I'm hooking up an Atlas 305 Turntable and I have it working fine with an Atlas Twin, but my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see how the Atlas controller worked with it. I must be a real idiot or there is something wrong with the controller I have. It's brand new old stock. I'm posting a picture of the wiring diagram from the Complete Atlas Wiring book and the pic is the same as one that comes with the 305. Now in the picture the X-Y terminals on the controller connect to the motor on the turntable also designated X-Y, at least it looks like that to me. That looks like a direct motor connection from the turntable motor to the X-Y terminals on the controller. However, in my opinion since the motor has two connections and needs voltage to run, shouldn't I have voltage on the X-Y terminals on the controller? I had 18v at the transformer and 18v at the cab A connection on the controller. The schematic for the controller in the Atlas Wiring book is a little small and hard to read. Needless to say when I hook it up this way I get no voltage, the turntable motor doesn't run and the transformer doesn't like it. I tied moving the X-Y switch in all it's positions and no change whatsoever. I also moved the cab A reversing switch and no difference. Am I reading this wrong? Thanks for any guidance or insight!
Really dumb question about an Atlas controller
- Thread starter tc1961N
- Start date
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Notice the Controller slide switch that's noted as "Selects Cab A or B for Turntable". This is a center-off slide switch. Be sure it's slid to either Cab "A" or Cab "B" for whichever power pack is to operate the turntable motor.
The Atlas wiring diagram is spot on (verified with an old used Controller from my spare parts box). If you still can't get your Controller to work, it may have oxidized and/or corroded internal contacts that are not making good electrical contact. Which can happen to new old stock electrical components, depending on how they've been stored over the years. Or in other words, yeah. A bad Controller.
Hope this helps.
I just hunted for mine to give it a try but I couldn't find it.
The turntable track connections (1 and C) indicated on the Atlas diagram are treated just like the rest of the track connections. "C" for the common connection from the Controller, and block "1" from the Selector switches. Or whatever block number you decide to use for the turntable track, doesn't necessarily have to be block 1.
From the sounds of things, you were hooking up everything correctly (Yay!
), and I'd say you have a bad Controller (Boo!
).
You can click inside any or all of the quote tags and erase text and/or pictures not pertinent with your reply, like I did with this reply and my previous replies to you (posts #3 and #9). You can also add to the quote tags too, but if so it's best to change the text color (such as dark red) so it draws attention that otherwise may be missed by the reader.
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Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
18 volts? Are you SURE you are hooking up wires to your power pack on the DC track side, and NOT the AC accessory side? The turntable motor needs to run with the variable DC current, of course.
Notice the Controller slide switch that's noted as "Selects Cab A or B for Turntable". This is a center-off slide switch. Be sure it's slid to either Cab "A" or Cab "B" for whichever power pack is to operate the turntable motor.
The Atlas wiring diagram is spot on (verified with an old used Controller from my spare parts box). If you still can't get your Controller to work, it may have oxidized and/or corroded internal contacts that are not making good electrical contact. Which can happen to new old stock electrical components, depending on how they've been stored over the years. Or in other words, yeah. A bad Controller.
Hope this helps.
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
You do have the C - common on the turntable hooked up correct?
Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate it. First, The 18v is DC, variable, track volts. The confusing part for me is I look at the diagram and I see X-Y connected at the turntable motor coming from the controller X-Y. I also see the cab A input connections from the transformer, 18 volts, I just picked an arbitrary number could be 10, 14, etc. I figure, if I just connected the transformer DC directly to the turntable motor, it runs continuously, right? So somewhere between where the transformer connects to the Cab A input DC voltage and the X-Y output to the turntable motor, through all the switches, I should be getting 18 volts DC to the turntable motor and and I should be able to measure that voltage at the motor and at the X-Y terminals leaving the controller, right?
