[Basemetalchild]

Hallo,

I am currently trying to install the first of my Tillig point motors. These are controlled by a Lenz LS150 Point decoder, currently set to deliver a 0.5 second pulse of power to the point motor. The points themselves are Tillig. However, after two evenings of frustration, I have walked away from it before losing my patience altogether. The problems are:

1) Once installed in a point, setting the exact distance of travel of the throw wire and throw bar (by which I mean the part in the point that the wire goes through, which moves across to switch the point blades) is a nightmare. I either end up with too little travel, so that the the point blade does not stay flush against the stock rail, or it goes too far, the motor overloads and the DCC system shuts down (actually not sure if overload is the cause, but either way the motor refuses to work again until either the DCC is switched reset, or the point motor removed from the board).

2) Adjusting the contact plates makes some difference but sometimes - not always - it is possible to deliver two pulses of power so that the throw wire travels further than it should anyway.

3) Currently the pulse is sometimes somehow cut short anyway so the throw wire doesn't travel as far as it should.

So, what am I doing wrong, what can I do to resolve it, and is there an easier way to achieve a trouble free installation?

Grateful for any help before I lose my sanity completely and take up residence in a room with nice soft walls.

Cheers

Rajko

 

[Basemetalchild]

Doug, Neil,

thanks for your replies. With regard to what you have said:

1) The wiring is as per instructions by Tillig and Lenz; the LS150 is unique in not requiring the LA010 adaptor. Everything works, and I am able to change the duration of the pulse to the motor (the Lenz system allows anything between 10 seconds and 0.1 seconds in 0.1 second increments). I had selected 0.5 seconds but will try increasing this as per your replies.

2) What has confounded me so far is getting the exact distance of the travel of the throw pin correct. Doug, I am not sure what you mean when you say "The trouble is that the Lenz controller is giving a short pulse. The Tillig motor needs a constant current until the motor gets to the other side when everything cuts and reverses. It prevents the same polarity from connecting to the motor again to prevent burnout and only accepts a reverse polarity to send the motor off in the opposite direction." Does this mean that even if the travel of the pin is, in theory, greater than the distance the throw bar needs to travel to set the points, the motor stalls automatically and will then only accept a pulse in the opposite direction? If so, this doesn't seem to be happening - it stops and then won't accept any input at all and I have to reset the DCC system. The factory-set distance seems way in excess of what is actually required.

Grateful for the help guys - I am now thinking "this can be resolved" instead of as I was last night thinking "stuff this, I'm taking up Koi Carp".

Rajko

 

[Basemetalchild]

Neil, Doug,

thanks for the help so far, however I'm still not having any success. I've increased the pulse length, and changed the length of travel back to the factory setting, and I've even tried a different motor which I haven't adjusted in any way. However, the motor functions as expected, the throw pin moves the point blades across, the blades contact the stock rail, but because the exact travel distance isn't 100% correct the motor keeps going until the pin starts to stick out at an angle (I've not cut it to length yet), then the motor stops. Then if I try and switch the points the opposite direction, nothing happens. I have to remove the point motor from the baseboard, and reset the DCC system, before I am able to operate the point motor again. My only theory at this point is that the over-travel of the motor results in the pin exerting enough leverage on the bit where it is held sufficient for the tiny contacts to be misaligned. The only other thing which occurs is that at the moment this is being done with the baseboard at 90 degrees to the horizontal to allow easy access to and visibility of top and bottom of the board.

Any more ideas, or is it a case of persevering and taking frequent breaks to preserve my sanity?

Cheers,

Rajko

 

[Basemetalchild]

Doug,

yes, everything is wired up correctly and everything works, i.e. the motor runs in response to a pulse from the LS150, I am able to change the length of the pulse and even the length of travel of the motor using the contacts in the motor - but when it's installed in a set of points it all goes pear-shaped.

Rajko

 

[Basemetalchild]

Doug, Neil,

in answer to your questions - the points are Tillig, the DCC system is Lenz, I can (and have) adjusted the pulse duration through the LS150. My lack of success is becoming encouraging!

Cheers

Rajko

 

[Basemetalchild]

Doug, Neil,

just a quick "Thanks" - I took a small break from Railway modelling from 5th Feb until yesterday, when I got the urge to have another try. Successfully installed the first Tillig point motor on the layout! Perseverance and patience seem to be the keys but I'm sure each installation will be easier than the last.

Cheers again,

Rajko