022 switches/voltage ?

I have gone the same route as you except that my transformer is a 2003 ZW with two 180w bricks. I power 13 switches, 31 & 72s, from channel B. I have no known leakage to the track.

The hit or miss on automatic switching may be insufficient voltage. My using the handle for channel A drags channel B voltage down a bit and I have to reset it from time to time. Most of my switches do just fine at 12-13v but 2 of them need 15-16v to be crisp. These are voltages measured at the transformer output, not on the dials.

The only issue I have is that a loco may stall on top of some of the switches if going too slow. But this may be a consist loading not a power problem.

Hooking up independent power to the switches will not cause any leakage to the track. With track power off, measure the voltage on the track to see if there is anything but zero. Your locomotives' e-unit should function properly no matter how you have the switches wired. If you are having a problem with voltage on the track with the throttle off, check the rest of your wiring.

 

Larry

Thanks, I'm going to give it the once over this afternoon. It actually works fine using just the track voltage which seems backwards to me. 

The special power plug for the 022 turnouts disconnects the track power from the switch motor (at the same time as connecting your accessory power to the motor).

 

If you've connected accessory power to the turnout with something other than the regular plug, or if something is mangled around the power input pin, track power might not be disconnected.

 

You could test by zeroing accessory voltage and turning on track voltage and seeing if the turnout is (incorrectly) getting power.

 

  --Joe

I wish I could tell you just what the problem was but I can't, I'm guessing I was the problem. I have not tried it yet with the auto switching wires connected but it works great now with each switch getting it's own power from the top two smaller knobs. The E-unit now works fine again so no more stuck in one direction. I had so much junk/tools/other trains on the table I might have been crossing wires and not even known it. Anyway thanks for the help, your suggestions made me find my voltage meter and do some checking which has answered a few questions. Thanks again.