Wiring my layout has been on hold since the spring, so with fall/winter coming I’m looking to head into the basement again and wire things up.
I have to build a control center for the layout. I am using Lionel O22 switches. I already have a slew of SPDT toggles to control the blocks. I was thinking of adding either SPDT or DPDT toggles (momentary ON - OFF - momentary ON) to control the switches, and embed them into the pegboard track layout.
Does anyone use toggle switches instead of the levers that come with the O22 trunouts?
What amp rating would folks recommend for toggles. The toggles I am using to control the blocks are rated at 15 amps, and I figure that is overkill for the turnout levers.
If I wanted to add lamps to show which segment of the track was open to traffic, and which was closed to traffic, would it be best to use SPDT or DPDT toggles? I was thinking that using SPDT and only having the active/open track segment lit green would be the easiest.
With DPDT toggles I know I could switch lights from green to red (and red to green) on both the open and closed segment, and that I could also tie them to block signals if I wanted.
It sounds like you know what to do just make sure the switch you use will return to center off by itself. Should you forget to return to off you will burn out the coil, unless you notice it in time to shut it off.
He’s using 022 turnouts, which disconnect the coil after throwing; so there’s no danger of a burnout.
You could use the second pole of a DPDT to operate lights on the control panel; but you would need a non-momentary switch for that (which, as I just mentioned, wouldn’t hurt the turnout coils). Here are two other options:
Simply reproduce the wiring of the Lionel controller, that is, a momentary single-pole switch ((ON)-OFF-(ON)) and a lamp from each coil wire to the layout-and-transformer common.
Or forget about switches entirely and put two studs on your control-panel map (along with the lights) and throw the turnouts by grounding the studs (screw heads) with a probe.
I didn’t realize that the coil on O22 switches disconnect after throwing. Is that still the case with modern ones?
Bob, you have me intrigued with the stud grounding idea. I take it the probe is connected to the common/ground/neutral/outside-rail, and then one stud is connected to the turnout’s curve post, and the other stud connected to the turnout’s straight post?
I use KTM switch coils and Acme push button controllers so I did not know 022 switches disconnect the coil. However I still think a self return to off is a safer idea. of course its the modeler’s choice.
True but it won’t work with the non-derailing feature of 022 switches. The switch goes into hypersnap as trains cross the control rail if the switch is in the oposite postition.
I agree the best combination is momentary SPDT switch with lamps tied to the switch leads and with the opposite conductor of the lamp to common.
Is the probe anything more than a appropriate length of wire? If it is, where do I get one? I have Googled probe and got a lot of hits but all seemed to be attachments to electrical equipment with a corresponding price tag.
You certainly could use a simple piece of wire. But it is nice to have some sort of handle at the end of the wire. The probes that come with a volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM) would be perfect, like this one:
You could buy the meter just for the probes; but you could probably get one for free if you find someone with a broken meter, before he throws it away. It also wouldn’t be hard to make one from scratch.
Mouser sells a pair of probes for $5.20, with banana plugs. Their stock number is 13PN071-EX.
I like the idea of having a wand for the probe so I was planning on usin a length of brass hobby tubing with a wire soldered in one end, and then some of the heat shrink wire insulation over the solder joint.
Switch switches are SPDT (momentary ON/ON) with 2-color T-3 LEDs for position indicator. I used a 180-ohm resister on the ground side of the switch to the ground leg (shorter) of the LED. I believe the switch is rated at 3amp. Make sure you fuse the connection to your switches lower than your switch rating.
Block switches are DPDT (ON/ON). I wanted the schematic lights to come up seperate from the track power. Block switches are rated at 6amp, and track is fused at 5. Didn’t wire bottom poles of switch so it acts as off.
All Electronics will have the LEDs and grommets, and may have the switches.
