Yeah, I know about those electronics gods!!! Thanks so much for your help--and for everyone else's. I think I'm finally on the right track. Can I ask you to check just ONE more diagram just to make sure I understand this and can get it right every time? This is a cross-over, using Peco Electrofrog (power-routing) turnouts just as before. As you can see, I've gapped the two rails where the turnouts meet each other. (For those who have missed it, I'm using LED's with built-in resistors).
A crossover is controlled by one switch, since the switches aren't really useful if thrown separately. That's why I use contacts in the machine instead of aux switches. You need a LOT of them!
Oh, but I'm using manual turnouts, and I'll be pushing and pulling two knobs to control each crossover. I'm afraid I'm not up to rigging a manual linkage that would throw both sets of points in opposite directions simultaneously--and the last thing I want is a switch machine. The whole reason for the switches is 1) the buttons on the slider switches will mechanically throw the points, and 2) I have power-routing turnouts, and I want to wire the turnouts so as to make positive point contact between the points and the stock rails unnecessary. (Since the points so often don't make good electrical contact). The bonus is that when I throw a turnout I will 1) get reliable electrical routing, and 2) see a light on the control panel confirming that I have thrown the switch.
Chaya I think you still have the LED'S backwards again tho. Looking at the diagram's second DPDT switch in the middle. If the switch is set UP to route power from the black rail to the frog that would be straight through the turnout correct? you have the led to signal for the diverging route connected to the second switches UP or upper right connection. basically they are backwards. According to the diagram using the colors the black rail contact in this diagram should be connected to the straight leg LED's on your control panel and the red rail contacts should connect to the diverging led LED's on the panel. I know it's somewhat backward thinking but thats how it works. I suggest the easiest way to do it is to just leave the LED's not connected to the board until you can check that you have them in the correct holes. This way if you make a goof its a simple swap of the LED's holes and not more re-wiring. Also maybe make use of zip ties or twist ties to keep the LED's for each turnout bunched together and labeled as to where they go so you don't have mass confusion over the "which wire goes were game" Anyways best of luck and I hope I didn't confuse you more
:lightbulb:Oh, another hard knox lesson. Never bend the wire over when you put the wire into the hole in the switch contact peg. If you do this, you will be able to remove the the wire if you need to replace the switch without running a new wire or splicing to a too short wire... Fill up the hole with solder completely.
Wait! Wait! I got it I got it! Even though the "black" rail on the left turnout looks like it is controlling the straight route, it isn't!!! Woohoo!:w20z6q: Thanks so much for all your help. I wouldn't have a prayer if I hadn't asked for help. Tony: thanks for the very good tip. I wouldn't have thought of it.
When doing your control panel light, loop the common return wire between the lights (your black wires) and have a single wire from the panel back to the (-). Saves wire and makes it a bit neater ex the panel.
Okie dokie. I was going to use a barrier terminal, but your idea sounds a lot better. It won't decrease the power to the lights too much?
Nope! The power to the lights will be determined by the way they are hooked up, parallel or in series. In parallel, you add the currents to find out how much you need. In series, you have the same current as a single LED, but the voltage adds. In short (noooo bad word! :teeth you should use a decent thickness wire for the common wire, but for LEDs a 24 gauge run should be fine... Oh yeah, another :lightbulb:. Use solid wire! You'd be amazed what those frayed ends touch in the tight confines of your control panel! :lightning:
You can wire to a barrier strip coming into the panel from the switches on the +ve side, then to your lights. The -ve side can be looped (daisy-chained) and go to a separate twin terminal barrier strip, one for -ve the other -ve. If using LED's, you are talking 15mA each so small wire will be fine unless you have many of them. So, bring your power supply +ve and -ve into the panel via the twin terminals, then +ve out out to the centrepoint of the first switch and daisy-chain between switches. The indication +ve from the switch comes back into the panel and you either go direct to the light or via a barrier strip. The -ve side as above.
As Tony says. Current increases in parallel, you need to increase voltage in series. Essentially, if you have 10 12V lamps connected in series you can put 120V on them and they will all light the same intensity (assuming they are all the same rating) and pull the single lamp rated current. You lose 12V across each lamp. Lose one lamp and they all go out. Some older Christmas tree lights worked like this. In parallel, you have a single 12V lamp times 10. Put 12V on them and they will light to 1/10 the brightness at the same current as above. At 10 times the current and they will light at full brightness. Lose one lamp and you use 90% of the initial current but still have 9 lamps working, and so on. For the panel wiring, I wouldn't recommend solid at all. It doesn't flex easily and if you are opening the panel from the front, eventually wires will break off. Multi-strand wire is better and the breaking and fraying issues can be mitigated by using heat shrink over the terminals or legs of the LED/lamp. This provides insulation and strain relief at the solder point. Also, when using termination blocks I would recommend using ferrules or bootlace crimps on small diameter multi-strand wires. It gives a far better contact in the block and there are no fraying issues. The panel will be easier to manipulate and the wiring easier to tie together using cable ties (tie wraps), again to mitigate flex and breakage.
We have panels with thousands of opens, using solid wire, no failures. The trick is to make the wires rotate, not flex. The wire bundle enters at the bottom side, runs along the piano hinge, then up to the switch.
You've lost me here, Gary. What or where are the "+ve" and "-ve" sides? Never seen these before.:confused2:
