wiring K-line switches

Manual attached.

A small word of caution if you don't mind.  I have about 30 K-Line switches and about 5 of them are wired differently than the rest.  Thinking of the posts as number 1 thru 5, with 1 being nearest the motor housing, some switches use posts 2 and 3 for left/right control while others use posts 1 and 3 for left/right control.  I might have the posts wrong (it might be 1 and 2 for instance) but the idea is correct.

Took some frustrating head scratching before I discovered this anomaly.

- walt

Walt, the switches are marked in the plastic, are the markings wrong?  If you take the bottom plate off a switch, it is obvious that it's impossible to switch connections - 4 of the 5 are hardwired mechanically.  Post 4, "F"(for "fixed"), is the power to the solenoid.

Rob,

Here's what I know.  I don't use the controllers since I run DCS and use an AIU.  I also wire them for external power.

I run the '+' to a terminal strip and distribute power from there - that wire goes to post # 5 (if I'm remembering correctly, post #4 is the swivel post for the connector piece if you want to use track power).  If I have it backwards, then the power wire goes to #4.

I run '-' to the AIU 'IN' port and daisy chain it to the other 9 ports.  I then take the 2 out ports and run them to a switch, repeating for the other 9. 

Sometimes I have to hook them up to different switch post combinations to get them to work.  Whether I have the numbers combinations correct or not, the idea is that not all of my switches use the same posts to make them switch, even if the divergent rail on each goes the same direction.

It's easy to overcome but confusing if you're following the directions.

- walt

I use the #5 post as a lockon connection for track power to the center rail as it is hard-wired by steel stampings to each of the three legs of the switch.

Post #4 is for switch power alone - I use 16-20 volts, usually the output from a PM-1 brick, with the swivel moved off/removed, or you can use track power with the swivel plate in place.  This is the only post w/o a mechanical connection to the rails, it has a lead to the switch machine.

Posts #2 & #3 are through/out respectively, connected mechanically to the trigger rails, and with a common ground layout these are the only two connections needed for TMCC/Legacy/DCS activation.  The only wiring error I have ever seen is that the solenoid leads to these two were transposed internally - an easy fix.

Post #1 is mechanically connected to the remaining running rails(that are not trigger rails) by steel stampings.  I use this post as a lockon connection for track power to the ground rails.

Here is a picture of the bottom of the switch(LH) for reference:

Rob,

Can you clarify what you mean by a 'lockon connection'?

thanks - walt

I make my track power A-U connections at the switches, to posts 1 for ground(instead of lockon clip 2), and 5 for center rail power(instead of lockon clip 1).  I seldom use lockons.  No need with this method.

The same can be done with later 711 and all 022(except the rare 022A model) switches, which also have 5 connection points.