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putting power to a electric LGB switch

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cape cod Todd

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello All
I have several of the LGB electric switch machines but do not have a means to power them. I know that LGB has a little orange box they made specifically for this purpose but if I didn't want to track one down and I didn't want to pay the price they are going for can I make my own?
I would think they are little more than a momentary on switch but does it need a reverse circuit to throw the switch the other way? Are the LGB ones designed to be hooked up to their starter set handheld power pack? Does the power get stepped down through a circuit board?
I have my holiday oval around the Christmas tree and it has 4 turnouts on it and I would like to power 3 of them. My electronic skills are limited. Am I better off buying a LGB device or can I make my own that won't burn out the expensive electric turnout motors?
Thanks for your input.
 
#4 ·
the orange box is nothing but a alternating switch plus two diodes.

if you have any AC output between 12 and 18 volts (the black and white contacts on LGB powerpacks), you can make your own.

two simple pushbuttons (bellbuttons), two diodes and some cable.

connect one cable directly from the power to the White entrance of the switchmotor.
to the other cable from the powerpack connect the two diodes. (one with the painted silver-ring to the powerpack, one away from it)
to each diode connect one pushbutton. from the pushbuttons you can unite the two cables and run the united cable to the orange entrance of the switchmotor.

that's it. have fun

edit:

depending on the force of the powerpack you could hook two turnouts on the same pushbuttons. (then they would work together).
or you divide your cables between the diodes and the pushbuttons. (using two buttons for each turnout)
 
#8 ·
Posted By George Schreyer on 10 Dec 2010 04:35 PM
see link for two ways to do it, one of them is the guts of the LGB box which is indeed overpriced.

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/lgb_1600.html#controls

BTW, you can use a 9V battery and a switch mounted on a post with the version with the DPDT switch. Or you can go lower tech yet and use a broom handle.



George, I was looking at the switch, on your website, where you used two motors to throw the points. I have a similar situation on one of my reverse loops. It's not clear in your photograph, how you powered the motor to the right of the track. From what I can see, it looks like you have the two motors wired in parallel.
 
#10 ·
I like to add that the more cost efficient way is to use a DC power supply and DPDT switches for each LGB turnout motor. This avoids the diodes for each of the turnouts. I admit maybe not the biggest expense, but also more simple at install. I found no price difference between SPDT and DPDT therfore I prefer the DC solution whihc is also much less work.

For LGB drives you need momentary xPDTs or (ON)-OFF-(ON) while other drives can live with ON-OFF-ON switches which allows you to also fire up dual color LEDs that can give you feedback of the current switch setting (green for straight, red for diverted).
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
Thanks to all for the info and diagrams. After considering my options to power these switches I had another look on Ebay and found a "lightly used" switch box with instructions #51750 for $25 plus $7 to ship. I was the only bidder and won it. I figured by the time I bought the rocker switches, the diodes, wire and then fashioned a little box to house it all it made more sense to buy the correct unit.
Thanks again for the info.
 
#15 ·
Axle, AC is still a better alternate. When the motor is on with DC due to a stuck switch or other problem, it will just silently cook. With half rectified AC, the motor will buzz loudly so that it is obvious that something is very wrong.
 
#16 ·
AppleYankee said:
Image

I have five of these circuits working around my layout.

Diodes and Switches were obtained at Radio Shack.

Hi, I know this is resurrecting a very old post...I plan to operate my stitches using this solution. My question, is it the positive ac going to the switches or negative...or does it matter (new to ac wiring)?

Thank you!

-Jeffrey
Image


For easy access components are mounted behind the hardboard

Jan
Click to expand...
see above. Still new to how this site works.
 
#17 ·
The diodes select the polarity that the EPL drive motor will see. The purpose of the momentary switches and diodes is to provide half wave rectified DC to the EPL motor in 2 different directions.


I have found the EPL drives work better when adding the LGB booster unit (5275/52750).
 
#18 ·
Thank you. I am only running two switches off of 16v ac with a run of about 15 feet. Another question, can I gang on the second switch’s momentaries off of the incoming power to the first set (the wire coming into the momentaries before the circuitry)?

Thanks much, again!
 
#19 ·
JeffofSpace said:
Thank you. I am only running two switches off of 16v ac with a run of about 15 feet. Another question, can I gang on the second switch’s momentaries off of the incoming power to the first set (the wire coming into the momentaries before the circuitry)?

Thanks much, again!
Click to expand...
Yes you can. I have two loops on my small indoor layout and two connecting LGB track switches at two locations where the locos can travel from one loop to the other. On both of the junctions, I have two switches connected to their motors so that the DCC (previously ran DC power and AC for all switches) command from my handheld wireless controller throws both track switches at the same time.
 
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