Second, I know one leg of the motor should be 18 volts DC and the other has to be common in order for it to run. When the Cab switch is set for A and mainline switch is set to either forward or reverse and the reversing switch for the turntable motor is set for one direction or the other, at the X-Y terminals, either the X or the Y has to be common in in order for the motor to run. The only way the turntable motor can get a common is from the controller, the turntable track common and all the other commons from mainline or incoming our outgoing tracks make no connection to the turntable motor, right?
I'm thinking I have a bad controller. I have studied the internal schematic for the controller on a different page of the Atlas wiring book and I have a hard time understanding the switch movements and seeing where the "common" connection on the cab A power input makes it to either the X or the Y terminal on the controller.
I've worked with electricity for nearly 40 years in my job, but AC, but I know DC enough to know you need a complete circuit to run anything.
Thanks again!
Tony
Second, I know one leg of the motor should be 18 volts DC and the other has to be common in order for it to run. When the Cab switch is set for A and mainline switch is set to either forward or reverse and the reversing switch for the turntable motor is set for one direction or the other, at the X-Y terminals, either the X or the Y has to be common in in order for the motor to run. The only way the turntable motor can get a common is from the controller, the turntable track common and all the other commons from mainline or incoming our outgoing tracks make no connection to the turntable motor, right?
I'm thinking I have a bad controller. I have studied the internal schematic for the controller on a different page of the Atlas wiring book and I have a hard time understanding the switch movements and seeing where the "common" connection on the cab A power input makes it to either the X or the Y terminal on the controller.
I've worked with electricity for nearly 40 years in my job, but AC, but I know DC enough to know you need a complete circuit to run anything.
Thanks again!
Tony
RhB Michael
RhB Lokführer
Have you metered any of those terminals used for the turntable to verify voltage?
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
Does it? That would be a good test.
I just hunted for mine to give it a try but I couldn't find it.
I forgot to add this fact,(Edit- this info is in first post) I have everything working fine with the Atlas Twin, motor turns, I can move trains on and off the turntable with no issues, I was just wanting to see how it works with the controller for possibly connecting a second cab. So to reiterate all the components work with the Atlas Twin setup but not the Atlas controller setup. I think I'm going to go to my local store Iron Horse Trains here in Hanover PA and get a brand new controller to see where the differences are if there are any.
Thanks again for the replies!
Thanks again for the replies!
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
That is correct. Your turntable DC motor positive(+) and negative(-) connections are run strictly through the Controller "X" and "Y" connections.
The turntable track connections (1 and C) indicated on the Atlas diagram are treated just like the rest of the track connections. "C" for the common connection from the Controller, and block "1" from the Selector switches. Or whatever block number you decide to use for the turntable track, doesn't necessarily have to be block 1.
From the sounds of things, you were hooking up everything correctly (Yay!
), and I'd say you have a bad Controller (Boo!).It looks like you have all connected correctly
My only question you say the transformer doesn't like it ??
What power pack are you using If it a duel controller it may be one using a single transformer for both cabs if so disconnect the B cab and see if that makes a difference
a single transformer dual cab is connected internally and could be making a short circuit somewhere in the instructions they tell you not to use that type needs to be two transformers
otherwise a bad atlas controller
My only question you say the transformer doesn't like it ??
What power pack are you using If it a duel controller it may be one using a single transformer for both cabs if so disconnect the B cab and see if that makes a difference
a single transformer dual cab is connected internally and could be making a short circuit somewhere in the instructions they tell you not to use that type needs to be two transformers
otherwise a bad atlas controller
RhB Michael
RhB Lokführer
Click on Reply in the poster's reply that you wish to quote. When that appears in your reply box, write OUTSIDE of the quote tag.
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
tc1961N, to expand on RhB Michael's reply, you can also click multiple "Reply's" and include them in with your reply, just as I have done here.
You can click inside any or all of the quote tags and erase text and/or pictures not pertinent with your reply, like I did with this reply and my previous replies to you (posts #3 and #9). You can also add to the quote tags too, but if so it's best to change the text color (such as dark red) so it draws attention that otherwise may be missed by the reader.
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