Electrics – Back To Basics (Part 19) Adding LED’s to SEEP Point Motors
Electrics – Back To Basics (Part Nineteen) Adding LED’s to SEEP Point Motors
Part nineteen of this back to basics series, we continue our look at the basics of how to wire up a layout. In this article, we look at adding LED’s to the popular Gaugemaster SEEP motor motors. Many modellers like to add a mimic panel to their layout control to show the status of the points, routes, train positions/locations etc. Wiring LED’s to the point motors, which in turn the LED’s are then fitted & mounted into the mimic, will then show the position that the points have been set to.
Before we progress, if you’ve missed our previous article: How to fit, install, & wire up SEEP point motors, for use on DCC digital controlled layouts & also traditional Analogue DC controlled layouts. Please click on the link below to see how it’s done.
For today’s back-to-basics article we’ll now look at how to add & wire up the LEDs to the point motor…
The diagram opposite shows how the SEEP Point motor is wired up. The SEEP point motor has built-in switching so in the diagram you’ll notice that there are two separate powered circuits. The left-hand side is powered by a 12 volt to 23 volt power supply via a CDU (Capacitor discharge unit). The CDU unit basically gives the SEEP point motor more oomph so to speak, to throw/operate the Solenoid. The part of the point motor that is connected physically to the points tie bar (via the actuator bar) that moves/changes the switch rails on the point work. To operate the points you’ll need a switch the passing contact type switch or a push to make momentary type contact switch. As seen in the diagram opposite right.
Over on the right hand side of the diagram can be seen a second powered supply. This second powered 12v power supply is for the LED’s. This is on a separate circuit to the power supply & switch that operates the point motor. The + positive wire from 12v power supply is connected to the outlet/inlet marked as F on the SEEP point motor. Then from outlet/inlet marked as D on the SEEP point motor, to the long leg (+) on the red LED..
Then from outlet/inlet marked as ‘E’ on the SEEP point motor, is then connected to the long leg (+) on the green LED. Next a – negative wire is run from the shorter legs (-) on the LED’s to a resistor.
You can find out more about LED’s & what resistors to use for them here in our guide to LED’s series of articles:
https://oldwp.railwaymodellers.com/leds-part-one/
https://oldwp.railwaymodellers.com/leds-part-two/
https://oldwp.railwaymodellers.com/leds-part-three/
The two – Negative wires from the – Negative side of the LED’s are then connected to the – Negative outlet/inlet on the 12v DC power supply. As shown in the diagram opposite right. As can be seen, the two separate power circuits one is operated by a switch which then powers & operates the point motor solenoid. The other just powers & lights the LED’s, which are switched by the built-in switching on the SEEP point motor. Thus the LED’s will light accordingly to how the point motor has been set/operated via the operating switch circuit.
Using the same connection outlets/inlets on the SEEP point motor, these can be used to operate colour light signals & other accessories.
Happy modelling
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