SC-2 and FastTrack switches with command and corded physical throws

I had two command switches that got knocked around in shipping, basically the small gear plate that the motor drives got stuck getting knocked past its range of travel. Simply freeing its movement up and throwing the switch once it was free moving fixed it. When the switch was inoperable the green led on the throw lever lit but the red would never come on it would just flash once if you attempted to throw it. A few minutes with a small screw driver to pull the large metal cover plate off the bottom of the switch may reveal your problem for you. If that wasn't the problem please accept my apology as there are several small screws to remove and I seem to remember a great deal of colorful language trying to line the cover back up and get all the screws in without loosing them.

That's something I'll check out. Thank you.

The more I thought about it I tried and found I could open and close the switch by moving the red/green light on top of the switch by hand. Thus the switch gearing is not jammed. It seems the problem is electrical in nature. 

How are you powering the SC-2? Use the power supply that is included.

If it is programmed for all SW mode, you cannot use SW-1 or terminal set one when using FasTrack. One has to modify the SC-2 to use all six terminals when using FasTrack switches. Is the problematic switch connected to terminal 1?

There is no connection to terminal 1, not this switch or any other. That was spelled out in the instructional booklet.

This switch  is about 10 yrs. Old but never used. Was this a problem  back then?

jimwegs posted:

This switch  is about 10 yrs. Old but never used. Was this a problem  back then?

There is no problem using the equipment together. The FastTrack just doesn't provide enough power for the SC-2 to use terminal one. Do you hear the relay engage in the SC-2 when you fire that switch number?

If yes, Perhaps, you should inspect the switch.

Since it does not operate properly with the controller lever, the issue could be the switch. Will it operate with the lever when the SC-2 wires are disconnected?

Is it screwed down too tightly too the table?

next up would be to remove the switch and do some bench testing/inspection.

Remove the 14 or so screws and remove the back. Check the segment gear (pie shaped thingy) for free and easy movement from side to side. There were some that would hang on the arm that rotates the lantern.

Then, jumper some power to rails and test it. try a piece of wire between thru and gnd and out and gnd to rule out a bad lever.

The thingy has to move all of the way and push the switch arms down to reset the cycle to throw the other direction. if it does not, the switch will not operate.

if it moves in one direction only and not the other, then the small switch is bad or is not being activated by enough movement to press the small arm.

This all makes sense when you open it. Not real complicated. I am digging for some old threads with photos in case you need them.

It does no work with the SC-2 wires removed either. What is strange is that both the red and green leds on the throw both light simultaneously when I either throw the lever to open or close the switch. I again checked the wire connections on the switch, the physical throw and the SC-2 and they were all secure. Have there been any parts/layout changes within these switches since these were manufactured approximately 10 years ago?   

I will open the switch up as you suggested and check the pie shaped thingy for free movement? I am able to freely move the switch by moving the lighted lantern on the switch by hand.  I'll also check out the lever. Any photos you can come up with would be very helpful to me. 

Sometimes if the wires going into the switch terminals, thru, gnd , and out are too long they can bend and touch an adjacent terminal on the rear of the terminals.

I would suggest removing the switch, apply power to the rails and use a wire to test operation by touching thru+gnd and out +gnd. Switch ok, then test controller. Controller ok. Remove and then test SC-2.

I am assuming that you have programmed the SC-2 to all SW mode and are using terminals 2 -6.

I did test switch as you suggested. The switch did open and then close ONE TIME. It subsequently locked up and I could not repeat it. I couldn't move it by manually moving the lantern on top of the switch as I reviously did. I believe the next step is to open it up. No luck with either controller or SC-2.

jimwegs posted:

I did test switch as you suggested. The switch did open and then close ONE TIME. It subsequently locked up and I could not repeat it. I couldn't move it by manually moving the lantern on top of the switch as I reviously did. I believe the next step is to open it up. No luck with either controller or SC-2.

It sound like something is physically jamming it. First, there are two screws that attach the lantern extension. Loosen those and then try and move the throw bar between the rails. Look for some thing that has fallen onto the track in that area.

No joy, take the back off and check to ensure that there is freedom of movement.

I found a video of a switch test from another thread. Notice that the arm of the segment gear is not connected to the pivot rail link, it's removed and the lantern arm and base removed.

The binding locations are removed from this switch and it operates smoothly.

The screws that hold the mount top on could be too tight causing the motor gear to bind on the segment gear. The other areas are mechanical and should be examined for ease of movement.

jimwegs posted:

I did test switch as you suggested. The switch did open and then close ONE TIME. It subsequently locked up and I could not repeat it. I couldn't move it by manually moving the lantern on top of the switch as I reviously did. I believe the next step is to open it up. No luck with either controller or SC-2.

I had two that jammed by the pinion gear riding up over the rack segment gear. I changed the motor and pinion, just to make some physical change to the mating of the parts, and that fixed it. But if it didn't work before, and turning the lantern moved the points before, you might have had two issues.