Wiring Ross switches

Unfortunately, the Z Stuff motor internal wiring is such that they can only be wired color to same color wire "to play nicely in the sandbox". Depending on how the motors are oriented relative to the tracks, you can wire them color to same color and have both motors throw and stock rails move to the crossover or straight positions.  If however the motors are posiitoned so you have to connect the opposite color wires, the motors will hum,buzz and not work or poorly. 

To make my crossover work I had to use a set of 12VAC DPDT relays configured so one pair of opposite wired motors would throw, and other relay would set motors back again.  Alot of wiring, clumsy but worked.

What Sam said. I tried different color to different color and no bueno. With same color to same color I had to position one machine a little off the table but no big deal. I have a one SPDT switch (hope I got that right) that I got at the hardware store that activates both machines at once -- pretty cool. I could have used the little push button switch that comes with the Z Stuff machine but I wanted something big. Very happy with the result. I'm using the Z1000's with my Atlas switches and they work like a dream.

msp, is this what you need?  The Non-derailing can be added to this wiring.

Z-Stuff at http://z-stuff.net/list.html has excellent wiring diagrams.

In my case, I had Ross O-72 tinplate hi rail switches where the Z Stuff motors are "permanently" attached to one side with no provision that I could see for flipping motor to other switch side.  And layout space constraints won't allow turning two motors 180* so drive wire can move stock rails.  So had to resort to electrical solution to solve. 

I’ve done exactly that with 4 crossovers using Gargraves switches and DZ-1000 motors and controllers.  Each crossover has ONE DZ-1000 controller controlling 2 Gargraves switches with DZ-1000 motors.  As I recall (I installed and wired them up about 12 years ago), I had to reposition the LED’s so that both switches and the controller would light the same color.  Works very well. 

I have single Ross switches elsewhere on the layout with DZ-1000 motors so it should be possible with those switches as well. 

Bill    

msp,

Maybe I missed it, but are you using DZ-1000s or DZ-2500s?  The DZ-1000 uses two wires from the controller, and the DZ-2500 uses one wire.   I've not had the problems mentioned by Sam with my DZ-2500s.

Ron

JUST A SIDE NOTE: When wiring my dozens of Ross switches we used 6 pin connectors (male or female) attached to the switch machine, made sure we had a large enough hole in the substrate to feed it directly under the platform/roadbed and on the feed side had left a one foot loop so to be able to pull up connection and put on or repair a switch machine without struggling under a cumbersome or impossible angle to correct a problem and having to access wire. Think ahead and stay thirsty my friends! More knowledge , More ideas, Please! Thanks Richard  see Vid

http://youtu.be/FnDb2Y3tnZw

thanks for all the response.

I am using 1000's.  This is not your "traditional" crossover it is straight 072 going to the curve of a 072