# Frog Juicer question



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Can one frog juicer circuit board be used to change the frog polarity of more than one turnout? I don't mean an unusual situation like a crossover, but can a frog juicer be used to change frog polarity for all the turnouts on a layout? I wouldn't think so, but I wanted to be certain.

Thanks;

Traction Fan


----------



## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

I haven't owned one yet , but I believe Hex Frog Juicers can command 6 switches or other polarity reverse needs. Surprised you don't have that info in your vast bank of 'how tos' !


----------



## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

yes. not all

in certain situations, you can connect one frog juicer to more than one frog.

one situation is one or more mainline turnouts to spurs that aren't likely to be used at the same time. another situation is in yards that branch, one turnout connects to two others. again, it's not likely that cars would be on both secondary frogs. if both frogs are bridged, the frog juicer i'm familiar with will act as a circuit breaker and shut off


----------



## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Let’s talk it through...
The frog juicer has one output that can certainly be bussed to multiple turnouts. All those turnouts will then have the same frog polarity. As long as you can guarantee that none of those frogs need the opposite polarity at any one time, then it can work. If you only run one train and the electrically active portion of the train only spans one turnout, it will work. However, if you have a long lighted passenger train that spans multiple turnouts, it won‘t work for some of the routes. As Greg says, you could probably get away with driving a small number of frogs with one juicer, but you’d have to plan that very carefully.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I did a double-take here, not being an HO guy, this hit me funny!  I imagined what you might be talking about... How is it I never heard that term before?


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I did a double-take here, not being an HO guy, this hit me funny!  I imagined what you might be talking about... How is it I never heard that term before?
> 
> View attachment 548044
> View attachment 548045
> View attachment 548046


GRJ;

That's because your track has three rails! By the way, I'm not an HO guy either. I'm an N-scale guy, but our track also has only two rails.
Those "frog-themed" fruit juicer dishes are great! I wonder if the company that makes the electronic "frog juicer" has any of those. I bet they'd love one.
Thanks for your response, and the cute photos.😄

Traction Fan 🙂


----------



## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Surprised an Admin didn't know what a HFJ is !!! They be around what must be 10 or more years...
But, yes, I agree !! Those ceramic juicers are gear fab !!! Could use one myself as I found making lemonade for home is, for lack of a better term, a cake walk !! Problem is I'm squeezin' em with my bear hands over a glass....Was thinking :
I could have someone weld 2 opposing handle-less spoons into the jaws of a vise grips !!.... Nah !!
🏚🏭🛤🌄


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I did a double-take here, not being an HO guy, this hit me funny!  I imagined what you might be talking about... How is it I never heard that term before?
> 
> View attachment 548044
> View attachment 548045
> View attachment 548046


Your center photo ie actually used on the Tam Valley Depot website at the top of the page where he sells the kind of frog juicer we're talking about here.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

telltale said:


> Surprised an Admin didn't know what a HFJ is !!! They be around what must be 10 or more years...


I think it's pretty hard to know all the terms involved in all scales of model railroading.  I could doubtless toss you a few that you wouldn't know. I've actually been involved in 3-rail virtually all the time, I don't travel in the 2-rail arena enough to know the details of every technique or product.

FWIW, being a board admin doesn't convey any special knowledge about model railroading.


----------



## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

traction fan said:


> Can one frog juicer circuit board be used to change the frog polarity of more than one turnout? I don't mean an unusual situation like a crossover, but can a frog juicer be used to change frog polarity for all the turnouts on a layout? I wouldn't think so, but I wanted to be certain.
> 
> Thanks;
> 
> Traction Fan



Absolutely not.

A "hex" frog juicer has six outputs, so it can do six frogs, but each output from any frog juicer or similar reversing circuit should only ever control one frog. If a reversing circuit is powering more than one frog or piece of track, if anything ever manages to hit both of them at once it will dead-short the layout.


----------



## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

cv_acr said:


> if anything ever manages to hit both of them at once it will dead-short the layout.


and like any good reverser, will act like a circuit breaker and shut down


----------



## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

gregc said:


> and like any good reverser, will act like a circuit breaker and shut down


right... but shutting down the layout isn't the goal...


----------



## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

the frog juice will simply shut power down to the frog it is powering


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

gregc said:


> the frog juice will simply shut power down to the frog it is powering


Which I would call a safety or fail safe feature, not the proper way to wire your layout....


----------



## lagales90 (Nov 14, 2021)

Basically looking for someone who can answer a bunch of questions for a newbie and give whatever tips are possible as well as slushie recipe for blender the most inexpensive way to acquire more chargers. I have so many questions I don't know where to start lol


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

lagales90 said:


> Basically looking for someone who can answer a bunch of questions for a newbie and give whatever tips are possible as well as the most inexpensive way to acquire more chargers. I have so many questions I don't know where to start lol


lagales90;

You have come to the right place! We answer questions from newbies all the time on this forum. However, we can't answer any questions until you ask them, so go ahead and ask. I'm not sure what you mean by "an inexpensive way to acquire more chargers." Chargers? do you mean battery chargers? I'm also not sure how you ended up on the end of this particular thread, but it would be better to ask your questions in other parts of the forum. We have a section called "Beginner's Q&A " for just that purpose. You could start a thread by asking your questions there. You could also start a thread in the "General Model Train Discussion" section. If you know what scale you want to use (Z, N, HO, S, O,G, ) then you can ask your questions in the section for your chosen scale.

The files below may answer some of your questions. I also recommend the book "Getting Started in Model Railroading by Jeff Wilson. Its a great book for beginners. You can order a copy from www.amazon.com

Welcome aboard;

Traction Fan 🙂


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

lagales90 said:


> Basically looking for someone who can answer a bunch of questions for a newbie and give whatever tips are possible as well as the most inexpensive way to acquire more chargers. I have so many questions I don't know where to start lol


Starting your won thread would have been a better route, but ask away, we'll answer.


----------



## lagales90 (Nov 14, 2021)

traction fan said:


> lagales90;
> 
> You have come to the right place! We answer questions from newbies all the time on this forum. However, we can't answer any questions until you ask them, so go ahead and ask. I'm not sure what you mean by "an inexpensive way to acquire more chargers." Chargers? do you mean battery chargers? I'm also not sure how you ended up on the end of this particular thread, but it would be better to ask your questions in other parts of the forum. We have a section called "Beginner's Q&A " for just that purpose. You could start a thread by asking your questions there. You could also start a thread in the "General Model Train Discussion" section. If you know what scale you want to use (Z, N, HO, S, O,G, ) then you can ask your questions in the section for your chosen scale.
> 
> ...


thank you for the suggestions.


----------

