on one of my PECO switch machines, one of the terminal lugs broke off, with the wire still soldered on it. The other wires are OK, but the machine is still on the turnout. Any suggestions?
PECO switch machine
- Thread starter stary
- Start date
PECO switch machines aren't very expensive, so it may be easiest to just remove and replace it. The tough thing is how to install the new one, with your track already laid over the top of it.
Can you remove the turnout entirely from the layout before fixing it? I recently retro-fitted a switch machine on my layout and found it easiest to first solder the wires to the switch machine, remove the turnout from the layout then poke the switch machine up through the hole and attach it to the turnout.
If you can't remove the turnout, you'll have to install the switch machine from up underneath the turnout - doable... but not much fun (talking from (painful) experience).
Kenneth
Can you remove the turnout entirely from the layout before fixing it? I recently retro-fitted a switch machine on my layout and found it easiest to first solder the wires to the switch machine, remove the turnout from the layout then poke the switch machine up through the hole and attach it to the turnout.
If you can't remove the turnout, you'll have to install the switch machine from up underneath the turnout - doable... but not much fun (talking from (painful) experience).
Kenneth
I think you can probably solder a wire to the little bit left of the lug, where the internal wire is soldered, if you are fast enough and tin the tip of the wire first.
You might want to remove the motor so that you can get at it.
I have now quit trying to solder the wires. I push the wire in and squash the lug with pliers. The other part is to mount the wires securely not too far away from the point motor, so that they don't get moved very much. If you mount a terminal strip at the end of, say 6 inches of wire, you can replace them if anything goes wrong. If you take this precaution, it guarantees that you won't have to replace anything.
You might want to remove the motor so that you can get at it.
I have now quit trying to solder the wires. I push the wire in and squash the lug with pliers. The other part is to mount the wires securely not too far away from the point motor, so that they don't get moved very much. If you mount a terminal strip at the end of, say 6 inches of wire, you can replace them if anything goes wrong. If you take this precaution, it guarantees that you won't have to replace anything.
I AM able to remove the turnout, thankfully
as I was just testing it when I found this out, and the only other peice of track that is down is another turnout, (which is also PECO and it's working fine). So, I think I'll just buy another machine, cut the remaining wires off this one, and install the new one in it's place.Hi Stary,
No need to buy another PL10 motor, just solder the wire back to the existing lug which should still have some solder on. I have had to do this on my PL10 only because I have re-used them time and again making various layouts
Shamus
No need to buy another PL10 motor, just solder the wire back to the existing lug which should still have some solder on. I have had to do this on my PL10 only because I have re-used them time and again making various layouts
Shamus
Probably going off-topic here but how does everyone out there trigger their PECO switch machines? I'm using a normal capacitor-discharge circuit with two 2200uF capacitors however installing accessory switches on the bottom of these point motors resulted in them sometimes not throwing because of the extra friction the accessory switch creates. I'm wondering how others have resolved this problem.
Kenneth
Kenneth
I'm trigggering mine with ATLAS twin-coil switch controlers, and to test them I hook them to the AC terminals on my power pack. I plan to get an AC toy train transformer from Lionel, though, to hook them and the lights to.
Controlling switches
I have a couple of CD units (not sure of the farad count). I use a Peco probe and stud system set into a layout diagram. I don't hook more than 2 machines to any stud, although I have one where I have 2 switches and a signal. I also have an assortment of H&M and Japanese machines.
Where I have two hooked together, I make sure that they are the same brand so that they throw together. I haven't figured out how to mount the switches on the switch machines, but I find any extra drag is a problem -- the spring in the surface mount device especially.
Most of the Japanese twin-coils are mounted on Rix mounts. I have some that are on top of the board, often hidden under scenery. And some are just sitting there, as my wife noticed the day before we had the layout tours.
On another layout I operate on, we have switches controlled by push buttons. These frequently jam, either because they have been cooked by the CD or by the soldering iron when we installed them. Be very careful soldering to push buttons -- the Radio Shack type -- use a heat sink and do the soldering where you can get at it, not lying under the table in the dark with wires dangling down!
I have a couple of CD units (not sure of the farad count). I use a Peco probe and stud system set into a layout diagram. I don't hook more than 2 machines to any stud, although I have one where I have 2 switches and a signal. I also have an assortment of H&M and Japanese machines.
Where I have two hooked together, I make sure that they are the same brand so that they throw together. I haven't figured out how to mount the switches on the switch machines, but I find any extra drag is a problem -- the spring in the surface mount device especially.
Most of the Japanese twin-coils are mounted on Rix mounts. I have some that are on top of the board, often hidden under scenery. And some are just sitting there, as my wife noticed the day before we had the layout tours.
On another layout I operate on, we have switches controlled by push buttons. These frequently jam, either because they have been cooked by the CD or by the soldering iron when we installed them. Be very careful soldering to push buttons -- the Radio Shack type -- use a heat sink and do the soldering where you can get at it, not lying under the table in the dark with wires dangling down!