I have a Double crossover turnout (it takes 4 peco turnout motors) and I would like to be able to throw two of the turnout motors at the same time from a single power supply.
When I connect two turnout motors to one 16v ac power supply, It will only throw one turnout motor.
Any comments would be very helpfull
thanks, ennout
I suspect your ac source hasn't got enough current capacity to do the job. Somewhere on it should be a label stating what it can deliver. Do you have access to a stronger one? I assume you're not using a CD unit.
George
That is what I am trying to figure out. I am using just the AC side of a DC power supply (Bachmann), just as a test.
thanks again, ennout
I am not sure what a CD unit is ?
ennout
CD stands for Capacitive Discharge. It's a very simple circuit that stores up energy and then lets it all go quickly. There are a couple of commercial ones on the market in the $30 price range. The "Snapper" is one example of these. You can build one yourself for about $5 in parts. Google something like "Capacitive Discharge Model Railroad" and you'll find some circuit diagrams. You can use the same AC power supply, get a diode bridge rectifier, a capacitor and a couple of resistors. That really is all there is to it. I built one myself after not touching a soldering iron for many years, and it works just fine.
A single CD circuit can be used for all of your turnouts. It gives them a good solid jolt to throw them, and then the current tails off. This protects them in case the toggle switch sticks, at the Atlas slide switches are prone to do.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I don't think even a capacitive discharge circuit is going to help you because that Bachmann power supply just doesn't have enough amperage to throw two turnout motors simultaneously. You need a more powerful power supply. None of the power supplies that come with Christmas train sets, such as the Bachmann supply you have, will put out enough current.
That's the beauty of a CD unit. It sips at the input voltage/current and stores power in the capacitor(s) awaiting your push of the button. Since it has time between uses, it can store quite a whallop. As said, the power stored is sent to the T/O motors then tapers off because the charging rate is small. My homebrew unit charges up to ~25-30v but falls to ~2v if you hold on to the button long enough. I haven't fried a motor since installing it. Mine uses an unused AC output of one of my pwr packs. A small AC source is perfect for the job.
Have fun..... George
Thanks Guys, I now have two CD unit's on order at my LHS. (should be in next tuesday).
Thanks again, ennout
Hi ennout
You need a decent quality 16V transformer to provide the power for the points, a separate one to one that drives the trains
Don't skimp on this the reliability of your layout depends on it.
The points to be thrown are operated by the same switch so make sure the point motors are wired the right way (sounds silly but it has been done wrong before now Don't ask how I know), and you also need a good quality capacitor discharge unit to give that extra kick to make sure both the motors snap across.
I would not recommend more than two points in the same cct on the same switch unless the other one is a catch point ( derail I think you call them in the US)
One CDU should be enough for a small layout but if the line is divided into separate control areas I would suggest one CDU per pannel.
regards John