[cooperkenilworth]

I'm sure I can't be the first to have problems getting Peco point motors to work in both directions all the time? I have fitted around 24 Peco motors to Peco points. Most are mounted on the baseboard (thank goodness) as to date I am just working on the fiddle yard. Most motors work fine, but some have taken ages to set up, and next time I try them, they only work in one direction, or maybe not at all (power is present, but they don't seem to have the power to switch the blades, and yes I am using CDUs). In some cases, raising one end of the motor seems to help, but there is one issue I can't get my head around:

a motor won't switch the blades: I push the motor firmly towards the track, and it switches to the right, but refuses to switch to the left. I push the motor firmly away from the track, and it switches to the left but not the right. I simply can't find the optimum position where it will do both. Is there a simple trick that I am missing here, or do I need to bin the Peco motors? (I don't plan to use them on the scenic section anyway, but I do need reliability 'underground') Any advice would be very welcome indeed - I'm getting very frustrated, and can't move on to more creative things.

 

[Makemineadouble]

What you need is a capacitor discharge unit, this supplies enough momentary power to allow the coil to snap over. Normally this is 24 volts such units are available from Gauge Master or Kent panel controls for a few quid.
CDU might be the listing. CDU also protect the turnout motor from burning out in circumstances such as you discribe.

 

[cooperkenilworth]

I've got CDUs on all decoders operating these points. In a number of cases, it seems to be a mechanical problem rather than an electrics issue - particularly when sliding the motor back and forward will throw the points in one or other direction, but no position will throw them in both directions.

 

[dwb]

Maybe it's time to change to something else? Fulgurex work out a little cheaper than Peco if you need a couple of microswithes as well. The wiring for DCC may be a bit different depending on the decoders you use. They are also an awful lot larger.

David

 

[John Webb]

Peco's booklet on DCC says that their PL10W motors should be used. These are lower current/higher resistance units, according to their catalogue. If you've got the standard point motors, the CDUs in the DCC modules may not supply sufficient power to reliably operate the points.

The other possiblity may be the fixing of the bases. (I presume the Peco motors are mounted on the plastic base Peco supply - Part No: PL12). It may be that you have screwed these down too tightly and the plastic operating rod is binding?

Hope these suggestions may be of use.
Regards,
John Webb

 

[cooperkenilworth]

I do have the standard Peco motors - maybe that is the problem. I've been down the 'screwed down too tightly route' and some motors are almost 'floating' but work OK! Maybe I'll exchange the duds for PL10W or Fulgurex - I'll check those out too. Many thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[cooperkenilworth]

Well I've taken your advice John and exchanged a couple of faulty point motors for the Peco PL10W version, but unfortunately they've made no difference at all. They function correctly with no load, I've checked that the springs on the bases have been removed, and that the points throw readily by hand, but still can't find a position in which the motor will throw the points in both directions. Frustrated..........?

If anyone else has any bright ideas, I'd be very grateful, but I will see if I can talk to someone at Peco tomorrow. Do they handle consumer enquiries in Beer - I'll find out.

 

[Makemineadouble]

With my previous layout 95 % of turnout motors were fixed directly to the turnout, this gives 100% reliability.
The 7 or 8 Seeps I used were screwed beneath the based board. Try fitting a motor directly to the turnout and working the action with a lead, I bet you find it 100% reliable. It's then a simple job to cut a hole in the base board and drop the turnout motor through it. I normally use brown paper between the turnout and the motor to cover the gap.

 

[Brian]

Hi
Try looking here Points - about halfway down the artical. I use a much simpler method of retaining Peco points under the baseboard and adjustment side to side and fore and aft is easy too.
I'm convinced you're problems are that the motors arnt 100% in line with the point above and this is introducing lack of throw or binding.

Good luck

 

[cooperkenilworth]

Thanks for your suggestions mmad and Brian. A couple of the miscreant motors are in fact fitted directly under the point, so maybe they have moved out of alignment. All the others are on the baseboard (to avoid the hassle of going underground), with all the track fixed in place. But maybe I have no option but to remove the points and surrounding traclwork, drill the holes and mount below the baseboard. And maybe exchange the darned points while I am at it! And this was supposed to be the easy part!

