 Joined: 01/01/2013(UTC) Posts: 155 Location: Victoria B.C.
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Hi,
I am starting to build my layout and I am using the 74461 turnout decoders for switching. How are these as far as reliability vs the k83 decoder? Being new at this I discovered after I had ordered 22 of these that I would have been much cheaper with the k83.Oh well live and learn. My only concern now is the reliability,obvously these would not be as accessable as the k83.
Your advice would be appreciated.
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 Joined: 23/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 800
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Hi,
I don't think there is reliability issue concerning either k83 or 74461.
On the contrary, large reliability issues have been reported concerning the turnout motor itself.
You may read it on the forum.
It is advised to short the end shut off switches of the motors before starting the layout.
Fred
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Joined: 01/01/2013(UTC) Posts: 155 Location: Victoria B.C.
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Hi, Could you explain how to short the end shutoff switches of the motors please
Mike
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 Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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Hi Mike, See this post: https://www.marklin-user...4490-turnout-motors.aspxNote; not all users are having problem with the mechanical turnout device 74490/91. Main advantages with K83 types is that you can use external power supply to switch the turnouts. But on the other hand with decoder build into the track you will have much less wiring. Brgds - Lasse |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
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Joined: 23/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 800
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Originally Posted by: Mike M  Hi, Could you explain how to short the end shutoff switches of the motors please
Mike Have a look for instance HereFred
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Joined: 23/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 800
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Originally Posted by: Danlake
Main advantages with K83 types is that you can use external power supply to switch the turnouts.
NOT with the Marklin k83! You must use other brand
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 1 user liked this useful post by efel
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Joined: 01/01/2013(UTC) Posts: 155 Location: Victoria B.C.
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Hi, Thank you for everyones advice.
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Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,571
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Originally Posted by: efel Originally Posted by: Danlake
Main advantages with K83 types is that you can use external power supply to switch the turnouts.
NOT with the Marklin k83! You must use other brand You can use a booster to power your K83. Correct with Viessmann you can use a normal 16vac transformer. Brgds - Lasse |
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives. |
1 user liked this useful post by Danlake
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 Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 2,550 Location: Finland
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Hi, Upping this old topic, sorry...  I had to change today two turnout decoders as they were damaged. Turnout motors were jamming and decoders took too much current and got damaged. They only control turnout motors to other direction now and will be as spare parts or thrown away later. I bought two 74660 decoder as I don't like the newer 74661 design. I don't have to control turnout lanterns lights on and off etc. These 74460 and 74461 turnout decoders are reliable normally, but 74490 and 74491 turnout motors are unreliable due their micro switches. I have shorted all my turnout motors micro switches. Cheers, Janne |
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner. |
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 Joined: 03/10/2010(UTC) Posts: 1,293 Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Hi all, I am also in the process of soldering across the micro-switches , because several of my mechanisms switch only one way. May be something to do with the coastal air and small amounts of particles, but I would rather they worked properly when I push the button ! It is such a pain to have to lift the track when one has to replace the turnout mechanism. Regards,  John
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Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 2,550 Location: Finland
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Originally Posted by: Johnvr Hi all, I am also in the process of soldering across the micro-switches , because several of my mechanisms switch only one way. May be something to do with the coastal air and small amounts of particles, but I would rather they worked properly when I push the button ! It is such a pain to have to lift the track when one has to replace the turnout mechanism. Regards, John Hi John, When shorting them be careful that the micro-switches don´t move from their original positions. It won´t happen if you are careful and just quickly solder a short between them. I had two turnout motors which I had fixed by shorting the micro-switches and they were jamming a bit later. If micro-switches move more towards the movable inner part (lever or acting shaft?) in turnout motor this can happen. The trick is to not heat the circuit board too much to avoid micro-switches factory solderings to heat and get loose, only enough to be able to make short soldering across the micro-switches. Good luck! Otherwise all my fixed 74490 and 74491 turnout motors are working really good. When those two fixed turnout motors was jamming I did not notice it and only thought that there is again some other electrical problem in the turnout motors themself. Then I just tried to switch them some times and when they were jamming I burned two turnout decoders, because of too high current maybe?  . There became some smoke from one of them . I fixed these already by changing the decoders and new fixed turnout motors and now everything works like they should.  Regards, Janne |
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner. |
1 user liked this useful post by Janne75
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 Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,528 Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse
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If you can dream it, you can do it! I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.  |
2 users liked this useful post by Purellum
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: Purellum I hope you can make sense of this German instruction on how to fix the turnout switches. These instructions show how to convert a 74490 to a 74491. Some folks say the 74491 is still not working reliably and the shut-off switches should be bridged. The PDF nicely shows how to open the turnout mechanisms - and AFAIK you only have to apply a wire instead of the varistor that is used in the PDF. |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS  |
1 user liked this useful post by H0
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Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 2,550 Location: Finland
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Yes, both 74490 and 74491 are unreliable and should be shorted (bridged), but only when using them with a controller (CS2 etc.) where switching time in ms (milliseconds) is adjustable. So if used with control boxes they should not be shorted then.
Regards,
Janne |
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner. |
1 user liked this useful post by Janne75
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 Joined: 29/07/2012(UTC) Posts: 7 Location: Delgany
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Janne,
If you have a decoder which is only working on one direction, you could use it to drive a decoupling track solenoid...
Regards,
John |
DB: BR86 SBB: 2x Ae6/6; Re620; Ee3/3; Re4/4ii; RAe TEEii; 3x Re481; Ae7/14; Re460 |
1 user liked this useful post by jfhjg
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Joined: 23/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 800
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[ Originally Posted by: H0 ..The PDF nicely shows how to open the turnout mechanisms - and AFAIK you only have to apply a wire instead of the varistor that is used in the PDF.
Hi, For a long time, I wanted to know if M. was using a capacitor or a varistor in the 74491. I can read in that link that the author suggests to use a varistor, that is the right way to go to avoid any spark. Unfortunately, as I can't read german and as that pdf does not allow to copy and past (!?) in order to translate it, I can't know if the author says that he is sure M. is also using a varistor. Thanks in advance for any help, Fred
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Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 2,550 Location: Finland
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Originally Posted by: jfhjg Janne,
If you have a decoder which is only working on one direction, you could use it to drive a decoupling track solenoid...
Regards,
John Thanks for info John. I don´t have any decoupling tracks though, but I will keep them for that purpose anyway if I some day have them. I use Telex locomotives or do it "manually". Regards, Janne |
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner. |
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Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,443
Location: DE-NW
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Originally Posted by: efel For a long time, I wanted to know if M. was using a capacitor or a varistor in the 74491. In the document they write that they found varistors inside the new turnout motors (shipped 2011). They write about a nominal voltage of 26 V and a break-through voltage of 32 V. |
Regards Tom --- "In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS |
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Joined: 23/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 800
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