Lgb Switch control
- Thread starter BobbyM
- Start date
curtis
Registered
The Black and White are straight through from the AC power (usually labeled 3 & 4) in LGB diagrams like Greg posted.
Next to each switch/button, there are 4 terminals. The orange and white ones run to the motor for the point/uncoupler/signal. The other colours (green and yellow from memory) are to support the old style point motors that had 3 terminals.
BobbyM
Registered
Thanks, but the manual does not say what the spare terminals are for on the back of the unit. Each switch has 4 terminals, Why?
BobbyM
Registered
Thanks for that. Makes sense now.
separate question, can points and a semaphore signal be wired together from the same switch so that they work in sync?
The Shed
Citizen of the Republic of the North East.
Re the rear connections,
ORANGE & WHITE 2 Wire Point Motors.
YELLOW, WHITE (COM) and GREEN for 3 wire point motors.
As for working multiple point motors from the same switch, the following factors will need considering, Amp's and Voltage from the power supply, distance for cable run, and size of cable, as a guide 16/02 mm wire is the bare minimum cable size, 32/02 mm is a recommended suggestion.
ORANGE & WHITE 2 Wire Point Motors.
YELLOW, WHITE (COM) and GREEN for 3 wire point motors.
As for working multiple point motors from the same switch, the following factors will need considering, Amp's and Voltage from the power supply, distance for cable run, and size of cable, as a guide 16/02 mm wire is the bare minimum cable size, 32/02 mm is a recommended suggestion.
It can be done as the motors on the signals are pretty similar to the point ones and 2 points in a crossover will work also so I see few worries powering 3 motors with LGB equipment.
However signals are not an indicator as to the availability of a route set (shunt signals do that) so there is no logic in linking a main line signal to the points. What is logical though would be to ensure that the signal cannot be pulled off until, the route is set, this can be achieved by having an auxiliary switch on the point that only allows power to the signal when the route is set to the main line. Wiring should also ensure that the signal returns to danger when the points are set to normal. Can be done with EPL, but slightly tricker to get ones head around. Effectively the normal for the signal is powered direct with the normal setting of the points.
curtis
Registered
A tangential question on this. In "the World of LGB", there are multiple diagrams that show using a single momentary button to control multiple motors (switch, signals. However, the book is explicit in not doing this with the 17100 Track Contact :
I've been wondering why. Is it a technical or reliability limitation? As in, can the Track Contact not handle that throughput or because the connection is momentary they can't guarantee it will successfully complete the operation on multiple motors
The track contact contains a reed switch, and these are not particularly robust. - many will not carry a very large current, and also the back EMF 'pulse' from a coil without a snubber diode, could cause the contacts to 'weld' themselves together, or burn-out.
Madman
Registered
Bobby, if you can get a hold of the book "The World of LGB", you will be educated on the EPL system. It's a very simple system. At first I couldn't get my head around it, but once I threw out my common sense approach to all things electrical, it was like a light went on in my brain. I quickly noticed that with the light on up there, I had plenty of empty space to store things.....
Someone on here posted a link to an on line version.Bobby, if you can get a hold of the book "The World of LGB", you will be educated on the EPL system. It's a very simple system. At first I couldn't get my head around it, but once I threw out my common sense approach to all things electrical, it was like a light went on in my brain. I quickly noticed that with the light on up there, I had plenty of empty space to store things.....
Greg Elmassian
Guest
Interesting read, I have never read the document. I see where the false statement "running track power on brass track makes carbon dust" comes from. We had a big debate on that and I was also a carbon dust believer. We finally had the "dust" analyzed with a mass spectrometer, it is actually oxidized metal from the rails, it had the exact ratios of copper and zinc as the rails.
Anyway, was there ever a 2005 version of this document as indicated in the first page?
Greg
Anyway, was there ever a 2005 version of this document as indicated in the first page?
Greg
I do not believe so...But.. Someone may know of one?
Gizzy
A gentleman, a scholar, and a railway modeller....
If you are using points decoders, you can operate 2 motors together, but you need to set the motor pulse CV = 7, which I think is a half second.
I'm not sure if the LGB 51755 box can operate more than 2, as I've never owned one of these....
Greg Elmassian
Guest
The link above is to a re-issued version of the 1998 one. If you read the opening, it refers to the intention to have a 2005 one. I'm still reading it, but some interesting statements that could take a neophyte a bit in the wrong direction, for instance they discuss space for track solely on the basis of the ties fitting the space, not mentioning overhang of cars, which is a typical beginner mistake.
greg
greg
stockers
Trains, aircraft, models, walking, beer, travel
I run several 'pairs' of points together with no problems over many years. I didn't change CV7. Before I went digital , the 51755 box switched the pairs just fine.
