I’m just starting to wire my first n scale layout and will be using approximately 8 to 10 of the Atlas standard turnouts - #2700 and 2701 - to begin with on a fairly small layout. My questions is how to correctly power them. I was planning on using an Atlas ac power pack separate from the DCC track power and wonder if I can gang all the remote control switches together and power them from that power pack. I’m new at layout wiring and would like to do it right the first time. - imagine that!
Those look like twin coil turnouts.They will operate off of AC. Just do not hold the switch down. The coil can be burnt out if the points hang up. Don’t ask me why.
The safest way is to use a Capacitive discharge unit. CDI. I have done that. The Circuitron Snapper is a great unit. It can fire a number of them. Couple other brands are sold also.
Google capacitive discharge unit for turnouts
Google Circuitron Snapper.
Since I have been in electronics for many years, I made my own.
Rich
Hi RSGBob!
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Dave
To answer your concern, the separate power pack will easily power all the turnout controls you can connect. I have about 40 (HO) connected to one MRC power pack and they have stood the test of about 20 years time.
Remember, the draw is never all that much, for very few turnouts will be activated at exactly the same time.
Here is wishing you a very successful layout build - and welcome to the Forum!
Hi guys,
The Snapper calls for a 12 - 25v AC power supply. Can you use the accessory outputs from a toy train power supply?
Dave
Yes. Usually the AC terminals are 16VAC, so right in range with what the Snapper wants. I don’t have one, but what’s the voltage ratine on the big capacitor? I only ask because 25V is a coommon standard voltage, and if you fed 25VAC intot he Snapper (the max they say is allowed), the voltage to the capacitor will actually exceed this. If they used a 35 or 50 volt capacitor, all is good, but if they used a 25 volt one, I’d stick with 16-18VAC as a real maximum.
–Randy
Thank you all for the helpful information. As long as I don’t need a snapper in line with the remote switches I’ll just find a power pack with AC terminal for the accessories.
Correct! You do not need a snapper unless you are trying to move one set of switch points at the same time as in a cross over or something.
These are called Twin-Coil switch machines. The middle terminal is ground, they may all be wired together and tie them to one terminal on your AC supply.
You need buttons (two for each switch position) to control the switch points. Make the black button or black wire to set the switchpoints to their NORMAL position, and use a red button or wire to the divereging route.
Unloved by me is the fact that these machines require push buttons or momentary contact switches that do not report to the console the alignment of the switches.
LION uses only Tortoise Switch Machines. One wire goes to ground and the other supplies eitehr (-) 12vdc to allign the switch or signal to its normal position, and (+)12vds to allight the equpmnet to its reverse position.
In this kind of an assembly the DOWN posaition of your switches shoudl be normal and the up position should be REVERSE.
Here is GRS switch machine and modelboard of LION. The modelboard shows where the trains are, the levers control the switches and signals as per railroad protocol.
ROAR
PS… [#welcome] to our forums. Your first few posts will be moderated, but then you will have the run of the house.
The reason I mention a Snapper is if you ever want to fire a ladder in a yard. It will fire more than one turnout at once. Some like to do that.
I made my own CDI a number of years ago with some diodes, a good size cap and a couple resistors. Circuits online. I have had a decent junk box for many years.
Rich
You don;t NEED a Snapper, but those Atlas buttons like to stick, which quickly melts the switch motor. That won’t happen when a CD power supply like the Snapper is used. They supply a quick short burst of power and then only a limited current if the button is held down or stuck. I used to burn out N scale switch machines all the time, then I built my own CD supply and never burned up another one.
–Randy
what kind of button could one use instead of the atlas buttons?
The SPST buttons will work fine, or you can go with a single SPDT toggle with center off. It’s less wiring by a bit.
I would still go with CD circuit, right from the start. It will help with your burnout problems (even toggles or buttons stick) and you don’t have to worry about wire run length, a common switch machine problem.
It has to be a SPDT MOMENTARY toggle. And with one of those, or a pair of pushbuttons, you may need some way to indicate the turnout position. The Atlas boxes, you push the button to the side you want, and then press it, so it typically indicated the last way you set things.
–Randy