Hi all,
Am having a problem with a dead zone in my peco track. As a switch has 6 tracks (entrance, exit 1, exit) if you are entering from the long way, do each of these tracks have to be manually powered by feeder wires? I’ve fed feeder wires ahead of the switch and behind it…but it still seems that only when a switch is thrown to that track does it have power. Any pointers? Using electrofrog switches if that matters…
Justin
Justin,
Not sure what your question is, but I use N scale Peco turnouts and may have an answer.
First of all, electrofrogs are power routed, meaning that they should only send trains on the selected route, and the other track behind the switch is electrically dead. Some modellers prefer this, as you can store locos on yard tracks or side tracks without wiring a separate block.
Electrofrogs do require insulated joiners on both inside rails just beyond the frog or they will create an electrical short all ways, because of the powered frog and polarity changes. If you have dead zones behind the switch, this is probably the reason. Of course, with the gap, you do need feeder wires on all tracks behind the turnout, even if part of the same electrical block.
If your problem is locos dying on the turnout, the points may not be feeding electricity to the rails just inside the frog. I’ve had this problem when I paint the turnouts - if you paint them, use tape to cover the points and also the little rail joiners that allow the moving rails to move. On electrofrogs, you could solder a little jumper wire right over the rail joiner holding them together, and I have even just soldered right over that joint to maintain electrical conductivity. Unless you really blob the solder on, the turnout will still function normally, and you’ll be assured of electricity to all rail sections.
Not sure I answered, but hope this helps.
This can happen when dirt builds up in the points. A way to prevent this is with a mechanical linkage to a microswitch used to power the frog, or contacts added to the switch machine for the same purpose. The microswitch selects which incoming rail powers the frog the same way that the points do, but reliably so dirt is no longer an issue other than too much will hold the points open and make the flanges pick the points.
For even better reliability solder 2 flexible wires to the undersides of the point rails close to where the rails are hinged to the frog where movement is minimal. Run these wires down through the table and use them as independent feeders to the moving point rails so the hinges are not required to pass electricity (they too will get dirty over time and could cause the point rails to become dead. Connect these 2 wires to a third wire soldered to the underside of the frog.