I've wired my eastern engine storage area and have come up with a problem. It has four tracks, each of which is isolated by an insulating rail joiner on both rails. I soldered leads from the rails which go back to two Atlas #305 connectors. Tracks #1 and 4 work fine. Tracks #2 and 3 don't work at all. Track 1,2&3 are attached to one #305 and #4 to a second one. The original #305 was old and bought on eBay, so I replaced it with a new one. Same deal. All the wire came from the same roll. I have checked the soldered wires - they seem to be solid to the rails.
Any suggestions?
Gene
Gene
The #305 switches or their wiring is the likely source of your power problem.
I understand you are switching both rails; this could be 'overkill'.
We are going to trouble shoot an open circuit to find where the power is not getting through.
First you need a visual indication of power connected temporarily across the power at the input side of the #305 switches. (Multimeter on voltage scale or test lamp)
With power on the next step is to determine where the power is not going. Turn on the 305's to power all tracks. As you are switching both rails two switched outputs for each track should be wired.
Leaving one side of the input connected move the other test lead to each output of the 305's
You should get a power indication for one side of each track.
Repeat for other polarity of input of 305's to output to rails.
Operate the switches to verify their operation when power is going through them.
This should indentify the open circuit to tracks 2&3 and verify the operation of tracks 1&4.
Let us know what you find?
Please excuse over simplification as my response is designed to help other admitted electrically challenged members.
Gene,
I'll take a stab at this. I checked the Atlas website to see which connector you were referring to and found that #205 is their connector, #210 is the Atlas Twin, and # 215 is the Atlas Selector, so I'm not sure which one you have. Number 305 is their manual turntable.
My first thought was that you had a defective connector which was not making contact, but since you replaced it with a new one, I doubt that is the problem. My only other thought would be to make sure all terminals are connected to the same power source. For example I use a twin MRC transformer on part of my layout that still runs on DC. I had a similar problem using the Atlas Twin (#210) and realized I had it connected to the wrong cab control. I reconnected it to the proper controller which solved the problem. I have found on some of my old Atlas connectors that I have to really press hard to make the connection. My only other suggestion is to perhaps check all of your wiring with an Ohm meter.
If you find a solution, please let my know.
Good luck, Bill
Check to make sure the 2 wires that go to each non operating block are not crossed Each track should have a + and -. Not 2 +s or 2 -s
I've checked the wires several times. They are not crossed. Even if they were, with all control switches thrown to ON both tracks should work.
Now - with a multimeter - and this is DCC - there are 14 volts going into the first controller. Each exit - to the tracks show 14 volts. I get 14 volts on the rails for tracks 1 and 4. I can get a slight reading on 2 and 3. Right now the only thing I can figure out is that somehow the soldering job is bad and each track has one wire that is not solder tightly to the rail.
Does that sound like a possible?
After all, it defies logic for two controllers to have the exact same parts bad.
Gene
or a broken wire. A little story. My brother and I were diagnosing a power problem on his railroad. The section I was checking had power, yet both power packs were off. It had power to light the lights and thats all. After about 15 minutes of arguing and double checking, I found the problem. We had just added a DCC unit to the railroad that had NOT been turned off. The dc power packs were off, but not the DCC. If you have 2 wires going to each track from each switch, them a path along the wire is cut, loose or switched. Thats why I mentioned the possibility of 2 wires getting crossed. Very simple mistake and sometimes very difficult to find as you can attest
Gene
So far we know where the problem isn't.
With one probe of the meter on an input to the switches, and the switches on, measure voltage to every storage track rail. You should get 14 volts to the same side of each storage track.
Repeat for other input side.
One or both rails of tracks 2 & 3 will not have a voltage. Use the meter probe directly onto the soldered joint, if voltage exists redo soldering. Then suspect the continuity of the supply wire.
Good luck !
All wire is brand new, two directly from the roll it came on and the other taken directly from one roll and added to another. There should be no breaks in the wire. I suspect the soldering, as the track was hard to get to. What I'm going to do is to unhook the wire from the panel, loosen the track, bring it out where I can see easier and resolder.
Thanks for the thoughts. I'll let you know what happens.
Gene
I hope it works. I've been workin' on the railroad, all the....
Bad solder joints. Both on the outside and easiest to see rail. After testing with multimeter, I ran C&O class L-2 Hudson #301 on both tracks 2 and 3 and she did fine, though the rail was not as clean as it could be.
(I wonder why C&O kept the name of a damnyankee river for their 4-6-4s. Why not James or Potomac? Or Shenandoah? That would make more sense. ;)
Gene
Is there one of these on one of those two tracks?
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd264/Guilford_Guy/Drawings/DDDD115AX.jpg
I'm sure that would do bad stuff to your track and wiring...
Congratulations Gene. I will be able to sleep well tonight. Oh, as to why the name of Hudson? I guess because they won the war of Northern Aggression. :D
Just a reminder to all:
Proper soldering technique requires that the rail be cleaned of any oxidation with a light sanding. Both the rail and the wire must be "tinned" before actually joining the two. Failure to do this will often result in a "cold" joint. You should also keep the iron tip well tinned.
I use only 60/40 resin core solder, no additional "flux" is necessary.
Bob,
I've been told that regardless of the fact that the solder contains flux, to flux anyway. OTOH, I think I'll try tinning both pieces - normally I tin only the wire.
Gene
Dear Friends,
Great thread! I learned a lot.
Dear Bill, I wish I were as electronically tuned as you. However, my bent is things biological. All this stuff is weird to me. Thus, I have to work very hard with this, not being intuitive.
To YB, My motto is: "I'm an old cowpoke, I don't use no soap, I swings a rope, and eats antelope!"
Thank goodness my teenage son likes electronics and EE.
Best Wishes,
Jack
Gene:
You are correct that it's best to apply a rosin (not "resin") type paste flux to both halves of every solder joint, and to pre-tin both halves. In fact, it is much more important to clean and pre-tin the larger (rail in this case) half than the wire.
I always pre-tin every joint, even on small diameter wires. I just finished assembling the prototype of a small R/C controlled firefighting machine where there were well over 200 18Ga. soldered wire connections, some in very difficult locations. Every joint was pre-tinned and there was not a single failed connection.
Cleaning the joint (especially the rail) is also very important. Use a fine abrasive cloth on the rail. I use a stick such as a bamboo skewer or craft stick to push the abrasive into the corners to make certain the oxidation is removed from all surfaces that are in the join area.
I use alcohol or other light solvent to wipe the join area prior to applying flux and tinning. Chemical (alcohol) cleaning for the wire isn't necessary unless oil or grease contamination is a possibility.
60 / 40 rosin core solder is most commonly used for these applications. Other more exotic solders are useful for specialized materials and situations.
Use a good (not old or eroded) tip in the iron. Clean the tip by dragging it across a damp sponge, then tin the tip. Flux the joint surfaces, heat and apply the solder. Applying the solder to the join surface rather than the tip of the iron will ensure that the join surface is hot enough to melt the solder.
It's not necessary to apply large amounts of solder for pre-tinning. Just coating the surface is good enough. If I get too much solder on an area, I heat it and wipe it off. The pre-tin should appear clean and bright.
I keep a supply of clothespins and other small lightweight clamps near my work station to hold or support the wire near the solder joint. This keeps the parts in contact and helps avoid moving the joint and creating a cold solder join. Add a little more flux to the join surfaces, put the part surfaces together and reheat. Apply just enough solder to create a fillet between the wire and the rail. Let the clamps hold it in place until cool.
Hope this helps.
Happy (Well Connected) RRing,
Jerry