Loco keeps stopping on the frog.

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

Abandon the a.c. output of the various controllers and get some more volts in there. I have habitually used an ex printer power supply, regulated at 18 volts, so however many point motors you are firing at once the unit steps up to the mark. They must stop be available somewhere, as must other regulated P.U s.

As long as the rated voltage of the CDU Caps isn't exceeded. Otherwise expensive noises for a very short time.

I've been watching this thread and as you're having troubles with your solenoids, I wondered if you'd considered using Tortoise slow motion motors. More outlay at first but they come with two change over switches and are super reliable as well as being gentler on your points. Nine year warranty too.

Hello Peter.  I actually have some unused tortoise motors bought cheaply secondhand.  They are too deep for the baseboard frames of my current layout.  I'll probably use them on a future layout.
Terry

Ah well, worth a thought.

[user=2170]Colin W[/user] wrote:

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

Abandon the a.c. output of the various controllers and get some more volts in there. I have habitually used an ex printer power supply, regulated at 18 volts, so however many point motors you are firing at once the unit steps up to the mark. They must stop be available somewhere, as must other regulated P.U s.

As long as the rated voltage of the CDU Caps isn't exceeded. Otherwise expensive noises for a very short time.

More volts [within reason] means no CDU needed.

D

[user=2213]fourtytwo[/user] wrote:

This problem is quite common in N gauge due to the limited stroke but your OO I think, looking at your layout thread I wonder if it's to do with the extra long operating wire going through the wooden mounting blocks causing a bit of spring back at the end of the stroke.

The minimal contact overlap on N gauge msut be similar to the equally small overlap of the contact wipers on OO Code 75 double slips where the 'loose screw' method saved my sanity years ago [reputedly!]

Doug

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

Terry Pl-10E is available and one can extend the standard pin on PL-10 using these

 https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PECO-KIT-2-Extension-Pin-Kit-for-PL-10-Standard-Point-Motor-x-6-Sets-1st-Post-/360686176038

I'm catching up here Terry - you said the extension pins Sol linked to are a tad expensive - I thought so too until I noticed the price is for 6 of them - i.e around £2 each.  I don't think that's bad. 

A word of warning - those extension pins don't fit SEEP motors - SEEP motor operating rods are thinner than Peco ones it seems !

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

[user=2170]Colin W[/user] wrote:

[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

Abandon the a.c. output of the various controllers and get some more volts in there. I have habitually used an ex printer power supply, regulated at 18 volts, so however many point motors you are firing at once the unit steps up to the mark. They must stop be available somewhere, as must other regulated P.U s.

As long as the rated voltage of the CDU Caps isn't exceeded. Otherwise expensive noises for a very short time.

More volts [within reason] means no CDU needed.

D

It's a long time since I fitted mine but as I recall it's about the current delivered at or above a certain voltage. This is why a CDU will drive multiple combined points but the power supply alone rated at the same Voltage will not (cannot meet the required current for multiple coils).


One way to think about is to remember the static charge you can generate by rubbing a balloon, kilovolts of potential and enough to make hair stand on end but not enough charge (and hence current) to harm a fly.

 

A long time ago I built a cdu with 4 x 4,700uf caps and fed it with about 20v ac if I remember. It easily shifted 8 peco motors, but when it was needed to shift only one, I had to use a resistor. Can't remember what value though.

I use the Gaugemaster 4400 uF capacitor Discharge Units powered by a 16v ac feed although this is on the light side when reading the instructions.  This easily powers 2 motors and does not damage one.

Incidentally, I was reading the Blocksignalling website to try to ascertain (without success) the strength of their "Mega" CDU, of which I have an example.  It appears that this is lower than 4400uF but I do not know what.  Anyway, the website recommends that, in order to maximise the effect of the CDU, you aim to reduce the resistance in the wiring as much as possible, using 16/0.2mm wire for normal runs and 32/0.2mm for runs over 6 feet.  I have used 16/0.2mm for my long runs and can drive 2 points successfully with the Gaugemaster units where the Blocksignalling units came up a bit short.

I know this has nothing to do with SEEP motors but I wonder if the wiring is the issue here???

Barry

I'd go with lack of input volts, insufficient capacitor capacity and wiring. They all conspire to make problems.