Capacitor Discharge Unit

sparky230

sparky230

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Can you use a CDU with LGB Point Motors?
 
I don't think you can?

LGB motors are not soleniods per se, but a motor whch turns by 180 degrees.

I've never seen a CDU used with LGB points, and AFAIK, they haven't made such a product....
 
the one i've taken to bits is a solendoid, thats a 3 terminal type
 
sparky230 said:
the one i've taken to bits is a solendoid, thats a 3 terminal type
Click to expand...

I think that is the very old type - the newer two-wire ones are motors as Gizzy said.

Jon.
 
I use a cdu on my lgb points and can't recommend it enough. All my point motors are the 2 terminal type. The cdu gives a dc output, all you need is a (on) off (on) dpdt switch wired as a reversing switch to control the motor. The cdu gives the motor a good operating pulse and is discharged so quick that no damage can occur to the motor if the switch is held in either (on) position.
It works and works well, give it a go. :D
Edit: The 3 terminal motors are just as easy. use the positive output from the cdu to a (on) off (on) spdt switch, the the two outer switch terminals to the two outer motor terminals, then the centre motor return terminal to the - of the cdu. To be honest it doesn't matter which way you wire on the output of the cdu.
 
Further to what I said above though......If you do give it a go make sure that the point motor supply wires are kept well insulated from any track supply wires. The discharge from a cdu will destroy the delicate electronics within a mts or similar locomotive or decoder.
 
It's not because the LGB motor isn't a solenoid design, it's more that it requires a reversable DC that makes it not compatable with a standard CDU (which pushes out a thump of DC in one polarity only) when using simple momentary on-off switches or buttons. As has been said, you can do it with cross-wired DPDT switches.

I've certainly physically thrown an LGB motor from a CDU (built dozens of mini-CDUs, one for each of the point motors on my N gauge layout) but I've yet to come up with a simple and economic equivalent module that would do the job with usual simple push-buttons i use. I expect it is possible to come up with something, after all how to DCC accessory decoders with built-in CDUs do it? To be honest, that's why I've not given it much more thought as my LGB motors are all driven via DCC decoders anyway.
 
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