Wiring Bi-color LED's for Turnouts Through Tortoise Switch Machines. HO Scale 12x20 Layout Part 32
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- I demonstrate how I wired my peninsula for bi-color LED's to indicate the route of my turnouts. I built a resistor board to set the current value to 11 mA through the LED's and wired the colored legs of the LED's to a 5 VDC power supply through Tortoise switch machines.
That may have been the best explanation I have ever heard for wiring up my tortoise machines. Now I just need to get it accomplished. Thanks for taking the time to help me (us) out! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🚂😎
I'm glad the video was helpful to you. Thanks for watching!
Great job dude……very neat and professional.. I love seeing wiring in that fashion!!!!!!!
Thanks Ed!
Love how you keep it organized.
Thanks! After getting a bunch of wires run it starts to be a challenge to stay organized. But I try to keep it where I can tell what is what.
This was perfect timing as I'm just about to do this, I appreciate the way you explained it, was very easy to follow and learn! Thank you!
I'm glad the video was helpful for you! Good luck with your LED project and thanks for watching!
The best wiring I've ever seen brilliant
Thanks Sam! Very kind of you!
I'm still using the same old Radio Shack/Micronta 22-167 Digital Auto Ranging DVM with protective case that I purchased in the late 80's. It is a FLUKE equivalent meter for that time period. Looked it up and they are selling in the $80 to $95 range on the eBay as of today. Seems rather price for a meter that is over 35 plus years old.
If your multimeter still works there's no reason to replace it. If I'm doing any kind of wiring, model railroad, cars, house, whatever, I'm using my Fluke 179. A couple weeks ago I used it when checking/replacing the capacitors in my home Air Conditioning unit. It's a must have tool.
Yes, prices have gone way up. I paid $250 for my 179 7 years ago, now they're $469.
I really like how you wired those LEDs and terminal blocks.
Thanks Joe! Terminal blocks make it easy to connect the LED's to the rest of the circuitry without having to solder wires together under the benchwork.
I do to 😂😂😂 My wiring looks a bit different.
Did you consider wiring the 2 crossover switch machines to the same button. You would probably never switch only one except when testing. There doesn’t appear to be enough space between switches to park any equipment.
I did not consider it but you are absolutely correct, I should have done it that way. I'd change it but then it would mess up my panel, so I'll just leave it as is.
Excellent Video! Thought the Tortoise switch machine didn't need resistors for the LEDs Could be wired directly to the switch machine.
Thanks Dennis! You don't need resistors for the switch motor, but you need resistors if using the Tortoise to switch LED's on and off. The contacts for the switch motor and the contacts for the LED switch are different, they are completely separate circuits. Think of the Tortoise machine as just a switch, it turns on or turns off whatever power is applied to the connector. It's like touching 2 wires together and then separating them. Like a light switch in your house.
So, depending on the voltage you apply, you need the appropriate resistor for the LED. For example, if you supply 5 volts you'd want about 500 ohms, if you apply 12 volts, you'd want about 1.2 Kohm's to limit the current to the LED to 10 milliamps. If you don't use a resistor, you'll burn out the LED almost immediately.
Reason I mentioned it was what I read on their manuals.
PANEL LIGHTS / SIGNALS (See Diagram 4 above or Request Application Note AN-6000-07 for more detailed wiring diagrams)
Although the auxiliary contacts on the TORTOISE may be used to power panel lamps or signals, the low current draw of the TORTOISE allows
you to wire Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) directly in series with the motor. If both red and green (or bi-color) LEDs are wired in reverse parallel,
the direction of turnout throw will be indicated without having to run any wiring back to the panel! In addition, the LED will light dimly during
the throw but will come up to full brightness when lock-up occurs. There is no limit to the number of LEDs that may be wired in series, but
each LED will reduce the voltage reaching the TORTOISE by 2 volts. You may want to increase the supply voltage to compensate. @@SPSteve
Oh OK, I didn't wire my LED's in series with the motor. I wired the LED's completely separate from the motor. The stall motor in the Tortoise must have enough current drawn to keep from damaging the LED's. Certainly worth a try if that's how you want to do it.@@denniswilson2690
You work as if you worked in as solder shop before. Gauge, stranded/solid, coper clad or copper? seems pure copper wire is getting harder to find and way more expansive.
I had a 35 year career in Metrology. I did component level repair on electronics until about 1995 when analog components virtually disappeared in electronic test equipment overnight. I've managed to retain some knowledge even though I've become an old geezer.
@@SPSteve AT in the NAVY and Sr. FAB Tech at intel for 21 years. In the NAVY did "I" level Avionics repair in AIMD W/C 610 and the solder shop. Repair down to component level too. Funny you say that about 1995. It was about the time when what should of been great career for me went obsolete and electronics became throwaways. I would repair peoples VCRs and other electronics for them. Then one day that was over, You could not longer buy components from manufactures or get schematics/wiring diagrams etc. I was a fix it guy, I stile hat doing wiring and installs. It was not my thing and basically another profession than ran parallel to my electronic career path.
P-3C,EC-130Q VQ-3 TACAMO, E-6A VQ-3 TACAMO
@@IMRROcom I was a PMEL tech in the Air Force before moving on to nuclear power. Yes, it was a fast change over. Everything became replacement boards with surface mount digital technology over night. Repair was a secondary job for me, calibration was my primary job description. I was my lab's Metrologist for the last half of my career. I wrote a lot of software, I wrote 5 training manuals, wrote test procedures, etc.
Yes, perfect timing for me as well. Very inspiring! I like the feel and action of toggle versus push button switches. What type would I need?
If you're doing something similar to what I did about any single pole single throw momentary toggle will work. Current isn't an issue, but I'd go with a better quality switch to get reliable contact.
hey what brand is that PSU? where did you get it from, plus nice wiring :)
I got the DC power supply from Ebay. I actually have 3 of them, 2 are in use and I have plans for the 3rd in the future. Thanks for the nice comment about the wiring! Here's the link: www.ebay.com/itm/110969773777
awesome thanks,
@@SPSteve
Where did you get the terminal blocks??
Amazon
So was getting ready for wiring some up .question,, have you seen or tried to wire up a bye color led as for red yellow an green .? I have some in some signals and where trying to figure on how to wire them so one switch would take care for red an green but the yellow light would have to be wired to the next block .what do you call these three light leds an where can you find them .
I haven't used 3 color LED's so I can't answer your question. There would need to be a way to select between the colors and a Tortoise can't do 3 colors (but it could do 2 colors). I plan to buy a signal system ready to install. I've been looking at offerings from Model Train Technology (they have a CZcams channel) but I'm sure there are others offering 3 color signals.