Papworth Pip Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Hi all, does anyone know when Peco introduced the accessory switch and when the PL-10 point motor was altered to provide a lower pin to operate the switch. I'm in a bit of an arguement with some guy who claims the PL-10 that is unable to operate the accessory switch is brand new. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 PL-10 is about forty years old. Came with a short operating pin plus an extension pin, the long pin version PL-10E has been around for years. The PL-13 does work with the PL-10 (short pin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I am surprised that they are only forty years old, to me it looks like 1960's technology. They have in the last few years introduced a double micro switch which is supposedly much better. I must admit the one I bought disintegrated and it is so big it can only be fitted from underneath the baseboard. Trouble is, I have found you need twice as much power from the PL10 to basically move the point with the switch attached. I have played around a lot with switches, I even got a guy to 3 D print a bracket to take a microswitch. My latest idea is to use the blades of the point to activate a relay, which seems tons better. If anyone is interested, I will explain how it works, unless of course someone already came up with the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Basically I guess the technology of a metal rod moving back and forth inside a coil has't changed over the years Colin. I used them for years on my old loft layout without any problems but they do need a CDU. My points are now changed handraulically. Might use wire in tube eventually. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I have no issue with the PL10, they work perfectly ok, occasinally one coil gets lazy so it only pulls one way, but other than that they work really well. When placed below the point they are really efficient. It is when you add the switch to it, for a start you lose a lot of the free movement as the Peco switch makes it more fixed and then it causes issues to the limits of the throw. Quite often the switch stops the blade from making a good contact. As I said I have had tons of issues with the switches. Even when I started using my own microswitches, which were much better, I still had issues, just different ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Yes I agree about the switch but I found a good CDU overrides any friction the switch causes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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