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HI everyone,

 

I have 16 Atlas turnout's on my layout. Atlas replaced one motor for me a few months back,

I installed it and it worked until today. Now, the motor will not engage via my MTH AIU.

The manual lever will work. Electrically the wires etc are fine.

Can I check the center screw which is power to see if there is continuity? Or has this motor

as well gone bad?

One other question.  A couple of other turnout's when the motor engages will not turn the track completley

to straight or curve. What is causing this?

 

Thanks

Original Post

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Copy of a post Nov 30 2012.

I have my Atlas switches wired though ASC's (Accessory switch controllers). Older IC Control models.  Hold the through or out button a bit too long on the remote and the ASC would cycle through (2 or more) momentary's, enough to cause damage to the switch motor. Eventually I installed the Atlas 6924 relay boards with built in time out feature. Keep in mind that the 6924 boards have a lot of different functions, inhibiting switch motor burn out only one.
Switch motor burnout

6924 Relays installed.  In some cases one relay controls two switch motors, (Cross over) These relays are wired for power routing to smooth out switch power loss.  The fuse blocks pictured were added to inhibit 6924 relay trace burn out. Even though the boards are rated at 10 amps, and I fused track power at 7.5 amps I have damaged the boards. The fuses pictured are 3 amp fuses and protect the board traces from burn out. 


The fuses protect track power routed through the relay and back to the short dead rail sections center of the switch, either through or out. This enhances electrical supply as the unit/locomotive travels over the switch.   Cross over combination involve two track circuits, i.e two track power fuses to one relay pictured. Both relay/switch combinations 17 & 18 involve two track circuits and use both sets of relays available on the 6924 relay board. The inline fuses are 3 amp. 


Atlas 6924 relay basic wiring from their website. Automatic Non-derail function
Atlas 6924 power routing.
Atlas 6924 Dwarf signals added.
Access other 6924 relay wiring function on this Atlas page.

Mike

Originally Posted by Trackahead:

HI everyone,

 

I have 16 Atlas turnout's on my layout. Atlas replaced one motor for me a few months back,

I installed it and it worked until today. Now, the motor will not engage via my MTH AIU.  (1.) Check the AIU output with a volt meter.  There should be intermitten power both THROUGH and OUT.  (2.) Check both THROUGH and OUT coils for continuity.  It is unusually that both coils would burn-out at the same time.

The manual lever will work. Electrically the wires etc are fine.

Can I check the center screw which is power to see if there is continuity? Or has this motor

as well gone bad?

One other question.  A couple of other turnout's when the motor engages will not turn the track completley Usually this involves the switch not being perfectly flat on the surface.  The least twist/hump in the switch inhibits the point through.  Sometimes loosening the mounting screws is enough to free the throw.  The mechanical Non-derail spring tension can also be adjusted. 

to straight or curve. What is causing this?

 

Thanks

 

MikeCT,

Where you state, Sometimes loosening the mounting screws, are you speaking about the 5 or 5 small screws below the housing lid? Otherwise there are no other screws other then maybe in the rails, are you talking about them? Sometimes I think that I should have went with Ross switches. Also, were exactly do the volt probes touch regarding checking through and out coils? Also calling ATLAS since these turnouts are not even a yr old.

Thank you all.

Originally Posted by Trackahead:

MikeCT,

Where you state, Sometimes loosening the mounting screws, are you speaking about the 5 or 5 small screws below the housing lid? Any screws.  Loosen the screws that mount the switch motor to the switch ties.  Loosen the mounting screw through the switch to layout surface. Otherwise there are no other screws other then maybe in the rails, are you talking about them? Sometimes I think that I should have went with Ross switches. I have worked with both. They both have issues. Also, were exactly do the volt probes touch regarding checking through and out coils? Three screws on the end of Atlas switch motor.  Probe center to left screws, and center to right screws. One should show intermitten voltage on OUT and the other on THROUGH.    Also calling ATLAS since these turnouts are not even a yr old.

Thank you all.

 

Originally Posted by Trackahead:

Ok got it Mike I thank you. By the way, if the manual lever works ok, would this

possibly indicate the motor is still good Yes, the picture of a melt down that I posted, obviously has an issue with the manual lever working.  and that i may just have a electrical situation? Magnet wire used in the two throw coils is very small and could easily open. An ohm meter should indicate continuity.  Keep in mind there are two coils one for OUT and one for THROUGH. Point to check is where the magnet wire is attached to the (3) terminal screws, end of switch motor assembly. 

 

 

Thx

 

Ok will do Mike.

By the way, my first issue were the motor i snot engaging, it seems the power

wire came loos from the AIU (Unreal)..

Now on the 2nd situation were another turnout will not competley throught left or right, this was a problem as you stated, all screws had to be loosen however the only issue left with this turnout is the motor only engages when selecting through, it will not engage selecting turnout. Those connections to the switch and AIU is correct.

i will check the continuity to see if I get a reading. Thx

FYI:  I have 52 ATLAS Switches on my Layout for the past 6 Years. I operate all of them on 18 Volts thru an ASC and CAB1 or CAB2. This Unit puts a Momentary Pulse on the operation of the Switch! Have never burned out a Switch Motor yet. I did burn out 1 motor when a Freight Car derailed and shorted out one of the Outside Screw Contacts with the Middle Screw on the Switch Motor itself! What can I say. The operation on all of them is a GOOD Snap in either direction!

 

Fredstrains

Originally Posted by Trackahead:

Ok will do Mike.

By the way, my first issue were the motor i snot engaging, it seems the power

wire came loos from the AIU (Unreal)..

Now on the 2nd situation were another turnout will not competley throught left or right, this was a problem as you stated, all screws had to be loosen however the only issue left with this turnout is the motor only engages when selecting through, it will not engage selecting turnout. Those connections to the switch and AIU is correct.

i will check the continuity to see if I get a reading. Thx

Not bad trouble shooting.  Patients, You're doing fine.    All part of the hobby.

 

I have 45 Atlas turnouts on my layout, have been running them for almost two years now with the MTH AIU's (5) and have had no problems. I had one early on that worked fine when I first installed it, but shortly afterwards quit working. I removed the top of the machine and even though the internal wire connection from the coils to the common post appeared to be OK, it was not. I fixed that connection, and have had no more problems.

 

I also run them at 18v.

 

Functionally, I have had much better experience with the 45 Atlas that with the RCS.

 

Good luck!

 

Alex

Hi Ingeniero,

 

Speaking of coil wires in the Atlas internal wiring, is there suppose to be a wire from the coil to each of the 3 posts? If so, I do see the one for my turnout connection just dangleing there. If so, this could be the issue that I currently have were when the motor engages fore the the THROUGH it works but not for the TURNOUT.

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