My 022’s are driving me nuts. I’ve taken them apart cleaned contacts checked wires for breaks made sure things are moving put them on the layout and they work great…for awhile. I’ll turn on the transformer after a few hours or a few days and they are dead. Not even the lights go on. The tracks around them seem to have power. I’ll take them apart again repeat the cleaning and checking and they’ll work for awhile and then not. Any ideas? I do have the fiber pins in the correct positions. Is there anything in the lamp sockets that could be doing this? I’m about ready to chuck the tubulars for fast tracks just to get things going!
Are you using constant voltage or relying on track power? O22’s are pretty bulletproof.
FYI - my first post. Hi-ho neighbors!
Hi-ho to you, Vern! Welcome!
I’m using track power with one extra lock on further down on the oval layout. The switches in question are quite close to the primary lock on off the transformer. I have to apologize about some misinformation about the switch models. One is an 022 that is acting dead, and the other “dead one” is a 031 (14062).
I opened the 14062 and it appears brand new inside ( I think it said 1995 on one of the plastic stamps) Everything looked ok, put it on the track and it lit up! but when I threw the switch the “frog”? area just flapped and rattled quickly back and forth. So the switch went from dead dead to alive but not right. I haven’t reopened the 022 yet though I went through that one a few weeks ago and it seemed ok.
I seem to have noticed that when I manually rotated the lantern on the 031 that seemed to have awakened it. I’m really confused. Note: I have NO electrical knowledge! I just want to play with my trains but the switches are killing me!
Here is a link to some basics on the 022 switch. It’s a pretty good one although I disagree with lubricating anything on this switch, particularly the solenoid. Oil and grease just attract dust and make things “:gummy” over time - one old man’s opinion. A really good cleaning should be sufficient. I like using a mild contact cleaner on solenoids and concealed moving parts. Look for poor connections and foreign debris - wire, bits of metal - Christmas tree tinsel was a killer back in the day, but that was a long time ago. Make sure you have insulating pins where they need to be. I had reliability issues until I went to using the constant voltage plug - give them enough juice and they really snap nicely! Hope this helps.
I checked the video. Excellent, thanks again. Do you know of any videos that deal with the lamp housing or part for?