Thanks for your replies and support.

 

[Terry Moore]

Peco turnout motors are powerful little brutes and are man enough to throw their 7mm turnouts, therefore you must a problem elsewhere.

1. Try the alignment of the throw.
2. Did you centralise both the turnout and motor before fixing the motor in place?
3. Remove the motor and test the turnout for smooth operation
4. Any ballast jamming the switch rails?

I mount my motors on small strips of metal which in turn is screwed to the lower face of the baseboard, I think Peco sell them in packs of ten. This allows me to operate the turnout through a 12mm hole in the sub- roadbed rather than mounting the motor directly to the turnout. Most problems are due to misalignment of the motors or muck in the switch rails.

 

[train_depot]

I built my own CDU for my layout which has over 20 Peco point motors. They are all the long pin type mounted under the baseboard with the Peco mounting plate (except for a few mounted on top where the framing underneath got in the way).

Initially the CDU I built wasn't able to switch all my points but I was only using 16VAC. Then I bought a 24VAC transformer and upgraded the cap to a higher voltage rating and it worked great. I don't know about commerical CDU's but note that a 24VAC transformer and bridge rectifier can charge a cap to much higher than 24VDC, more like 30V. Plenty of oomph

 

[double00]

I too use Peco's standard points in my 00 gauge layout, however using Hornby housed point motors mounted above layout's board.
Using a 16v ac CDU, find it ample to through my Peco's points in either direction, bearing in mind to allow time for the CDU to fully recharge its capacitor after each throw.
The Hornby connection lever fitted to the points motor, requires the hole diameter to be enlarged as to fit the connecting nipple on the Peco's points.

 

[John]

Dear All,

I am not sure if this a possible solution to the original problem at the start of this thread, but there is a really neat unit advertised on the Bromsgrove Models site - Masterswitch

This seems a simple answer to driving the point motor and switching the frog, plus panel lights. I have not used one myself, so this posting is just for information.

The owner is my namesake but we are not related!

Regards
John Russell
Vienna, Austria, Home of Zimo

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

I am using peco point motors complete with DCC Concepts Materswitch circuits which have built in CDU etc. I am installaing them right now (5 points, Peco stramline code 75 - refer to my layout photos as to how these are mounted.) I will advise as soon as they are powered up as to how they are working.

 

[gwrj]

Gday L/F would like to know how you go with those switches from dcc concepts, I have just ordered one to see what they are like , bought all my dcc gear , transformer , digitrax zephyr from richard good bloke gives a good back up service and is very helpfull.
John

 

[hainaultandy]

I also had installed a Peco point motor , after a while I found it would throw in one direction only , there were no obstructions , so in a moment of madness I sprayed the motor lightly with wd40 , I am not offering this as a permanent solution but it did work.

 

[JWF]

Hi All,

I was wondering if the originator of this problem ever got down to what was the root cause? I am using peco surface mounted motors for a fiddle yard using DC wiring with a CDU. I have 14 of these and 6 of them refuse to throw one way although they will throw the other way. I have replaced them for another with the same result and changed the point itself, again same result. I have even rebuilt my control panel, thinking it my have been an issue in there...bit drastic I know but trying to rule everything out. I really need to get these working before I can move on as my fiddle yard is on a lower level. Hope you can help, many thanks.

John

 

[Brian Considine]

Hi John,

Seems like it could be an alignment problem - if you push the motors over manually does it require the same effort ?

 

[Solway Firth]

I am in the middle of putting some surface mounted Peco motors on my layout. While the main storage loops have them fitted directly to the point (as per old standard), the new ones are on adapter mounts (with code 75 points).

One problem I had with the adapters was getting the operating bar in line with the tie bar - both horizontally and vertically. If the motor was too low with respect to the tie bar, it wouldn't throw properly. If too high, it worked itself off the pin on the tie bar!

It was quite easy to see if they were fouling though - try moving them by hand!

A second problem was that the adapter mounts have a retaining spring in them - taking that out helped too. Obviously, the Peco point has its own spring, the motors were made to be able to work other makes without the spring.