes I tested the 852B by connecting it to my test track with clip leads. I also did a continuity check from the power pack through to the controller. I don't have any other throttles.

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,678 posts
Posted by gregc on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:12 AM

Dunderhead
I have connected the leads to my test track and it works fine 

when you say "it works fine", do you mean you tested the phone jack connections for the throttle thru to the atlas controller with some other throttle or that you just did a continuity check

if the connections are "fine" have you tried connection the 852b directly to the track (i.e. clip leads)

Dunderhead
From there I have leads running to the Atlas controller for each cab. That's where the problem is

presumably you have separate phone jacks for each Atlas controller connection

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Posted by Dunderhead on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:01 AM

Hi Greg

I have leads running from the AC on the power pack to a phone jack where the 852B is connected. From there I have leads running to the Atlas controller for each cab. That's where the problem is. I have connected the leads to my test track and it works fine. I'm sorry scematics are all greek to me.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, September 2, 2021 10:51 AM

I use one of those Stapleton throttles, but simply run a pair of wires to the track in order to run trains.
I don't use the Atlas Controller or Selectors, but do have toggle switches on the layout's fascia to kill or activate select portions of the track, which are isolated by cuts in the rails, each filled with a slice of ABS plastic.

For powered turnouts, there are fascia-mounted toggles, but the power for them comes from wall-warts.

Wayne

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,678 posts
Posted by gregc on Thursday, September 2, 2021 10:23 AM

can you describe how you wired it up?   an image would be better

Dunderhead
I have juice all the way to the controller but not beyond.

does this mean you provided power to the white/green wires but see no output on the red/black terminals which are presumably connected to the atlas controller

 

 

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • 54 posts
Varipulse 852B
Posted by Dunderhead on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 1:40 PM

Does anyone have any experience connecting the Varipulse 852B to an Atlas controller and selectors? I have juice all the way to the controller but not beyond. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

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