I had a pretty good day working on the layout, but ran into a problem. I finally got the Walthers 130' turntable pit installed and the control wiring hooked up. I put the turntable in the pit, pressed buttons, and it moved! I started off with the error for the turntable home position needing set which wasn't surprising. After going through the manual and trying the procedure to set home position twice it still won't find home. I am guessing the emitter is on the table and the receiver is on the pit, but how do I check which side (or sides) aren't working right? Neither the emitter or receiver are covered, and the pit and table have both been in the box unless test fitting on the layout. Since it's after business hours I thought I would ask here before trying to call Walthers in the morning. Other than the fact the table doesn't know where it is in relation to the pit, everything else seems to work fine. I set up a couple of stop points using pencil marks and the table came back each time. Obviously that won't happen tomorrow since the table is back in the box, but the new stop points should be in the same relationship to the factory set points as they were today.
Good Luck, Morpar
Which turntable is it?
What is the Walthers Item Number?
It begins with a 9.
Rich
Alton Junction
MorparAfter going through the manual and trying the procedure to set home position twice it still won't find home.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
gregc Morpar After going through the manual and trying the procedure to set home position twice it still won't find home.
Morpar After going through the manual and trying the procedure to set home position twice it still won't find home.
The part number on my turntable is 933-2859. The only plug I have seen on the whole unit is on the bottom to input control power for the turntable and track control power and it is a polarized 4-pin plug. The input voltage is supposed to be 16 to 24 volts DC, so I am powering from my PLC system 24 volt power supply.
Ok, so you have the newer DCC model. Mine is 933-2829, the original non-DCC model. Both models rely on resetting a "home" position as the starting point for programming the stop positions.
I have experienced from time to time a failure to find the home position, yet I could program stop positions. But, if you have to reprogram the stop positions after powering down and then powering up again, something is amiss with the control box.
Let us know what Walthers has to say. They may or may not be helpful.
what is "To Home Sensor" referring to in the 2859 instructions?
It is a point on the turntable that is used to reference the exact location of the stop settings chosen by the user for roundhouse tracks, storage tracks, etc.
On the older, non-DCC model, it is referred to as the "zero point".
gregcwhat is "To Home Sensor" referring to in the 2859 instructions?
Mike
Water Level RouteThat is a hard wired connection, not something the end user connects.
gregc Water Level Route That is a hard wired connection, not something the end user connects. could that be at fault?
Water Level Route That is a hard wired connection, not something the end user connects.
could that be at fault?
When I first installed mine I would get the error light and erratic performance. I cleaned the tynes and rings with alcohol and it ran fine after that. I had to clean the tynes and rings about four times in the first month as it would start running poorly again. After cleaning those first few times I never had to do it again and that was several years ago now. I put it down to the manufacturers' goo. Just a thought.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
gregc Water Level Route That is a hard wired connection, not something the end user connects.
richhotrainthe instructions imply that the zero point uses an infrared signal to operate.
the instructions indicate error "E1" indicates a sensor problem: blocked, bad pit led or sensor. presumably if the pit rotates 360+ deg, the controller can recognize a problem
BATMAN When I first installed mine I would get the error light and erratic performance. I cleaned the tynes and rings with alcohol and it ran fine after that. I had to clean the tynes and rings about four times in the first month as it would start running poorly again. After cleaning those first few times I never had to do it again and that was several years ago now. I put it down to the manufacturers' goo. Just a thought.
I called Walthers this morning and got to leave a voicemail about my issue and I will be contacted in the next 2-3 business days. I plan to try cleaning everything with some alcohol in the morning and see if that will fix it.
If you use alcohol to clean the parts, 70% isopropyl alcohol is sufficient, nothing stronger. Just a quick wipe with a damp cloth.
Make sure to clean the center point on the underside of the bridge.
Unless the newest version (DCC) is substantially different from the former (Built-up/Indexed) version that I have, there is a small 'optical eye' on the pit wall. The owner is cautioned not to make any indexed 'stops' there, on either side or over it, for an inch or so. Other than that, those tines and wiped rings do need cleaning and/or some metal polish from time-to-time. I never did have to use the polish on mine, but I will do so when I resurrect if after 12 years shortly. Good clean contact is a must. Keep the pit scrupulously clear of dust, grit, bits o' ground foam, sproinged track spikes, etc.
