Ok, I just got to the point to where I need to add in a few switches into my layout. I went out and bought a few including and Atlas Left Hand Turnout, #850. I installed it and wired it just like the package said. I found that when I tested it to see if it would work, it will only switch to the left hand side but not back, meaning only one way. When I try to switch it back, I can hear a buzz, I guess the electricity. I need to know if I got a busted up switch motor or is it something in the wiring, or even something beyond that.
Check your wiring first. One quick test is to reverse the outside wire connections. One wire operates the turnout to the left, the other operates it to the right, the third wire in the center is the common wire. Right now, yours only works to the left. After reversing the wires, if the turnout now operates only to the right, your problem is in the wiring.
The buzzing you hear is the solenoid trying to operate. Usually, this buzzing occurs when you are trying to move the turnout one way, but the turnout is already facing that direction, so the solenoid just buzzes.
If reversing the wires doesn’t solve the problem, the switch motor is not working properly. Return it and get a replacement.
Darrell, quiet…for now
Or it is binding. Make sure it moves freely.
Thanks a lot for the help. I did reverse the outside wires and no luck, now it won’t switch at all. But I made me wonder if one of the wires is bad. I’ll work on replacing the wires, the same ones from another turnout, and see if that works.
i wired one of my atlas #850 and got it to work both ways but there is that burnt smell coming from the switch. is this normal or i have burnt the switch as i was testing it?
Do these turnouts come with wiring already attached? I’m wondering, since some train-set brands used to do that. Tyco had red/yellow/green wires on theirs. If memory serves me correctly, the red wire went to the left switch terminal, the yellow wire to the center terminal, and the green one to the right terminal.
Now that I think about it, the Atlas switches have screw terminals. However, they’re wired similar to the Tyco switches.
Daytripper, it sounds like your switch is sticking. If that happens, the switch “motor” will burn itself out!
Are you sure you have the correct toggle switch? You need the 3 position switch. I think they are called TSP or something like that.
Well, check to see if you use left-handed track nails to secure it. If you use right-handed nails on a left hand switch it will bind and…
Ah just kiddin. For what its worth, I have two Atlas swtich “flipper” motor’s go bad on me. I had one melt right there in front of me and it was new out of the box. I just hooked up and it wa sis first use. Sucker got stuck and melted.[banghead] So dont be surprised if it turns out to be a bad unit
Good luck,
John k
as for the burning smell…make sure you are using momentary contact switches…if I recall, Atlas turnout motors are not designed for continuously applied voltage nor have contacts that open once the switch has been thrown
dbduck,
what is momentary contact switch? i used the switch that came with the atlas package.
thanks/brgrds
a momentary contact switch only passes current while it is depressed…the ones that come with the atlas switch machines are of that type…however, those have been know to stick at times, causing power to continuously flow to the switch machine…causing damage
If you reversed polarity (switched the wires) and the switch did nothing, next check to see if the switch works manually with no binding. If that works and you said you smell an odor coming off the switch machine, you are logically working toward a bad switch. You might want to save frustration and go back to where you bought it and see if they will replace the unit.
Just a quick note on testing your Atlas machine: the three wires have to be correctly wired between the contact switch and the turnout motor. Make sure the wires on the outer terminals on the contact switch go to the outer terminals on the turnout machine. The middle terminal is the common return. Cross any two wires and it may work one way and not the other or it may not work at all.
A burning smell is bad. Those little motors can’t stand constant voltage and will burn up pretty quickly. Make sure the contact switch works properly and doesn’t stick. The little button slides up or down,but you have to depress it to make the contact. If you slide and press at the same time, the button can get stuck in the depressed position. Goodbye motor!
If all else fails, take it back to the hobby shop and see if they can get it to work. If you bought it online (shame on you! LOL), just return it for replacement. One of the benefits of the LHS is being able to get hands-on help.
Let us know what you find out.
Darrell, quiet…for now
Thanks a lot for help guys. I just fixed this problem, I got a new switch and it runs and works very good. Now hopefully I can fini***he rest of track laying sometime this week.
dgwinup,
many thanks for the last post. i have wired the turnout as per the instructions in fine print at the back of the packet. wired another one and tested. what i was doing wrong with the first one was pressing and sliding at the same time. bad move. anyway the burning smell is gone and both turnouts work. so no adios motor this time. i will now wire the rest of the atlas turnouts.
and no, i did not buy it online as past experience has taught me not to buy things sight unseen.
brgrds