How can I even tell if it works?
I tried wiring it based on what I read in my wiring book, but it’s still not clear to me how to wire this. There’s two terminals near the track that says “Fixed Voltage” which is srrounded by plastic, next to another metal strip that takes screws. Then near the edge there’s another pair with raised thumbscrews. Then there’s a singular post that I believe is ground. I got a SPDT switch at radio shack to test this out and I can’t seem to get it to do anything, and I tried all sorts of combinations. I am assuming I only neede to wire the 3 raised posts.
I searched around a bit and I can’t seem to find anything specific. Thanks!
I can’t help you out too much on this subject, but you can check out the super O group at yahoo.com. They will answer all your questions about super O track and those 112 switches.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lionel_SuperO_Track/
That “fixed voltage” screw is for supplying accessory voltage to the turnout. If you want to power it from the track, move the screw to the adjacent hole in the metal strip.
Ok, I put the screw in… one doesn’t work at all and one turns on a green light and quickly jups back and forth in a spasm. Is my wiring wrong or is it broken?
I have the two thumbscrews near the track to the outer poles of my switch, and the singular thumbscrew to the center pole of the switch. (It’s a SPDT, center off switch).
Is there an advantage to switching it to fixed voltage? I have other questions but I’ll wait until I read my wiring book more. I was just hoping to determine quickly if these things even worked so I can plan my layout.
It sounds like you wired the switch correctly. But disconnect it to see whether the spasm stops. The control rails (the rails that connect to the frog) have contact springs that ground them when there is weight on the rails, whether or not there is a conductive path between the wheels. These springs may be loose or bent, touching and grounding the control rails when there is no train present. Is the turnout connected to any track? The control rails should be insulated from the outside rails of the adjacent track.
There should be two lamps (19-300) under the switch motor cover, one for red and one for green. The red one may be burned out.
Why the one turnout doesn’t work at all, I don’t know. Is there voltage between the outside rails and the center rail?
So all my outside rails on the turnout should be insulated… only allowing power into the center rail? Or just the outside rails leading to the frog?
Just the two outside rails leading to the frog.
Awesome. Thanks Bob.
I messed with it again last night. I left just the “single side” connected and the switch worked fine. My red light is, in fact, out.
Great! But what about the one that didn’t twitch at all? Is it working now?
Sorry to dig up an old post, but a year later i’m finally trying to finish my loop. Had a baby and all that… but I have a week off so I’m trying ot get this done while the baby and wife are with the in-laws.
One switch I have is stuttering like a madman… and I don’t know how to trouble shoot it. I;m wondering if it’s these springs Bob mentioned above.
If there’s no train it stutters. But if I throw a dummy on top of it… it doesn’t whine. Hrm…
Any ideas? (I posted this to Yahoo O group as well… but multiple sources never hurt!)
Thanks!
Anthony
It looks like your inquiries have been addressed at length on the Yahoo “Super-O” group…
Rob