If the power supply is suitable, and the wiring all checks out with a meter, , and the wipers and ring are clean with good contact metal-to-metal, then it must be an internal fault, assuming the programming sequence is being followed correctly. A zero point must be established (and that should probably logically be the point where the bridge rails line up with the approach lead to the pit opposite the roundhouse). From there, you manually line up the rails with each bay track and other exterior radials, and you press a button to establish each location.
Morpar, one thought for you is to check the piece in the pit wall. If I remember right it is a friction fit piece. Maybe it's slid down enough to be problematic from handling the turntable repeatedly? Just a thought.
Just based upon my experience with the Walthers turntable, since the OP indicates that he has handled it gently and not dropped it or otherwise mishandled it, my guess is that the parts cited in the instructions simply need to be cleaned.
Yesterday morning before I started remote mounting a trio of Tortoise machines I focused on the turntable. Cleaned all of the contact points, swabbed the sensor on both the pit wall and the bridge, checked (without disassembly) that the sensors were in place and seemed connected, and even gave a drop of oil to the places indicated in the instructions on the drive (just because, not that I thought it would help the home position issue). Put the bridge back in place, turned on power, gave the command to find home position, and the bridge went around 1 full revolution (I started about 90 degrees CCW from the home position sensor on the pit wall) and gave me E1 again. I found a different number than the one I used the other day for Walthers and called them, but even though the lady who took my call was very nice and helpful I am still awaiting a phone call back from the tech support guy(s). I don't want to start laying any track around the turntable and then have to rip it out as a return, so I guess I will be working on other parts of the yard for the time being!
Well, so much for a thorough cleaning. I had begun to convince myself that cleaning would solve the problem. Meanwhile, Walthers Tech Support is not being responsive.
I did some further research on the ERR1 issue, and it seems to suggest that the controller is the problem. The solution in a couple of cases was to replace the controller. The replacement controller for the 933-2859 is the 933-2320. It retails at Walthers for $49.98, but you can find it discounted for about $40.00. That may be the way to go.
Interesting! I have a second controller on the north side of the yard. I think I will do some cable sawpping (after I get the Tortoise machines wired and working) and see if that helps. I may have to change which is the primary controller and which is the secondary, but that is all based on plugging in cables.
have you visibly inspected the slot in the pit and presumably a similar slot in the bridge to see if there is anything that might block a light beam?
can you see a LED like device in the slot of the bridge? could it be knocked out of alignment? can you see if the wires to it are properly connected?
can you see the head of an LED behind the slot in the pit? it might not be visible is it somehow got knocked loose
richhotrain Well, so much for a thorough cleaning. I had begun to convince myself that cleaning would solve the problem. Meanwhile, Walthers Tech Support is not being responsive. I did some further research on the ERR1 issue, and it seems to suggest that the controller is the problem. The solution in a couple of cases was to replace the controller. The replacement controller for the 933-2859 is the 933-2320. It retails at Walthers for $49.98, but you can find it discounted for about $40.00. That may be the way to go. Rich
The Tortoise machines got finished today and while I was under the layout I swapped the cables around to try using only the north side controller. Same result as before, start looking for home position about 90 degrees CCW of the sensor and the bridge does a full rotation before the controller comes up with E1. I also turned out the basement lights and tried to see if there was any visible light from either the pit sensor or the bridge on a second try. No light, but that didn't rule anything out to me as we had some photoeye sensors at work which used infrared light. Which made them a bear to adjust I might add! I am hoping Walthers calls back next week and can guide me on how to troubleshoot the issue. I figure there are only 3 choices at this point, the sensor, the emitter, or the main board, but I'm not sure how to diagnose them. Since the input voltage is either AC or DC I presume the main board converts to whatever voltage and type for the sensor system and motor (I would guess DC) and sends it to the bridge via the contacts. Then how to check on each side to determine which component is bad? Pit side should be fairly easy, but the bridge (without the right knowledge) could be really bad if you hook up power where it doesn't belong!
Hmmm, I guess that we can rule out the control box. Apparently, that home sensor or zero point or whatever Walthers calls it is not sending a signal to the circuitry on the underside of the turntable. Either that or the circuitry on the underside of the turntable is not processing the signal correctly.
are the bridges the same length? can they be swapped?
gregc are the bridges the same length? can they be swapped?
At this point I think I will have to wait until Walthers gets back with me and go from there. At least I have plenty of other things to do so the turntable isn't stopping progress! Maybe I will have the rest of the yard all wired when the turntable finally works...