# Switch problem



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

3 of my 8 switches are starting to slowly fail me. They're moving very slowly, or sometimes not at all. The one switch I could get to easily I took apart thinking there was some built-up corrosion in the coil area/arm that works the frog.The switch and all it's components was very clean, just a minor polishing. Don't know what's going on....Needless to say, this has been going on for awhile, just now getting to it.


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## Aflyer (Nov 10, 2010)

Flyernut,
Say it Ain't so, I have a bunch of the A/F switches and haven't ever had a problem. They don't get used a lot, but now that I am doing something more permanent and gluing the track down I am really hoping they stay reliable.

Could you maybe have a voltage issue? Where are your throw switched getting power VS where is the actual Track switch getting power? Sam or different transformers?

Hope this turns out to be an easy fix and not three switches all going bad.

Aflyer


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## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

Do you have the 720A switches (the ones without the small triangular opening between the turnout and the main line)? I had a similar problem and tracked it down to the wedge shaped plunger that is housed in a little box underneath the switch. It is spring loaded and keeps the switch in place. The plunger face had developed indentations from wearing against the cam on the link arm that made the operation sluggish or could even stop it from working. I filed the two faces smooth and that fixed it. Also, the spring may be too strong and you may have to snip off a short piece to weaken it. Good luck


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

Aren't you the guy who can build a space shuttle from a piece of string, a paper clip and a Hersey bar?? The roles seem reversed for a change....

Carinofranco has a good point, I have heard of that issue too. Let us know what you find.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

carinofranco said:


> Do you have the 720A switches (the ones without the small triangular opening between the turnout and the main line)? I had a similar problem and tracked it down to the wedge shaped plunger that is housed in a little box underneath the switch. It is spring loaded and keeps the switch in place. The plunger face had developed indentations from wearing against the cam on the link arm that made the operation sluggish or could even stop it from working. I filed the two faces smooth and that fixed it. Also, the spring may be too strong and you may have to snip off a short piece to weaken it. Good luck


When I rebuilt all my switches prior to putting them on the lay-out, I checked everything you mentioned, and found that everything was as it should be. If there was even a small hiccup with a switch, it didn't go on the layout. I wanted things to be smooth, easy, and functioning 100% with little or no maintenance. By the way, my switches are the 720A's. I heard some bad things about the 720's so I passed on them, and secondly, that's what Dad and I had back in the 50's.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Nuttin But Flyer said:


> Aren't you the guy who can build a space shuttle from a piece of string, a paper clip and a Hersey bar?? The roles seem reversed for a change....
> 
> Carinofranco has a good point, I have heard of that issue too. Let us know what you find.


You forgot a piece of wire!!!! Well, I mowed the lawn this afternoon while it was raining/snowing, and got to thinking.... So I pulled the "bad" switch from the layout, and put it on the bench. I hooked up a 8B transformer of which I have several, and bench tested the switch. It snapped just like it was new! Both turn-out and straight, I must have switched that thing at least 2 dozen times.Works like new... The problem?????.....I believe my power-pack that I'm using is probably failing, and the switch wasn't getting the 16 volts it needed to operate correctly. So I cut the wires from this switch to the power-pack, wired in another 8B to power 2 switches, and now you can throw the switch(s) all the way across the room,lol....I'll be going to a train show in Syracuse with my sons and grandsons in 2 weeks so I guess I'll be looking for some more POWER!!!!!!!!! As a second thought, the rest of the switches, (6), seem to work better now also.. It(the power-pack) probably couldn't handle the load of 8 switches, plus I run 1/2 of my layout lighting from it.


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## Nuttin But Flyer (Dec 19, 2011)

As Tim Taylor would say on Tool Time, you need more power!! Glad you found the issue and it was resolved fairly easily. Good tip to know when designing/building future layouts.


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## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

We knew you'd figure it out... and we all learned something from it. Thanks.


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