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Offline Keyser  
#1 Posted : 25 August 2022 01:34:28(UTC)
Keyser

United States   
Joined: 03/01/2021(UTC)
Posts: 38
Location: Texas, Washington
Finally got my CS3 hooked up and track plan done. Everything works except for one turnout. It will go from straight to curved. But, it will not switch back to straight. All other turnouts and decouplers work correctly. I hooked it up by itself. It still will switch from straight to curved but not back again. After manually switching to straight it will then digitally switch to curved. I do not even get any clicking of the switch motor when trying to return to a straight run. Before I tear the switch motor apart to determine what may be wrong, does anyone have any simpler explanations? Or, things to try before taking things apart?
Offline PMPeter  
#2 Posted : 25 August 2022 02:16:58(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
It sounds like you are suffering from the notorious microswitch problem that has been plaguing the Maerklin K and C track switch motors for years. However, you haven't told us what track system you are using and what type of switch motor you are talking about.

If you are indeed using either a K or C track attachable turnout motor then the fix is straight forward for a digital (not analogue) system. You can safely jumper out the micro switches and that should cure your problem. There are several videos and previous threads on this forum of how to do this.

Peter
Offline David Dewar  
#3 Posted : 25 August 2022 11:16:57(UTC)
David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,333
Location: Scotland
Make sure it is a motor problem by fitting it to another turnout and see if the same occurs.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by David Dewar
Offline JohnjeanB  
#4 Posted : 25 August 2022 13:40:22(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi Keyser (a first name would be much more friendly)

As already said by our friends above, most likely an end swicht inside the motor is the culprit (C and K tracks)
By swapping the docoder with another one, you will be able to verify that the switch motor is faulty.

What to do?
- the real solution is to jump the micro-switches inside the motor. It works 100% in digital operation but in analogue mode (not your case I understand) the button push must be limited to 1 second.
- the lazy solution: to spray contact fluid inside the motor while moving it manually and testing for digital operation. It may work again but the cure is only temporary.

Note: I have 53 of these motors in all sort of track pieces (normal, curved points, triple points, Double Slip sw.) and I ended up strapping ALL these microswitches.
Every time I thought Märklin has solved the problem and didn't do the change, I was proved wrong. So better do it preventatively, no matter what Märklin says if you build a fixed layout with scenery.
Once strapped, these motors work fine.

Notes:
- if you strap these switches then the control block with LEDs (analogue mode) will all be lit all the time
- to be fair to Märklin I met this problem already from 1974 using Fleischmann and Arnold N scale track pieces. I also read complains about Roco and Fleischmann still today.

In case you don't know how to strap those switches, here is a video for C Track motors

Cheers
Jean
Offline Keyser  
#5 Posted : 25 August 2022 16:56:52(UTC)
Keyser

United States   
Joined: 03/01/2021(UTC)
Posts: 38
Location: Texas, Washington
Thanks to all of you. Now when I open this turn-out I will feel like I am in a dim room instead of completely blind. This does leave me with one question. If it still works with the micro-switches shorted, why are the switches there in the first place? What is their purpose?
Offline PMPeter  
#6 Posted : 25 August 2022 17:42:07(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
Originally Posted by: Keyser Go to Quoted Post
Thanks to all of you. Now when I open this turn-out I will feel like I am in a dim room instead of completely blind. This does leave me with one question. If it still works with the micro-switches shorted, why are the switches there in the first place? What is their purpose?


They are there for analogue mode operation. In case someone holds a pushbutton down too long or the button gets stuck, the microswitch is supposed to open at the end of travel and cut the power to the solenoid. Otherwise you get the distinct burning smell and the release of the dreaded smoke. In digital operation, they are not needed because the power to the solenoid is cut off by the digital timer setting. Therefore, the micro switches at each end can safely be jumpered out. Note Jean uses the word "strapping" which must be a translation but is the same as jumper or bridging.
Offline kiwiAlan  
#7 Posted : 25 August 2022 18:16:37(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: PMPeter Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Keyser Go to Quoted Post
Thanks to all of you. Now when I open this turn-out I will feel like I am in a dim room instead of completely blind. This does leave me with one question. If it still works with the micro-switches shorted, why are the switches there in the first place? What is their purpose?


They are there for analogue mode operation. In case someone holds a pushbutton down too long or the button gets stuck, the microswitch is supposed to open at the end of travel and cut the power to the solenoid. Otherwise you get the distinct burning smell and the release of the dreaded smoke. In digital operation, they are not needed because the power to the solenoid is cut off by the digital timer setting. Therefore, the micro switches at each end can safely be jumpered out. Note Jean uses the word "strapping" which must be a translation but is the same as jumper or bridging.


The more likely scenario in analogue operation is the point being connected to a contact track and the train stopping on the contact track leaving power applied to the solenoid. This will definitely burn out the solenoid in these switch motors - it even does it in the first generation M track points and signals.

There is still the possibility of someone holding a push button down for too long, or a fault or short circuit somewhere, and hence the microswitches fitted to the point motors. The problem then is that when the microswitch opens there is a tiny spark which eventually pits and oxidises the contacts of the microswitch, resulting in the symptom you have. As stated above when used on a digital system it is fine to solder a bridge across the microswitch pins to effectively take it out of the circuit, and rely on the digital system to turn the pulse off after a short time (somewhere around 1/4 to 1/3 of a second).

Offline Keyser  
#8 Posted : 25 August 2022 18:35:01(UTC)
Keyser

United States   
Joined: 03/01/2021(UTC)
Posts: 38
Location: Texas, Washington
Okay that makes sense. Thank you for the explanation. I am an old “tinkerer”. Guns, motorcycles, cars , jeeps and in this case trains. But, somewhere in my education, electronics seems to have escaped me.
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