leds on a your panel

[glsummers]

I was wandering how you would wire red and green leds on a panel to show how a switch is turned under a mountain; I know switches under a mountain is a no, no, but had no choice without a lot of modification. I have atlas and peco under the table switches. What type of Leds do you use; how do you wire them; and do you have to use resisters; and what ohm resister would you use? A lot of questions but I thought I would as the experts, especially Jim Banner. Hope to get some good ideas. Thanks for your input. Larry

[Jim Banner]

Hi Larry, and anyone else wanting to add indicators to turnouts.  There are some very good suggestions at the link below:

http://www.awrr.com/indicator.html

I personally like their circuit that uses an Atlas Snap Relay to remember which way the switch is set.

Don't feel bad about having a turnout inside a mountain.  I have eight inside mountains on my H0 layout.  The trick is to have them accessible for adjustment/repair if required.  Some of mine are accessible by lifting out sections of scenery.  Most require going under the table and popping up inside the mountain.  In one hidden yard, I have a different way of operating lights, using a microswitch as shown below:



The microswitch is mounted so that the turnout throw bar can push in the plunger of the the microswitch.  When the the throw bar is away from the microswitch plunger, as in the photo, "Common" or "Com" terminal is connected to the the "Normally Closed" or "NC" terminal.  But when the turnout is thrown, the throw bar pushes in the microswitch plunger, and the 
Common is connected to the "Normally Open" or "NO" terminal instead.  We can use this to control and red and a green LED as shown below:



The terminal screws at the left side of the diagram represent the ac or accessory output of you power pack.  The upper screw connects to the Com terminal of the microswitch via a diode.  Just about any diode will do, but 1N4001 diodes are cheap and readily available.  Note that the end of the diode with a stripe around it connects to the microswitch.

For a turnout as in the photo, the green LED connects to the NO terminal via a 1k (brown-black-red) resistor.  This can be a 1/4 watt or 1/2 watt resistor.  Note that the resistor connects to the LED wire that is away from the flat on the LED base.  Similarly, the red LED connects to the NC terminal via a second 1k resistor.  The negative sides of the LEDs, which are the wires next to the flats on their bases, connect together and then connect to the other ac or accessory screw.

Now your turnout might not be set up exactly the same as the one in the photo.  It could be a right hand turnout instead of the left hand one shown.  Or could have the microswitch mounted on the other side of the turnout.  That would change which LED connects to which microswitch terminal (NO or NC).  Best bet is to connect them up, and if the lights are reversed, just reverse the connections at the microswitch.  Although I used Peco turnouts in this particular yard, the low force microswitches that I used should work with Atlas turnouts too.

[glsummers]

Thanks Jim, good ideas as usual. Where did you get the micro switches? At Radio Shack. Do they have a specific #? Are you getting cold yet and are you having snow? Thanks. Larry

[Jim Banner]

Larry, I am not sure where I got the microswitches.  Probably take-outs from some equipment I scrapped.  But look for ones that have a light touch.

Not cold here yet.  The cold overnight was -3 but it has warmed up to a balmy 14 degrees now (afternoon.)

[glsummers]

Jim,
You have my sympathy and blessings a -3!!!! I lived in NY for seven years and it got to 30 below a couple of times so It must really get low there. Hey be the way I have all my switches in so I was wandering if an Atlas snap relay would to the trick? If it would how do you wire it. Thanks Jim and stay warm. Don't forget when it gets real cold and you need a break come to sunny Alabama and spend a week in our motor home for a vacation. Larry

[SteveJ]

I recently added  in the General discussion scale a "how to" with diagrams and pictures regarding building a panel with leds using Peco PL-10 switch motors and PL-13 accessory switches for an interlock.  I am only a electrical/electronic novice so it is very simple but effective. 

Jim has given you information on the Atlas turnouts, however they can be operated with the Peco's together if you use the optional atlas snap switch.  The LEDs I used were 5mm I believe  (3mm is sufficient) and the resistor is sized on my schematic for 12 Volts.  If you want a different voltage there is a resistor wizard link listed on the schematic that does it all for you.

Good luck

Here is some of the links that are relevant maybe you can use them.

Wiring Schematic
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/bbrad20/Slide3.jpg

Wiring diagrams
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/bbrad20/Slide5.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/bbrad20/Slide4.jpg

Panel pics
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/bbrad20/ControlPanel.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc149/bbrad20/DSC00215.jpg