[fixed] Kato CV2 turnout not switching properly

[Dinosbacsi]

Sorry, I don't know if I should make a new topic for this or not, but here it is anyway.

 

So I ordered a Kato Unitrack CV2 turnout set recently and it arrived today. The issues is that one of the turnouts, the right turnout one, doesn't seem to work properly. I tried switching it both by the controller and by hand, the small black pin on the side moves, but the rail points don't switch. They budge a bit, but don't even go halfway. I can push them over by hand and they stay there though. The left turnout also works without problems.

 

Has anyone experienced something like that with any Kato turnouts?

Edited March 25, 2021 by Dinosbacsi

[Sheffie]

I’m not familiar with the CV2 model but in general a problem like this is caused by the brass wire not being correctly aligned with the pins that are mounted on the black actuator bar.

 

 The actuator bar is connected to the solenoid and the manual switch, and the brass wire is connected to the moving rails. The wire itself is designed to introduce some “give” in the system, but it is flexible enough that it can become unseated if bumped. 

 

Depending on your model, there may be a window on the underside that will let you check this and correct it. If not, it might be necessary to take the back off the unit. Either way, you should be able to reposition the wire between the two central pins (the smallest ones) using fine tweezers or a pin. 

 

Unfortunately I’m not at home so I cannot post a pic. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Sheffie

[Dinosbacsi]

Yeah I took the back off and I think I may have found the problem?

 

I watched a video where someone fixes this brass wire in a switch, though it's not a CV2 one so it's a bit different. The main difference I see is in the pins on the slider that move the wire. Here you can see that on the underside of the slider there is this small "passage" in which the wire goes I suppose. And as this slider moves back and forth, the passage holding the wire moves it to the left and to the right.

But the brass wire seems a bit bent to one side, could the issue? Because I noticed that when it comes to moving the switch to the right (from this perspective) it will work, as the slider moves back (towards the camera), therefore pushing the center of the wire to the right. The wire straightens out and there is enough tension for it to move the slider with the rail points.

But when it comes to switching to the left, the long slider moves away from the camera, therefore pushing the center of the wire to the left. But because the wire is already bent left a bit, I suspect there is not enough tension to move the slider with the points. It moves them a little bit, but not fully.

 

So could the bent wire be the problem? Though I find it weird, it's a pretty flexible wire anyway, so are they working with such a small margin of error?

[inobu]

As the slide moves back and forth the switch motion is being driven by the guide.

 

Make sure there are no kinks just a smooth transition.

 

Put it back in the guide and check

Inobu

Edited March 24, 2021 by inobu

[Dinosbacsi]

Just now, inobu said:

As the slide moves back and forth the switch motion is being driven buy the guide.

 

Make sure there are no kinks just a smooth transition.

Inobu

Yeah, and the wire is inside the guide, but it still doesn't move the points properly. It will move it from curve to straight most of the times, but when switching from straight to curve, it just goes half way.

[inobu]

Place it back on a slide and use a strip of paper to move the slide.

 

The paper will be sensitive/harder to move the slide. that way you can see the restriction 

 

[Dinosbacsi]

1 hour ago, inobu said:

Place it back on a slide and use a strip of paper to move the slide.

Do you mean replace the wire with a strip of paper? Or just wrap it in paper to make it stronger? I was thinking about wrapping it in tape or something to give it more strength to see if it helps.

[inobu]

No,

 

The slide is binding. So you need to visually find out where it is binding.

 

If you push the slide with your fingers it will slide easily because of the force of your finger.

Take a piece of paper or post it and use it to push the slide. The paper reduces your ability to apple force.

 

The solenoid is weak so you want to aply the same level of force.

 

Inobu

[Dinosbacsi]

19 hours ago, inobu said:

The slide is binding. So you need to visually find out where it is binding.

Thanks for the tip inobu, I managed to find the problem with your paper trick! It really was binding and that's what caused it to not move properly.

 

Turns out it was one of the closure rails, I believe that's what they're called? The ones between the frog rail and the points.

You can see that the top one is a bit further away from the frog than it should be, there is a gap. As a result, there was no gap between the closure rail and the point, therefore the two collided as the points rotated, which stopped it mid way. Applied a bit of force with the end of a tweezers to push it back towards the frog, so the points move freely, my turnout works!

 

Thanks for the help guys!

Edited March 25, 2021 by Dinosbacsi

[inobu]

Good! Troubleshooting if really fun , especially when you fix the problem.

 

Inobu

[cteno4]

Alive! It’s alive! It’s alive!

 

sorry any excuse to quote young Frankenstein

 

jeff