# wireing in a change of direction switch



## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

hey track builders got a question. i routed a track last summer and it was all i could do to wire it,but it works fine.now i,m wanting to make the cars go in the other direction. i think i saw once that u use an on-off-on swich. is this true and is there a drawing or a how to somewhere? just kinda board going the same direction. any takers?


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

It's easy. :wave:

You need to reverse the polarity to the track. The rail that's getting current from the positive terminal of the power source should get negative and vice versa. Here are three ways to do that.








(This image has been revised based on later comments. Now safe for electronic controllers.)

The reversing switch will allow you to reverse the direction of the lane anytime by throwing the switch. It is a Double-Pole Double-Throw (DPDT) switch, with the terminals connected corner-to-corner using two insulated wires, and attached to the layout wiring as shown. Radio Shack should have several varieties of DPDT switches. It can be a toggle or a slide switch, just don't get a teeny-tiny one that won't handle the current. If you don't solder, get one with screw terminals.

Note that this is just the wiring for one lane, and assumes you have a separate power source for each lane.

--D


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

yeah baby dslot to the rescue! thats just what i wuz hopin for!! clear and to the point. looks easy enough.i have an adjustable power source but i dont think it,ll create a problem. but i think i,ll put a fuse on both pos and neg just in case i get it wrong first time .i did see some switches at the autoparts store they were big toggles that liteup. i have put the mags in backwards just to see how the cars went the otherway it really meesed me up but did keep my interest. dslot thats a beautiful illistration !!! many thanx hobbytalk neeever disappoints!!!


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

if you have cars with snap in rear axles,just put them in the other way,and check the mesh


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

If you plan on running electronic controllers the current cannot change before the controller.


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## SwamperGene (Dec 1, 2003)

Scott is correct the + feed to the switch needs to come _from_ the controller. 










Also it does not have to be an on-off-on switch, "on-on" works just as well.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Thanks, Scott and Gene. 

Glad you guys are around. I didn't think about electronic controllers, because I always use the old Aurora set controllers.

-- D


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

I guess I should have said "current cannot change _polarity_ before the controller". 

DSlot your illustrations are incredible! :thumbsup:


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Slott V said:


> DSlot your illustrations are incredible! :thumbsup:


Thanks, Slott V. I used to do it for real. Now I just occasionally freelance. My big client has been pretty quiet this year, so I like to keep my hands on the tools by doing this sort of thing for the forum. I can't match some of the great guys here in experience or depth of knowledge, but what knowledge I _can_ share, I can at least make pretty.

-- D


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

tyhanx for the help on my situation. i picked up a switch dpdt but everything came to a hault. seems a storm packing 4 inches of rain and wind gusts to 70 mph. causing a biblical flood at the track i,ve spent all day battleing rising tides last count about 40 gallons of water and a lot of swearing . it,s not that bad i could live in haiti!


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Oh no! You must have picked up a _momentary_ DPDT switch! They always create floods and torrential storms. Lucky you didn't put a 3-ohm resistor across it, or you'd have tornadoes, too.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

joegri said:


> ... everything came to a hault. seems a storm packing 4 inches of rain and wind gusts to 70 mph. causing a biblical flood at the track i,ve spent all day battleing rising tides last count about 40 gallons of water and a lot of swearing . it,s not that bad i could live in haiti!


Hey, Joe,

Did you get it all bailed out and dried off?

-- D


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

sorry so long to post back dslot. the short answer is yes,however the water did seep for 3 days afterward then yesterday, another 3 inches causing the whole senario lastnite and this mornin.i started to play with the reverising switch today(no work)and just going back over this thread so i can get started with this wireing project .


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*New Circuit Diagrams*

In light of comments concerning electronic controllers, I revised the diagram in my first post in this thread. I'll also put the new version here.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

> _ Joegri sez:_ ... the short answer is yes,however the water did seep for 3 days afterward then yesterday, another 3 inches causing the whole senario lastnite and this mornin.i started to play with the reverising switch today(no work)and just going back over this thread so i can get started with this wireing project .


Like many Texans, I often wish I had a basement -- until I read stories like yours and remember what a pain they can be.

I hope everything works out okay - nice and dry (and reversible).

-- David


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## martybauer31 (Jan 27, 2004)

Thanks for posting up the new diagram David, I have been wanting to do this to my track for a long time now, seems pretty simple to do.....


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

oopppss i musta did somethin wrong.i can make the motor/car go in both directions but the controler isnt hooked-up.gonna give up for tonite and try fresh tommorow. some folk understand electricty some dont. i fall in the catagory that dont.god i feel stupid!!


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

ok after a nights sleep and futher review of the schematic i found where i went wrong and put the wires in there correct place. now i have a track that runs both ways!! after going in the same direction since august i get really messed up as the cars circle the road course. its a neat sensation shoulda zigged but i zagged. hats off to dslot and swampa gene for there input and makin it easy with illistrations and such,thanx fellas!! marty go a head it do this mod to your track you,ll absolutly be freaked when you take your first lap around!!


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Joe - Don't feel stupid...it's pretty easy to get a wire crossed 

It sounds like the switch is wired directly to the power :freak:



Dslot said:


> (This image has been revised based on later comments. Now safe for electronic controllers.)
> --D


The color coding of the drawing above is different than the "standard" three post driver stations: white (positive from power supply), black (feed from controller) & red (negative from power supply). 

Wire the DPDT switch into the black & red of your driver's station - not the white.

Connect the terminals at one end to the black & red. Run a jumper diagonally across the switch to the other end terminals.

Connect the center terminals go to the track :thumbsup:


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

after sucessfuly getting my switch in, there is a renewed vigor at the track. did some landscaping and cleaning. much more to do, the wife went to las vagas for a week and i have all that time to build,tweek,run,em and just slack.so get the beer and turn the satelite up to 11 it,s on baby !!!


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Nice work Joe :thumbsup:


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