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Pre-wire your Tortoise Switch Machines for Easier, Faster Installations (65)
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- čas přidán 19. 01. 2020
- Tortoise switch machines are one of the most popular options for controlling turnouts on model railroads. However it can be literally painful trying to wire them after they are installed under the layout. For that reason I pre-wire mine on my bench top and avoid having to dodge hot solder splatters while working upside down under then layout. It only takes a few minutes to install the wires and get the Tortoise ready yet saves a lot of time when you are ready to install one or need to swap out a bad one during an operating session.
Your a model railroad genius! I could watch these videos all day. Thank you for the content
Larry, you should go one step further: solder your wires to a slip-on connector (there are several suppliers of Tortoise connectors). Then, replacing the machine involves no wiring at all - simply slip off the connector, replace the machine, and slip the connector back on. Also, I use 8 connector cable so that I have access to all six of the Tortoise auxiliary contacts if needed.
Should have watched this video about two weeks ago. Live and learn I say!
One of the big advantages of using Cobalt switch machines and bootlace terminals on the tips of the wires, there isn't any soldering at all required, just crimp them and that's a godsend when you have to work underneath a layout and use WAGO connecters to your DCC feeders and no soldering at all and better connectivity
I prefer soldering the feeder wires under the layout to Edge Connectors which then just slips onto the Tortoise.
Great hint, Larry! Yer 'da man! Too bad these rascals are a bit on the delicate side.
You can say that again, just rewired the power leads for the second time, soldering upside down is absolutely no fun! And use good wire not cheap breakable (impure) copper wire that doesn't take solder well. I don't drill the holes though.
Yes, I should have mentioned that I like to use stranded wire instead of solid as it will flex much more without breaking. I also like to use 20 gage wire which is one reason I drill out the holes a bit bigger.
Great video!
Larry great video I hope you can help me .I was very lucky to inherit a large(huge) HO layout. It is wired DC. I am going to upgrade to NEC DCC. I do not think it will to hard, I will be up grading to Tortoise machines. The only problem I have trouble with, the entire layout is made with old time TRU-Scale track. Track work is supper sharp. How do I upgrade the turnouts to be DCC friendly with out destroying the good looking trackage? All ideas and helpful hints will be appreciated my relation spent a lot of time making tings nice and I want to honor him by doing a first rate job. Thank You Mike Koch Schuylkill Haven Pa.
Your videos are fantastic, thankyou very much! Can you help me wire 2 tortoise switches together for a crossover with 1 DPDT switch, 4 LED signals and a control panel LEDs (red-green). Thanks for your help.
Check video #24 where I showed how to do what you want.
This answered a lot of questions I had about these. The only thing I’m left wondering is say a person has insulfrog turnouts that are insulated. Obviously you wouldn’t solder a wire to it for anything. So in that case, you would just send the black and the white to the bus cable and use the red and the green for your toggle switch?
With Insulfrogs you would not be powering the frog so all you need to do is provide DC power to tabs 1 and 8 on the Tortoise using either a switch or accessory decoder for directional control.
I noticed you use 22 AWG wire coated with several different colors sheathing. The model train shops and websites I purchase from do not have such a variety. What brands of wire do you use to wire your tortoise machines? Thank you.
I used to get my hookup wire from All Electronics, but now they are closing the end of August I likely will go to Jameco.
MPJA is also a good supplier for 22 gauge hookup wire.
very nice, Im gong to be making theses for my layout soon. A question though, which one of the wires go to the frog, and two feeder leads, and if I wanted to use the other three connections for LEDs which connections go to which LED leads?
There is a figure in the Tortoise instruction sheet that shows the wiring connections for the traces. In my case the 4th trace from the left goes to the frog and you just have to wire the feeders to traces 2&3 then test the frog polarity-I usually just run a loco over the frog. If the polarity is off then I swap the feeder wires. This is where a couple test leads come in handy.
@@TheDCCGuy thank you for your explanation
I have 16 to 18 gauge wires going from the power to the toggle. Should I stick with that to go from the toggle to the tortoise or should I decrease them to 22 gauge? I have plenty of the 18 gauge. Except for getting it to fit into the holes more easily, does it matter?
You’re fine. I pre-drill the holes to fit whatever sixe wire I use.
Mr. Puckett. Thanks for this video. How long are the wires that you install. They look to be about 8" if I was to hazard a guess. Thank you, Kennedy
Yes, that’s about right. In most locations the DCC power bus is close enough for that to be long enough.
Great tip thanks
This is a great idea. I have several to install. I’m procrastinating. Lol. Do you power these of your buss line or a separate power source ? I plan on using throws
As I showed in my videos series on control panels, my Tortoises are controlled by accessory decoders which themselves are powered by a separate 12VDC power bus. This isolates them from the DCC power bus and makes them independent of it. I can throw turnouts even if the DCC system is off.
The DCC Guy ah ok. I have a lot of videos of yours to watch still. I will have to go back and watch that series. I’m currently working on building lighting and trying to figure out what/how to power those up🤷🏻♂️
I made my own light fixtures using ceramic bulb holders and 12ga wire. I then installed LED light “bulbs” in each fixture at 3’ intervals. Yet another subject for a video however due to potential liability issues I may have to skip that one. Another option is to use LED tape like for under cabinet lighting with the newer double LEDs. You could just order the party lighting strings like they used to use at car lots. They usually have a bulb fixture every 3’ so just hang them and you’re ready to go.
They make a edge connector with screw connectors. No soldering on machine, no soldering on flimsy fingers of solder on edge connectors . Easy on easy off .
I know and I have a couple, but these are expensive! I can pre wire Tortoises with T-taps and spades and make them just as easy to swap out at much less cost.
Hi, thank you for your excellent electrical videos. Could you advise on the required sizes for the eight different connections on the Tortoise switch machine please. I’ve searched the web only to find many contradictory opinions on wire size.
Kind regards
Duncan
The 8 different positions are 2 outside are for powering the tortoise . 6 inside position are for two separate DPDT switches that you can use to power frogs and the other one for signaling
What size of AWG wire do you recommend for connection to the drilled holes on the switch machine board?
I use 20-22 awg and enlarge the existing holes to accommodate.
Great video that is full of good preventive tips. How do you like the Tortoise switch machines compared to others on the market. Like Cobalt? Thanks for sharing. Ken
I guess I need to get a Cobalt just for test sake. The Tortoise has such a long and popular history of use that they are hard to pass up. Also because of that popularity they are readily available on the second hand market. The fact that they incorporate a pair of SPDT switches makes the ideal not only for turnout control, but frog polarity and signals or LEDs. With a current draw of only about 20 mA you can power about 50 with a 1 amp power supply. I have looked at a couple other brands but none match the Tortoise!
Larry, would be about to do a video comparing the Tortoise, a Cobalt and maybe the Tortoise SMAIL switch machine? That would be helpful. Thanks again for the great videos. Ken
where do you hook up for the power for these
The outer two pads are for power.
@@TheDCCGuy but where do you get the power do you hook them to the bus wire or what
You can use either outputs from an accessory decoder or power them using an AC or DC power bus. You also need pushbutton or toggle switches to activate the switch machines. I have videos on the channel showing how to build control panels, use accessory decoders, or use switch machines like the iP Digitals with built in accessory decoders. Enjoy the videos!
@@TheDCCGuy thank you for your reply i will be watching the videos