Ok, I tried hooking up the bad rails to a good motor. The bad rails worked just fine. I guess its not the rails, but it the motor that is bad. Now we narrowed it down. The rails are good, the motor housing needs looked at. Explain what I should look for. Maybe wires are soldered in wrong place, but i checked olsens and they are all the same. Humm
At least I know we have good rails but fussy motor. It was working for a second or two, Then went back to the way it way before. Not sure how to fix the motor problem. I tried resoldering all the joints and they are all good. Checked the wiring, all good. Maybe it has bad grounding or something. Let me know.
I don't understand how you got that 1-ohm reading from a good turnout then. You did have the motor removed, didn't you?
Are you testing with a controller, or just touching something to the turnout's terminals? A bad controller could cause symptoms like you're seeing.
When the turnout moves to the straight position, does the motor shut off; or is it continually forcing the points?
Bob Nelson
Check the bent tabs that hold the wires running on each side of the switch motor connecting the sliding plate with the solenoid. If the switch was ever accidently stepped on (e.g. on a floor layout) the tab can cut through the insulation just slightly enough to cause an intermittent short but be difficult to spot under the tab.
Yes, I did have the motor removed and still got a 1 ohm reading. Yes, I am testing with an 022 controller. I tried it on two different controllers, same result. Motor turns off when locked into the straight position, but when it in the curved position the motor forces it back to straight.
Those tabs were good. But, I had it working for a second or two, then it just got all goofed up again.
I also just turn the lantern to make it switch. Still nothing. No change. Motor compartment is free of rust and debris. Looks good, i dunno.
That 1-ohm reading has me baffled. I don't see how that turnout could work, no matter what motor was connected to it. What resistance reading do you get if you take a completely good turnout, rumove the motor, and measure between the straight control rail and the straight outside rail?
What happens if you install the suspect motor on the other side of the turnout? Does the problem move to the curved path?
let me try it.
Now the switch stays in the curve position instead of the straight position, but still does the same thing. Still cannot figure this one out. I put the motor on the other side. Now stays in curve position. What do I do now?? Have you guys figured it out yet??
That means that the problem is in a small part of the switch motor. The terminal that the controller grounds to throw the turnout straight or the wire between it and the contact plate at the other end of the motor assembly or the contact-plate terminal is grounded, either within the switch-motor assembly or exposed so that it comes in contact with some grounded part of the turnout assembly.
So basically look for any wire that is touching something it should not be touching?? I will take a look.
No bare wires at all. All looks good. Should I check where each wire is going??
The switch buzzes when half way switched in either direction. It will stay in curve or straight, but now when you manually switch it, it buzzes half way through when switching to another direction. It will stick in striaght and curve, but will buzz when going from straight to curve or vice versa. And the controller action does not work, it will only stay in straight and will not switch to curve, it tries to but will not do it.
Can you make the motor work properly when it is not attached to the turnout? (Connect the transformer between the center terminal and the fixed-voltage plug.)
OK, I will try it. Connect one wire to the center terminal and another to the fixed voltage tap. Will do.
Yes, It works just fine when I attach a wire to center nut and attach the fixed voltage plug when motor is off the rail assembly. I take it that is good news. Now what?
That suggests that something on the top of the motor is touching something that it should not on the bottom of the turnout when you put them together. See what you can find on the motor that might be doing that.
Ok, I will check. There is a copper little tab thing under the common contact assembly thing. the middle thick rail, right under it. Is that copper tab supposed to make contact with anything??
Top of the motor, you mean the motor next to the light bulb?? Or do you mean where the contacts are??
I looked really hard and could not see anything that is touching something it should not be touching. Maybe the insulation that is wrapped around one of the strips is not insulating good enough. I dunno. I have tried everything haven't I. I tried taking out the bulb to see if it works, nothing. Could I try hooking up a wire to center nut to the U on transformer and fixed voltage plug plugged in with no controller all connected to the track on the layout??
The nut, the one used to screw in the screw that hold the motor assembly, is it supposed to me metal or plastic bakelite?? Mine is metal, just wondering cause some of mine are plastic ones.
I found what was wrong. The 2 contacts closest to the edge of the switch is touching the middle rail or two outside rails. I put black tape over it where it was touching and it worked. But the switch cannot switch all the way, because the black tape is too thick. Does not swivel as well. What should i do??
little bit of lube did the trick. Now it swivels just nice. Thanks for all the help with this matter. Now I am happy with that switch. Thanks again.
Now I am having problems with the contacts on another switch. The contacts are not touching the metal contact plates. How do you bend these contacts down to make them touch?? Any tricks to do this? Any way to do this or take out the contacts and put in new ones?? Thanks.
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