[Doug]

Following on from a couple of recent topics, here are some details of the Tillig point motor:

Quite a compact unit. It sits under the baseboard and has a depth of 23 mm:

Detail of the inside showing the worm-gear point actuator:

Detail of the switching circuits:

The eight coloured wires coming out of the unit look a liitle daunting, but actually they are very simple.

Control panel LEDs can be connected to the circuit to indicate the state of the points. These are only switched when the sliding shoe is one side or another.

An isolated switching circuit is also integrated that can be used to switch the polarity of the frog and point blades depending on which way the points are set.

This point motor integrates all the features that I've been looking for: slow action, switching sircuit and control panel indicator circuit.

 

[Rail-Rider]

It sounds ideal, or very close to it.
Is the mechanical 'throw' easily adjustable?
What do you think of VFM (Value for Money), Doug?

 

[Doug]

To adjust the throw, the shoe pos out and the screws holding the contact (in the last photo) can be loosened allowing for horizontal movement of the contact. It doesn't look too hard.

Regarding Value for money:

This unit costs €11.78 or £8.12 (at Lokshop).

A Peco High Performance Turnout Motor (PL10W) cost £5.35; Twin Microswitch (PL15) cost £5.75 - Total: £11.10 (at Antics) / (£8.65 at RoS).

You don't get the slow action though...

So it works out cheaper. It seems well made and looks sturdy. I'll wire it up and test the action shortly.

 

[Rail-Rider]

Sounds pretty good.
The price comparisons are enlightening to the point of surprising.
Not that Tillig is exactly cheap, but that the Peco switch price in particular is rather stiff!

I keep wondering if there might be even smaller rotary type motors (as opposed to solenoids), that could be embedded in ready ballasted turnouts, together with a bank of mini-switches. Not having to drill holes in base boards would be such a boon - a real clincher for many people Other than for the wires of course! But that's where I personally see the most convincing argument for digital control - for everything but the loco itself!

Additional: A quick look round suppliers of the Peco units seems to indicate that that particular solenoid doesn't have an extended actuating pin for underboard mounting but the longer pin seems to be supplied when you purchase the underboard mounting plate (at extra cost), instead of clipping the solenoid unit to the sleeper base of the turnout itself (which I always considered a little bit unreliable and prone to damage). I can't help thinking the Peco system leaves an inexpert user a little bit confused! I'm rapidly concluding that rotary motored untits are THE way to go in future.

 

[colinw]

I've picked up some Tillig points and and some flextrack - I'm very impressed. Any chance you could post an explanation of the wiring colour codes for the point motor - the info in the point packs is in German which I don't understand.

TA Colin

 

[Doug]

I'll take a picture. I have it working quite well using a switch. I need to get hold of some Lenz LA010 adaptors to use them with my DCC.

 

[Terry Moore]

I have changed over to the Conrad turnout motor and it is almost the same as the Hoffman product. The Conrad motor is available with and without accessory switching and is priced at a very reasonable 5.95Eu or 5.45 for 5+ or $.95 for 10+.

Conrad are a large electronic hobby combine that has stores throughout Europe and a very good mail order system.

The product codes are 21 99 98-90 with extra switches and 21 99 99-90 without

http://www.conrad.de

http://finneyandsmith.co.uk/finneyandsmith/hoffman.htm

 

[Makemineadouble]

It's the same product:
turnout motor

big price differential. At an exchange rate of 1.479 that £ 4.02 per motor with the switch. Their selling here for £8.50 just because it's a different colour ! Some body is make a killing !

Rip off Britain again. El Tel scores maxium points for helping a poor pensioner

 

[Terry Moore]

Actually, they are not the same, sorry but please look carefully. The Conrad motor does not have all the features of the Hoffman motor, it is a cut-down version.

 

[Doug]

Product details here

Item numbers: 219999-55 and 219998-55

I saw this too on the French site, but couldn't figure out what features it had (or didn't have).

Update: I found some instructions in English here.

 

[Doug]

We've talked about the Tillig and Hoffman switches. I've just bought a few Conrad switches (above) which are even cheaper than the Hoffman. They are identical - except the colour. They don't have the auxiliary switch which can turn on or off panel lights, but they do have a frog polarity circuit.

Link here (Conrad UK).

I noticed that to set these using the Lenz LS-150 stationary decoder, you don't need the LA010 switch converter, but you need two 1N4001 diodes to convert the signal.

If using the LS-100 stationary decoder, you need the LA010, but I see that Lenz is giving the circuit diagram away.

Anyone have an idea what types of resistor and transistor can be used? Original page here.

 

[Anthony James]

Just so I am getting this right, we are talking about three different turnout motors correct? Tillig Hoffmann and Conrad.

Where is the cheapest place worldwide to buy the Hoffmann ones, i see them now on Kuhnmodellbahn in the States for US$24.00 and Nine pounds fifty in the UK at the site noted here, finney or something

Anybody using them care to give a review, I have a lenz system with Roco track and a seperate 5amp 15V 75VA power supply for points and accessories etc, Lenz computer interface and will be running RR&C software, I also use a Roco Mulitmouse and decoder pro

Regards

Anthony

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 26 Aug 2006, 20:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Rip off Britain again.

One point for rip off Britain though - the Motorola F3 mobile phone is only £9.95 as opposed to euro 29.95 !

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Speaking of motors, I am going to give one of these a trial for my semaphore signals to see what it is like. Anyone seen these before?

 

[Brian]

Switch Tender is reviewed here Switch Tender Review

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (Lancashire Fusilier @ 19 May 2008, 16:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Speaking of motors, I am going to give one of these a trial for my semaphore signals to see what it is like. Anyone seen these before?

***They are not very good Paul. If you want a reliable motor drive use the tortoise.

Best easy option is the Veismann damped solenoid they developed for semaphore signals and sold separately.

Altenatively I can supply you with a full kit for memory wire actuators - a nice way to operate signals that fits nicely with your developing "hands on" approach - you can make a very successful signal motor dead easy with it!

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[rhydddu009]

Hi, my hoffmann motor has three wires and requires 16v AC. I intend to use a lenz LS150 accy decoder. Do I really need the diodes as suggested in Doug's diagram. The friend I have who uses them says he doesn't use the diodes. I'm confused.

 

[kiwionrails]

Would i be correct in thinking that the Conrad switch is just a cut down version of the Hoffman reviewed in the April MR?
On Conrad's website there seem to be two versions of the Point motor;
Point mechanism with limit stop
Point mechanism with switch

Does anyone know the difference between these two, i'd need one that can power the point frog?
And do you know which one is included with the"3pce Saverset drive shunts"

Thanks

Kiwionrails

 

[abdusta]

hi

one of them is With limit stop and polarity change-over

important for long turn out

regards
A.Usta

 

[Robert Stokes]

Conrad part number 219998 point motors have a polarity change-over switch but part number 219999 does not. I know because I mistakenly ordered the latter on their German website when the British one was closed down for some months last year. (My understanding of German was not really good enough I suppose). Both have limit stops despite the fact that it doesn't appear in the name of one type.

Although much cheaper than Tortoise or Fulgurex, they are reasonable slow-action point motors. I've got several of them in use apart from the spares mentioned above. (Anyone want to buy 10 of the plain type at knock down price?). Their only disadvantage is that they take longer to adjust than the Tortoise (of which I also have several in use) because for 00 they only have just enough throw.

Why they make both types I don't know. They could produce only the one with change-over polarity switch and people that didn't need it would ignore some of the wires.

Cheers,
Robert.