Okay, here’s the deal. I decided to install a Walthers 90’ turntable kit. Yes, the one some people gripe about (not the expensive indexed one, which I cannot afford). So, everything is looking pretty good. I have the location ok and the first track that leads to the turntable. Everything lines up just fine and the loco runs right up on the turntable ( I am running DCC and using an AR1 to reverse the turntable). The AR1 does its job just fine and the loco can run right back off onto the incoming track in the opposite direction after I manually turn the table to reverse the direction of the loco. EXCEPT sometimes when I turn the turntable the table loses its electrical connection and the loco goes dead. I get under the table and mess with the two brass arms that connect the power to the two brass rings and eventually get it going again. Yes I know I was warned that this is a finnicky turntable. So, please withhold all the “I told you so’s” and give me any insight anyone has and how to improve the connection. I am sure that someone out there has come up with the perfect solution because I have seen people on this website say they use this turntable. I have not glued everything in place yet, so I still have a lot of options open if I need to change something.
There seems to be a separation issue with the brass on the shaft so that the two brass arms no longer ride properly on the brass shaft pieces. The solution would be better separation, tried a few things but nothing I would recommend yet.
From your description of the operation of the turntable, it sounds like you turn it manually without reliance on the separate motor kit. That is smart because it is the motor that is so unreliable.
Before I bought the more expensive indexing version, I used that more basic turntable with the add on motor kit. And, like you, I used the AR-1 to handle the reverse polarity when the turntable was rotated. The motor kit proved so unreliable that I eventually removed it and just operated the turntable manually. From that point on, I had no problems.
So, if you are operating the turntable manually, I am not sure why you are having a connectivity problem. The main issue is to power the two rails on the bridge track which can be accomplished with a pair of feeder wires to the rails of the bridge track.
Tell us more about your operation of the turntable and why it is failing.
I had this problem and it sounds like it’s losing contact. The issues I saw with mine: the “wipers” didn’t have enough tension and (as the turntable rotated) the wipers would “ride up/down” and end up on the plastic (isolated) spacer. I bent them into position to maintain better contact.
Before you “messed with the brass arms and brass rings”, what was their position in relationship to each other?
For a slipring setup, increase the spring pressure on the wipers as much as possible. Clean the electrical contacts (both rings and wipers) til they gleam. Check all the other connectors, solder joints and wires. Resolder any “cold” solder joints, and any joints where the wire is wearing and loosing strands of copper.
As a last resort, hardwire to the turntable bridge. Leave a great big slack loop of wire that reaches down to the floor. With a big loop you will have enough slack to run the table many revolutions in one direction before things get too tight.