It appears that the green and red lamps on the controller have 2 grounds going to them, so how do they light up? Is each lamp in series with the rest of the circuit?
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Look at the diagram closely and be careful not to jump wires. The lamps are in series with the coils. In the diagram you have pictured the coil that has just energised is the right coil. The next one to energise is the left coil. The top lamp in the controller is in series with the left coil and gets its power through that coil. Since the lamp does not draw much current there is not enought current to energise the coil. When you push the lever on the controller or the train hits the non-derailing track you will put ground at the junction of the light and the coil. Now the coil has full power and moves the switch to the other position. When it does the slide slide switch will disconnect the coil and set up the other coil for operation in the same way. If you read the text on the same page it will explain all of this.
Al
According to the manual, apparently hot (positive) voltage flows thru one of the dual coils at low amperage. Enough power to lite the bulb but not enough to energize the coil. Moving the switch lever "shorts" the bulb and enough current flows thru one of the coils to move the mechanism to the other position. Then current flows thru the other coil and lites the other bulb.
OK, thanks for the explanations. The bulb being in series is what I suspected.
I forgot to add that the current thru the coil is enough to power an SC2 switch controller. I have my SC2's wired so that their power is supplied by the switch not a separate supply.
Originally Posted by bigo426:
I forgot to add that the current thru the coil is enough to power an SC2 switch controller. I have my SC2's wired so that their power is supplied by the switch not a separate supply.
That current will power SC-1's too.
