QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 30 Jun 2008, 04:30)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>***There are two easy solutions. One is to use MASTERswitch which will let you use standard dpdt switches for the point motors and has spare contacts for frog switching + LED drive with memory built in (ex stock at DCC supplies and Bromsgrove as well as from DCCconcepts).
the other is to simply share the SPDT frog polarity contacts.
This can be done providing that the power supply is totally separated from the power supply that provides DCC/track power. An unused mobile phone charger or similar will do the job for the LEDs - no need for an expensive power supply. (these are usually about 200mA or more, and a bog standard red/yellow LED with a 600~1k resistor will be about 3~5mA
ie: one side of LED power direct to each LED, other side of the LED power supply can go to the centre contact (frog contact) and then from the left/right right contact to the respective LED.
this form of "sharing" is quite common - as long as only one side of the circuit is "shared"
and the power supplies are totally independent, then no negative interaction will happen. (example - mains power wires through your house are often used as voice transmission wires for a plug in intercom or baby minder)
Richard
DCCconcepts
Hi Richard.
Some time ago I bought a couple of the Masterswitch packs just for experiment at some time. It seems that might be the way to go.
I was going to use the stud & probe type of point switching as its cheap & cheerful for the Peco & Seep type point motors I am using.
Without thinking too hard on a Monday morning,with the masterswitch I would need 3 wires back from each point motor to the control panel. I know one of them will be common to all point motors. All the other wiring can be done at the control panel( Led's etc)
Is this correct ?
How many point motors can each Masterswitch pack control ?