Need help with Fowler's HO Slow Action Crossing Gate Kit

Well, no joy yet, but some progress, of sorts:

- First, I dug out the actuator from the other kit, and tried it with the small Marx transformer I'd been using. No joy.

- I then measured the output voltage of the power supply, and sure enough, the voltage was a bit low, about 13.5 volts AC, just below the range recommended in the specs. So, I dug out another transformer, this one an old single-set Lionel (which brand IME all seem to run a few volts higher than their Marx equivalents), and sure enough, the output was about 15.5 volts AC, comfortably within the recommended range of 14-25 VAC.

- I then tried both actuators on the higher voltage, and neither seemed much closer to actually moving, though both hummed and, when manually assisted, seemed to be trying to close.

So, no solution yet. When I get a chance, I'll test the other PS I have at hand to see if one has a bit more ooomph, though frankly I'm not too hopeful it will make enough of a difference.

I did do a quick search for "linear activators", and I see some small, cheap ones offered by slow boat (maybe even slower, with the dock strike!) that might provide the approximately half-inch/1 cm. 'throw' needed to drive the slow-motion activation mechanism. Anyone ever used such devices, and can suggest how to drive them to achieve the two-way action I need? Thanks in advance . . .

Update: I'd been stymied on figuring out how to up the voltage, since both my smallish bench transformers topped out at just below or slightly above the minimum voltage specified. Then, it hit me: a sort of reverse phasing, connecting them serially to add the output voltages, rather than in parallel to add their power capacities as I've done in the past, would bump up the available voltage. A couple of minutes fiddling, and I was able to produce 20-25 VAC.

At that voltage, the solenoids were visibly and audibly trying to function, but not very successfully. Taking off the detent spring helped somewhat, but even at the maximum voltage, the solenoid does not briskly 'flip' the detent lever, and the action was, to say the least, sluggish and unreliable, on both sets of solenoids. So, I think my linear activator order will be money well spent, and may give me my best chance to get these inexpensive kits functioning. Practice note: if you are tempted by the low price of these kits as offered on the auction sites, be aware that you are buying into a really hairy project, not a reliable product! Along with the solenoid problems I've been chronicling, I had to drill out the tiny holes in the crossarm support, which were closed in the metal casting but must be opened to route the control thread through to activate the arm. I still don't know what other poorly engineered or crafted issues lie ahead before I can get these crossing guards functioning, so be forewarned! 😟

Steve,

Perhaps you should try using DC instead of AC to power the gate(s).  99% of the HO world operates on DC, unlike our 3 Rail O gauge world which has been fixated on AC since Day 1.

Give it a try and good luck.  I admire your persistence.  You'll find the root cause eventually.

Mike

@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:

Perhaps you should try using DC instead of AC to power the gate(s).  99% of the HO world operates on DC, unlike our 3 Rail O gauge world which has been fixated on AC since Day 1.

Give it a try and good luck.  I admire your persistence.  You'll find the root cause eventually.

Well, I suppose that's something to try, but the instructions explicitly state 14 to 25 volts AC, which IME is the range almost all accessories, HO or not, seem designed for (other than specialty electronics). For instance, every HO transformer I've had *does* output DC for the trains, but also has an AC tap for accessories. I *could* run the 25 VAC through a buck converter, but I'd be surprised if it worked any better.