DZ1000 switch machines

Since no one has replied, try calling Z-Stuff. I have heard they provide excellent support and know their products very well. I only have one DZ1000 and it works so I have no knowledge of making any repairs to them. I have been impressed with it's operation.

I would be interested in what Dennis Zander has to say. I am thinking a ground wire issue either to the machine or the relay.

Please let me know how you resolved this. I am going to be doing the same thing but with Z-Stuff 1011 signals.

Joe

FWIW:  In several locations I have 2 DZ1000's operating off a single controller, and all lighting is correct.  So it can be done.   It does take some playing around with connections.

Hi Dan,

This line in your post is the tip-off...

"Also, the controller sits there with both lights lit."

One of two things is happening.  The more likely cause is that one of the switch machines is wired backwards.  It may need to be "backwards" to throw correctly, but it will effect the LED's on the button and motors.  Check to see if all three "L" wires (yellow) from the two motors and the button are wired together.  The three "R" (green) wires should also be connected.  If the R and L wires from one motor are reversed, you'll get the problem you're seeing.  To correct the LED lighting you need to rotate the LEDs on the motor with the reversed wires 180 degrees.  That will swap the polarity of the LED's at the motor.  One of the LED's on the motor should then illuminate, and one of the LED's on the button should extinguish.

The other FAR less likely cause is a failure or the internal position switch in one of the motors.

Getting the colors right on the motor LEDs is the very last thing to address; they can be easily switched.  First get one switch motor operating correctly and as you want it.  Then try adding the other motor without the 1008 attached, and get the switches operating as you want them.

Since I insist that the controllers, on a track plan, have a light illuminated on the leg for which the switch is set, and if I want to go the other way, I have to press the button nearer the desired leg, some of these took me awhile to get right.  Sometimes, I also had to switch LEDs in the controllers.

Hi Robert,

I read Dan's post to mean that he already has the motors throwing the correct direction.  You're of course correct that that is the first order of business.  So I think he needs the start adjusting the LED's to get any further.  I strongly suspect that the motor with the DZ-1008A relay is wired backwards to make it throw correctly.  That would put the LED's polarity backwards as well and would prevent the DZ-1008A from operating.  Effectively, there's no power getting to the relay coil because the LED is preventing the flow of current.  Reversing LED polarity will likely correct the problem.

Dave, but no telling what will happen when the DZ1008 is removed.  I'd remove it and see what happens.  These DZ1000's do "weird" things, due to having internal diodes, and sometimes I've had to spend awhile getting a particular combination of switches wired correctly.

Thanks for all the replies!  Been out on vacation.

I rearranged the switch machines so that they are in the same location on both the turnouts.  I thought I had to put one on a different side of the turnout due to space, but reconfigured things so they are set up the same.

Now everything works fine, including the DZ1008 relay for the dwarf signals.

Dan