QUESTION ABOUT MTH WATER TOWER

Hi Alex,

 

I have the exact same water tower and it works the same way for me. It is very very fast going down and very very fast going up. I have the button mechanism that triggers the tower and it is very touchy. Just a little release of button causes the arm to swing up. 

 

Maybe someone who is electrically and mechanically advanced could pick the mechanism apart and figure out how to have a more prototypical movement. 

What voltage are you putting into it?

Thanks Mike and Paul for your help

 

Paul the voltage is 14 its hooked up via the DCS and of course the AIU

and I press the on button on the DCS remote and the action is very fast

same if I press the off button.

 

THANKS, ALEX

Have you tried using a lower voltage? How does it operate at say 6 volts?

Hi Paul I'm going to give that a try and I'll let you

know.

 

THANKS, ALEX

Hi Paul I just tried 6 volts and it wasn't enough power to move

the spout. Then I tried 8 volts and still didn't work. Then I moved to

10 and 11 volts and the action of the spout was the same like 14 volts

I guess this is the way its works.

 

THANKS AGAIN, PAUL AND MIKE FOR YOU HELP

ALEX

It was a thought. I can make some of my Lionel and K-Line operating accessories work more realistically by reducing the voltage.

Yes Paul I've done that in the past with some other accessories

 and it worked. I'm stumped to can't figure that out. You should

see how fast it jumps very unrealistic.

 

I THANK YOU PAUL FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP

ALEX

 

 

Hey Alex...  Thanks for posting this.  I have been thinking about getting a water tower and this will be useful.  Did you try a Google search for "MTH Water Tower Slow" or something like that?  You might get hits from this and other forums.

I had one and it was suggested to shorten the spring inside by a few turns, this did slow it down. Mine lasted about five years and worked great. Recently the plastic gear split and would no longer grab the motor shaft. Nothing I did would fix it (glue).

THe whole thing is now in my parts box.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I have the water tower on my layout and it does go way too fast I agree, I had planned on lowering the voltage to it at some time but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Thank you for saving me the time lol! I actually do not use it as an operating accessory although it is hooked up. I put it on the layout after painting and weathering it more for the aesthetics then operating it so for me it's not a problem.

HI everyone I thank you all for your help and input.

Kevin yes good idea I was looking at that spring earlier

and I felt that it had a lot of tension on it, so I'm going to

shorten the spring tomorrow and see if it slows it down.

 

Paul and Eric, and Kevin I'll get back to you guys tomorrow

and let you guys know

 

THANKS, ALEX

Kevin I'm looking for a project water tower for a smoke fluid loader. Do you want to part with it?

One way to slow it down may be to pulse current to it,would have to think about it.

 

Dale H

Is it motor-driven or solenoid-driven? If it's solenoid-driven, you might be able to change it's actuation using a Tortoise turnout motor.

I plan to do a project with it myself someday, so i will keep it.

Thanks Dale and Matt for your help.

Matt it's motor driven, I'm going to shorten the spring tomorrow

morning and see if that slows it down. If It does I will take a quick

video of the before and after.

THANKS AGAIN, ALEX

If you visit Hobbyengineering.com; you will find all sorts of small gear reduction motors that could be adapted to this mechanism.

 

Some have gear ratios of 216:1 and 336:1.  That would move the spout nice and slow.  

 

Google hobby gear reduction motors. 

Hi everyone thanks for all of your input.

Mike N thanks I will take a look at that website

 

I took the tension spring out today and shortened at about 5

turns and it slowed the movement a little. I'll try to post a video

later. But I think Mike N has the right idea putting a reduction motor

in. Anyway thanks to all again.

 

THANKS, ALEX