How do you have the LEDs wired? They need to be wired back to back with each other, then the pair inserted into the wire goign to either pin 1 or pin 8 of the Tortoise. If the LEDs are not connected opposite each other, it will only work in one direction.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Harold,
Do you have the small electrical jumper cables? I you do ,put a jumper on one end of the LED and the other end of the jumper to the other end of the LED,,IF the switch machine works,you know the LED,is open.Do a continuity on the DPDT,with power off,to both poles,IF you don't get continuity,with toggle is thrown both ways,contact bar inside may be bad..
Cheers,
Frank
I vote for a bad connection somewhere. How are your wires attached to the Tortoise? If you're using a circuit-board edge connector, try moving it around a bit. That might be the weak point.
You can check the LED easily by just jumpering a wire across is. Your voltage is low enough that the missing LED in the circuit will not hurt anything. If it works when you bypass the LED, that's your answer.
And yes, sometimes toggle switches just go bad. I've had that happen, too.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I would agree with you Jim,if it worked before,it has to be the LED. Or maybe a loose wire,in that connection.
1. Double checked all wires and connections. They are soldered or attatched to a terminal strip. All wire connections are tight with none touching
2.As far as the LED. I have 5 more wired exactly the same with no proble. Remember this was a working switch
3. Couldn't it be as simple as a DPDT toggle gone bad. If so ,how can I check this?
Sounds like a bad LED.
Jim
hwolfGreen LED is on. When toggle is thrown there is nothing. Tortoise is not activated and Red LED is out.
Your RED LED is reversed. TURN IT AROUND! Remember LEDs are rectifiers.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
And you're convinced that all wires are tightly connected and not touching one another where they shoudn't be touching?
Rich
Alton Junction
Standard DC installation with criss cross & center posts going to switch machine. I started checking the DCV at the machine to a terminal then to another terminal and then to the panel. As mentioned when the toggle is turned one way Green LED is on. When toggle is thrown there is nothing. Tortoise is not activated and Red LED is out.
Harold
LION rule TORTOISES!
If you are using a common return BE SURE IT IS GROUNDED! Stray voltages will eat you up every time.
Why anybody would use two where when one will do is beyond me. And well beyond my budget.
LIONS do not put LEDs in series with a Tortoise. Remember LEDs *ARE* rectifiers. Put them across the circuit (in parallel) with their own resistors. Then you can have as many as you need: at the control panel, and lighting signals on all tracks.
If it all worked OK before, it sounds like a loose wire or a wiring short if wires are touching one another.
How exactly is this all wired together, and what power supply are you using? 7.5V seems slightly low for a Tortoise.
And what are your voltage referenced to? If you have one probe on the negative of the power supply and then measure the voltage going to the tortoise, one side will have some + volts, and the other will be zero. If you flip the toggle, the side that was some plus voltage will now be zero, and the side that was zero will now be some plus voltage.
I have an electrical problem going to a Tortoise switch machine.
1. The switch on the control panel is a DPDT. Also connected to LED lights on panel
2. One side of switch is sending 7.5VDC to the machine. The other is zero
3. All wiring appears to be good . This was a working machine
4. The LED does not light when the switch is thrown to that side.
Would this be a bad switch ( DPDT)?