Where to buy switches

[Vizzin72]

I need I believe a single pole double throw switch for switching my Bachmann turnouts with 16 volt ac.  I don't know where folks find switches for this type of thing.  Ideally instead of soldering the perfect switch would have screw down connection.

I forgot the switch has to be momentary.



Thanks

[jward]

any decent hobby shop that carries miniatronics products should have them. radio shack used to carry them and may still do so.

[Vizzin72]

I went to radio shack, they only had single throw momentary switches.  I found what seem to be nice double pole double throw momentary switches on eBay which I purchased for a really good price.  With the double pole I can throw two switches at the same time if I decide in the future I suppose so I will install it like that and can always add wires if I decide. 

[jward]

you could have used a spdt switch to throw two motors at the same time. I understand your desire to have each motor on a separate circuit but that isn't absolutely necessary.

[Vizzin72]

Yes and I also forgot to mention, that would have required two switches per turnout (one for each direction) and also nothing at radio shack had screw down connections but rather solder connections.  Since I've never soldered before I don't think starting with soldering two wires the size of human hairs together is a good base learning experience ha ha. 

[AGSB]

Atlas makes control switches for turnouts. #56. They are screw connections.

[jward]

Yes and I also forgot to mention, that would have required two switches per turnout (one for each direction) and also nothing at radio shack had screw down connections but rather solder connections.  Since I've never soldered before I don't think starting with soldering two wires the size of human hairs together is a good base learning experience ha ha. 

my bad. the post has been corrected to read ""spdt" which are what you want. you are correct that with spst switches you would need one for each direction.

[Vizzin72]

AGSB .... Thank you I wish I would have scene that but at least I know for future reference

[jbrock27]

MCM Electronics on the net, Ebay.

As AGSB pointed out, Atlas #56s are easier even if not appealing to everyone's eye.

You could also use 2 momentary push buttons for each turnout/switch.  The 2 momentary switches each bring power to the turnout/switch routed from one AC contact terminal and you set up a "Common" or "return" wire to the other AC contact terminal.  Barrier strips would work well in such an application.

As far as this:

...I don't think starting with soldering two wires the size of human hairs together is a good base learning experience ha ha.

wires that thin are not necessary.  Telephone wire, CAT 5 cable, Mr. Ward's door bell wire would work.  If going with something other than the #56, soldering is not necessary if you get electric switches that have screws on them or spades that can have spade connectors slide on them.   What you would need is good wire stripping tool (which you should have anyway no mater what you decide) and a good crimping tool.

I will add this, having the skill of soldering, opens up a world of opportunities (the good kind ) in this hobby.

[Vizzin72]

Thanks for all the info ... Yes I think I am good with the switches I ordered.  Eventually I am going to replace them with stationary dcc decoders, but I will be able to keep the switches in operation even with the those decoders to have two options for throwing the turnouts (either by dcc throttle or by switch on the fascia). 

As far as Soldering .... I will learn It as soon as I have the time, but I hear you.   

Thanks

[jbrock27]

Whadya order, if I may ask and from where?

Never mind, shame on me for not reading better

So, isn't Ebay a good place to look?  LOL!  But check out MCM too, they often have shipping for a flat rate of $6

[jbrock27]

And I agree, toggles and push buttons have a better look on a Control Panel than the #56s.

[Vizzin72]

The eBay site I bought from was in China so I'm sure it will take forever to get here, but at least I could browse around rather than just settling for whatever is in Home Depot or RadioShack etc. 

I guess in the mean time I can focus on the best way to wire everything.  Instead of cutting my AC power wire at each switch (for the switch hot) I would like to provide power to the first switch and then just jump a wire from it to the next switch and so on and so on.  With 16 volts and only a total of like 5 feet of wire total I can't imagine any problem with that right ? I mean after all the Bachmann switches I started with plugged right in to each other so that is essentially the same thing.  Now for the turnout commons since they are at different locations on the track, as opposed to the switches being side by side at the fascia, I suppose I WILL have to cut and splice at each. 

[jbrock27]

...in China so I'm sure it will take forever to get here...

You're absolutely right about that.  Still waiting for a 2mm and 3mm drill bit I ordered from Malaysia, going on a month now, 

I have found both Home Depot and Radio Shack to be rather pricey for the electrical switches you were looking for.  Same goes with Amazon.  MCM and Ebay have been the 2 best places I have found for such items.

Is there a reason why you want to control more than one turnout/switch with a single turnout control switch, as opposed to operating each turnout/switch independently?  You are using EZ track turnouts/switches, correct?

And no, that short a distance should not be an issue.

Ever find those slots I was referring to in the black plastic portion of the Bachmann motor housing?

[Vizzin72]

Yeah I got 5 switches I think it was for the price of what radio shack wanted for two switches or cheaper quality.  To answer your question, I want to have two switches through at the same time to put my train on an inner half circle instead of the outer half circle.  My son calls the inner line "philly station" but he throws the leading switch pulls the train in and forgets to throw the trailing switch when he laces the yard causing a derailment.  Plus, I think having a double pole, in the future, I can some how run a relay off of the second pole (for the switches that don't have two turnouts) to have light signals flip flop.

I didn't see the comment you were referring to with the plastic part???