Derailed said:
I have two LGB EPL drives, one of which doesn’t like to throw in one direction. I haven’t been able to figure out why. My layout will be running two alternating sidings so the motors will be getting thrown about once a minute for hours on end.
I guess I want the 6 million dollar turnout motor.
Does it not throw, but it “want’s” too or does it just not “want” too?
If the first (i.e., you can feel the motor trying to move), it could be because the linear gear is too far to one side and you need to center it to get more throw. Otherwise, look for stuff jambed along the throwbar, or more typically, jambed at/along the hinge point.
If there is no response in that direction, either you are feeding dc (as opposed ac) to the diodes, or have a bad connection between the ac, diode, switch motor wire.
They are reliable assuming they don’t get watered. If they do (like several of mine), the internals will rust and flake to pieces. Also, they will corrode at the internal solder points. If they stay dry, I have several installed in 1997 that still function properly.
BTW, mine thow less than every minute for hours on end without fail. One of the nice things about the EPL is their versatility in that they can be triggered by so many different methods from a simple reed switch, to a complex lattice controlled by a microprocessor. I use 555 chips and relays to control mine where automated.