LGB 51750 Switch Box - Why the Diode

[Rob s]

Won a couple of these on Evil Bay a few days ago
I Was a little surprised & curious, when i opened the
parcel and found a diode across 2 of the switches.

Does any one have any ideas as to why its there,
and what it is meant to do ? :thinking:

Pic's below show it was probably used for a 3way point

 

[ntpntpntp]

Yes I think you're correct. In the general instructions for LGB points it says:

[size=12pt][size=12pt]

12360 Three-Way Switch​

[/size][/size][size=12pt][size=12pt]

The 12360 Three-Way Switch​

includes two 12010 Switch Drives.​

To prevent the drives from interfering​

with each other, the included diode​

must be installed on the 51750​

between the orange terminals for the drives​

[/size][/size]I don't have a three-way point, but given that it has two motors there must be one route which needs to throw both motors at the same time (probably the centre route) and hence the two motors get wired together by the diode - in your example so that the "C" button's orange output also feeds the "B" button's orange output. When you set the other routes only one motor must fire, and hence the diode prevents power feeding through from the B button orange to the C button orange.

 

[Rob s]

Oop's thanks very much for that Nick
had missed that bit of info in the instructions.
I've been running a couple of 3ways for a while now
and haven't put a diode in the switch box
But i do make sure the one blade is moved before the other

So now i can use this diode for one switch