Fastrack Switch Lanterns and bulbs

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I don't have a clue about repairing them, I haven't faced that yet.  I suppose it would be dependent on what is dead.  Are you sure the LED isn't reverse polarity on the one with the apparently good reading?

Thank You for the response John! I know the LED,s are polarized if energized wrong they blow  (ask me how I know). I did replaced  this LED as in tutorial above.  Much thanks again sir.

Gentlemen,

    I just received 2 of the 610-2045-126 switch stands from Chuck, great immediate service from him, and my money had not even reached him yet.  

DKDKRD,

    The reason is Lionel is making more money selling the full 610-2045-126 LED Stand than they ever would just suppling LED's themselves.

 When I replace the full LED stand I will back shop the old one, and actually see how much trouble it is to insert, a new LED into the old stand.

PCRR/Dave

The replacement switch stands are the way to go.  The individual LEDs are a PITA to solder if you don't have those "helping hands."  I have one O72 switch which had  the original LED burn out, which I replaced several years ago.  It burned out again a few months ago.  I attempted to replace it again with a spare LED I had bought back then but since I'm a few years older I'm not as steady as I was then so it has not been replaced.  The LEDs are $3.00, so the whole switch stand is a bargain at $6.50 when one doesn't have to do any of that fine wire soldering.  John,  I measured about .3 of volt of AC at the point that supplies the LED.  Do you think that could be what's causing it to burn out?  

Larry

I put a 'scope on the LED outputs and also measured the current.  I see nothing there that should kill an LED, so if it's a transient, it only happens for some unique situation.

John, could that low AC voltage be causing the LED to "give up the ghost" for the second time?  If so what can I add to the circuit to alleviate the problem?  Another diode or four since the board's rectifying circuit is not doing its job?   

Larry

The reverse voltage specification of most LED's is at least 5V, so low level AC shouldn't have any effect.

nmtrains posted:

Gunrunnerjohn,          Quite a thread indeed! I have a switch- dead!  does nada! Lionel says boards" not available",so are these boards repairable? Also I have a second switch,reads 5VDC@ contacts LED tests good yet won't lite when connected. Am in frustration mode! Appreciate any imput you could render.

NMTrains,

Try this fix for the dead switch. There is a resistor that goes bad. read through the thread and you'll find the repair. Earl's post on 1/9/12 describes the resistor hidden in shrink wrap and the test to verify before replacing it.

My money is on the bad resistor.

I'll second that Carl.  I just had a dead O36 switch repaired under warranty from Lionel and that resistor was what the service tech listed as the issue.

I got a day off from planting corn so I made it to the train room for the first time in over a week. Turned on the layout and found another switch lantern dark. That makes five so far out of eighteen. Very frustrating.

Moonman posted:

nmtrains posted:

Gunrunnerjohn,          Quite a thread indeed! I have a switch- dead!  does nada! Lionel says boards" not available",so are these boards repairable? Also I have a second switch,reads 5VDC@ contacts LED tests good yet won't lite when connected. Am in frustration mode! Appreciate any imput you could render.

NMTrains,

Try this fix for the dead switch. There is a resistor that goes bad. read through the thread and you'll find the repair. Earl's post on 1/9/12 describes the resistor hidden in shrink wrap and the test to verify before replacing it.

My money is on the bad resistor.

The link to the harness with the resistor is dead in that old thread, but I think this is the harness...

In the case of all my Fastrack lantern bulbs, it was an actual bad LED.  I replaced them all, and all of them work fine now.

I have one repaired stand left in my parts box. The bigger problem is that one end of the switch has Fusion Fiber and stones halfway up the roadbed and the other end is direct to another switch, so it's not coming out easily.