Ullswater Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Hi AllI've got quite a large garage loft layout and I thought I would post my method of installation and wiring for my Hornby R8243 surface mount point motors and Hornby R8247 accessory decoders. I find it all a bit awkward and have quite a few to do, so would be fascinated to hear if anyone has tips and tricks!This is the method I currently use:1. Position by hand the point motor in correct place on baseboard with the point that I am controlling2. Drill hole through baseboard to take point motor wires through to underside3. Repeat for all points that will be connected to the accessory decoder I am working on4. Position accessory decoder on underside of baseboard so that it is roughly equi-distant from the four points I am controlling (or up to eight if the points are controlled in pairs)5. Measure distance from each point to accessory decoder so length of extension wires is known6. For each point motor, twist together three wires (red / green / black) of correct length to extend the length of the point motor wires to reach the accessory decoder7. On my workbench, connect the extension wires I have just made to each of the four ports on the accessory decoder8. Using velcro tape (strengthened with evostik), for easy removal of the accessory decoder, attach the accessory decoder (with extension wires now in ports) to the underside of the baseboard9. Solder together the extension wires to each of the point motors three wires and use heatshrink to cover the exposed soldered connections (this is particularly awkward as has to be done under the baseboard)10. Solder the power cables for the accessory decoder to the power bus11. Test the point motor operation using Railmaster, and screw the point motor down when satisfiedAny thoughts on how to make all this easier would be much appreciated!One idea I had was to use something like 3-wire molex power connectors to join the point motor wires to the extension wires I have already screwed into the accessory decoder ports - so no soldering needed under the baseboard - but then I would need a larger hole drilled in the baseboard.Any comments gratefully received! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Just one extra TIP to add. The case of the R8243 can flex and catch the internal soft iron slug. Therefore it is important not to over tighten the R8243 fixing screws. They should be just tight enough to hold the R8243 in place, but loose enough to allow finger pressure to detect some slight movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullswater Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Thanks Chris - I have also discovered that - it goes contrary to what I would intuitively expect, which is that everything should be locked firmly in place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 You could perhaps try something like these. You push the rocker (one side at a time) to open the port for your wires. Agree they need to be fitted to the baseboard (superglue?) and the wires added after they have passed through the hole you have made. But it does save you doing any upside down soldering. R- /media/tinymce_upload/46080845fe5bf0e2f3dc2048ad20e20b.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullswater Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Thanks Roger - they look like they could help a lot actually. I've been trawling for different connector types and didn't find those - could you advise where you found them online? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Where possible locate the R8243 motor along the straight side of a point. If it has to go on the curved side then be aware some locos can snag their chassis gear (such as battery box or fuel tank) on the square corner of the motor. I have had to dress the corner with a file for clearance on occassion...Note the nail used as a screw down, chosen because it was all I had but the diameter gave a bit of slack in the mounting./media/tinymce_upload/861807bd143e33cde46ca7de2379f2c3.jpg If you want to switch things via the point when using these small motors (say indicator LED) you can modify a Peco PL-13 switch by trimming off the clipon lugs and glue it directly under the point... /media/tinymce_upload/85ca68e483841f601c171d2664781d1e.JPG .... connecting it to the point tie bar with a Hornby track pin which is a perfect snug fit..../media/tinymce_upload/ff60fff3cfd8c22f3db511a34011ff7e.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Thanks Roger - - could you advise where you found them online? Sure. I cannot get an active URL to work so if you copy and paste this wording into eBay - you should see a few suppliers. Maybe one of the other Mods. can sort out the link for me. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=2+%26+3+WAY+CABLE+%2F+WIRE+QUICK+SPLICE+CONNECTOR+WHITE%2C+PUSH+FIT+CONNECT+12V+-+250V&_sacat=0 R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Roger's link clickable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullswater Posted March 16, 2019 Author Share Posted March 16, 2019 Many thanks for the tips Chris, Roger and RAF. I've purchased some of those connectors (slightly smaller) on eBay - £2.99 for 30, can't go wrong - so looking forward to less upside down soldering! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Shouldn't this be in the General section of the forum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 @rog (RJ)I did wonder that but it mentions Accessory Decoders, so I guess that is why Ullswater entered it in the DCC section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagEndJct Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 This works for me:- rather than screwing the points motors down (I often found, when screwing them down, they ended up slightly out of alignment and operation was unreliable) I tried this. Always looking for an easy option, I tried double-sided sellotape and have not had a points motor fail since. The only tricky part is getting the backing off the sellotape! And it's fairly simple to re-position the motor if it is a tiny bit out of position; with screws, not so easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I found the PL-13 very unreliable and take a lot of effort to move the switch. I found a load of lever microswitches on EBay which are much better, smaller and much cheaper (5 for the price of 1 PL-13). You can mount them so they are activated by the point slider as it switches (opposite side to the motor). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 You have to be careful in your positioning of these micro-switches as the ones I have with a spring blade operating arm arm strong enough to push the point back. To get over this I employ an offset displacement method rather than a direct end on displacement. I.e. the tie bar pushes the m/s arm sideways as it moves. Having said that I have a big bag of them unused as most of the old PL-13 switches are still doing their job perfectly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I was starting again then I probably wouldn't use PL-13 switches as they are a bit finicky with regard alignment tolerances when installing and setting up. But once aligned correctly I don't have any operation reliability issues with the 17 I have deployed on my layout points. If anything, I would say the complete opposite to ColinB. They are not sprung loaded enough and can be floppy in operation and rely totally on the spring in the point to hold them in the thrown position..Since ColinB has posted this in a 'surface mounted point motor' thread. Then I assume that he is using his PL-13s with a 'surface mount motor'. How is not clear from the post. The PL-13 is not designed for 'surface mount motors' it is designed for Peco Brand PL10 under-board motors. Although they can be used with Hornby brand they are meant for Peco points and motors..So I ask the question, is ColinB's issue more to do with mismatching products and brands than a fundamental issue of poor product design of the PL-13 switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 You can use PL-13 switches with surface mount motors simply by trimming off the side mounting lugs and gluing them directly under a point, then use a Hornby track pin(which is just the right diameter) to connect the tie bar centre hole with the switch slider bush. /media/tinymce_upload/6b3a0b12dec91b57573b1ed25f196cb4.JPG /media/tinymce_upload/ff48edd29fe044a72ee9eb1b14ec3d5b.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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