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Over Easy Switches

Started by Bruce_Bennett, April 21, 2010, 08:36:17 PM

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Bruce_Bennett

Hi, It's me the pest again.  I heard (dreampt) about a way to add capacitors to the manual switches so if you lean on them, or like I did put a book on them you won't fry them (over easy, get it :). Anyway, anyone heard of this beast? If so how's it hooked up? A schematic would be nice.

Oh, one other thing.  I ordered a couple of Lenz Stationary Decoders for the switches. I would like to keep my manual switches around as a backup.  There close to a yard! Any ideas about the combination?

Got to keep the forum flowing!

Bruce

JerryB

Bruce:

I used lots of capacitance discharge switch machine power supplies when I was in H0. I don't remember the brand of the manufactured ones, but I also built many of them on perf. board.

Googling "capacitance discharge switch machine" produces something over 26,000 hits, with lots of the first pages being directly on point. Some plans to build, and some manufactured units.

As just one example, here is a link to some plans:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/CircuitIndex.html#30

Lots more similar available.

Happy RRing,

Jerry
Sequoia Pacific RR in 1:20 / 70.6mm
Boonville Light & Power Co. in 1:20 / 45mm
Navarro Engineering & Construction Co. in 1:20 / 32mm
NMRA Life Member #3370
Member: Bay Area Electric Railway Association
Member: Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources

Bruce_Bennett

Thanks Jerry, with a little looking I found Minitronics makes a little circuit board that's just the ticket. My eyes, hands, feet, eyebrows, whatever just arn't what they used to be. It's a lot easier to install a complete assembly than have to cluge up a board anymore  :)

Thanks again for your help

Bruce

Doneldon

JerryB- Thanks for the reference.  You saved me the work of looking this up for myself.  I appreciate it.  D

pdlethbridge

An option for those using DCC is a digitrax DS64. Not only will it control 4 switch machines (or it if they are doubled ) but it can be programed for routing. It can be used for solenoid or slow motion (tortoise ) switch machines though not at the same time on one unit.

Bruce_Bennett

I thought the Digitraxx machine was cool too until
I saw the Lenz LS150 unit could control SIX switches!
Same price.  More bang......

Bruce