# Turnouts and panel LED



## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

Background - using momentary toggles to throw Atlas N scale turnouts. I do have some ground throws for closer turnouts. What can I use to run the indicator LED for a panel? I tried Atlas Snap Relay and was not happy with it. I do not want to change switch machines to under table. I have major back problems and I am also needing a right knee replacement. There has to be something besides Atlas Snap Relay.


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## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

Great little units. Toggle switch, capacitive discharge unit, and LED indicator all in one board.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/751D.HTM


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

*Nice*

I all ready have toggles installed. The link on his page for ordering doesn't work. Sounds like a nice unit but I thought I could just find a unit for the lights.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The Stapleton 751 D is the best control on the
market for twin coil turnout motor and panel or
track side signal control. You would replace
existing panel toggles with the 751 toggle. It
has the further advantage of a built in Capacitor
Discharge Unit that will protect your Atlas coils
from accidental burn out.

There is another way but it is awkward to use and
your Panel lights are not positive indication of point
position. It uses a Double Pole, Double Throw panel
switch PLUS a normally open push button. The DPDT
switch determines which way the points will throw, then
you push the button to activate. The DPDT also controls
the Panel LEDs.

Don


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

As I said to you "Don" The link does not work. I had seen those units after I started my install. The other switch method is not for me. I want light indicator of some type.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

We had a similar thread going a short time ago.
Since you already have momentary throw toggle switches, you will need to build/buy a flip flop circuit/relay.

You say you did not like the Atlas snap switch, why not? Too noisy, intermittent?
I was going to suggest a latching relay, toggle to MAIN would set the relay, toggle to DIVERGE would reset the relay. Same as the Atlas snap switch.

This could also be done with digital IC chips, J-K flip-flop I think.


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

The Atlas snap switch 3 of them either only partial work or not at all. It is a good thing I didn't buy the other 9 I need. Where and what type of flip flop ic circuit do I need.?


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

I have not built the circuit, just a suggestion if you like to experiment with electronics.
Going from power, analog, your toggle to digital requires some 'protection'. The inductive spike from the switch machine needs to be kept out of the digital IC chip. A design mistake will simly fry the IC ship. I need to see if I have NTE4013B & NTE4013BT Integrated Circuit CMOS, Dual D−Type Flip−Flop in my gadget bag and start experimenting. (Most logic IC chis are 5VDC.).

Of course, we need a project box to put our circuit board in, a 15VDC regulator (in case the incoming voltage is too high), a lot of wire, etc.

Makes the store bought solutions more appealing!
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=155826


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

In post 1 you mentioned snap relay yet in post 7 you mention snap switch. I assume you mean snap relay like this
https://www.amazon.com/HO-Snap-Rela...d=1522022711&sr=8-1&keywords=atlas+snap+relay

If so, these should work. Do you have a capacitor discharge unit? You are throwing the snap relay and twin coil solenoid at the turnout at the same time and possibly not supplying enough volt/current to do both.
Look at the link dennis posted and see post 13 for a cheaper way to do it provided you ran a ground to the panel.


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## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

E-mail him directly - [email protected]

He has always been pretty prompt at getting back to me.

I have about 25 of the 751D units controlling over 30 Atlas snap switches. They work great.

Don't let the fact that you have some switches already installed influence your decision. This unit does everything you want without having to experiment.


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

As I said bought 3 of the Atlas snap relay. All 3 have problems with the contacts in on way or another. I am glad I did not buy all that I needed. They snap fine it's the contact for the lights. One unit half the contacts work, another unit none of them work. Third unit hmm can't recall at the moment. I checked with a ohm meter and/or with a light and battery. The Sympacito Ordering link does not work. I wanted to try one before I had installed my toggles . I have tried to use the Sympacito site with 3 diff. browsers. None will work.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

actually the link on the 751's does work, it's just not real easy to use and understand, pretty clumsy and cumbersome on the contact / orders page


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

Ok if the ordering link works, how do you use it? What browser are you using?


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

the link asks me to add a new contact in what ever email program i'm running, it's not real user friendly ..it doesn't give a straight forward email address off the start
if it matters, i'm using firefox


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## Againtrains (Mar 6, 2016)

Well for some reason and I assume Google has their hand in it. My default mail program was set in Windows 10 to chrome. For some reason this is the first time I have had problems with any other program NOT opening my gmail program. Just odd! I fix that problem and have sent an email out. I want to start with 3 units first.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Againtrains said:


> As I said bought 3 of the Atlas snap relay. All 3 have problems with the contacts in on way or another. I am glad I did not buy all that I needed. They snap fine it's the contact for the lights. One unit half the contacts work, another unit none of them work. Third unit hmm can't recall at the moment. I checked with a ohm meter and/or with a light and battery.


I have the Atlas Snap Relays on my layout. Most of the ones that I found were "new" old stock. I had the same problem. Some worked fine, others were intermittent or had some dead terminals. It turned out that the only problem was that the brass contact strips were lightly corroded.

The Snap Relays are not made to take apart, but you can do it. Turn the relay upside down. There are four, obvious, raised, round places where the top and bottom are fused together. Drill out the center of the raised round areas. Use a drill bit that is about the diameter of the center pin in the raised area. I drilled all the way through two of these areas (located diagonally) so that I could put the relay back together later with small diameter machine screws and nuts – non need to reattach all four points. (I put the screw heads on the bottom so that the relays would lay almost flat when reassembled.)

Turn the relay over carefully before removing the top. Then lift the lid gently and note how the parts go back together, before removing them.

I polished the brass with fine grit sandpaper (probably between 400 and 800 grit – can’t remember which). Then I applied a small amount of contact lubricant on the contact areas (I used CRC 2-26), and reassembled.

Now they work fine.


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