I have a modest 2-lane HO track that I am building a couple of driver stations for. I will be using Parma controllers with a single wall wart for each lane. The wall warts each have a rated output of 16V and 10VA.

I would like to add a switch to each box so that the driver has the option for reversing direction. The DPDT switches I have seen for sale are rated for either 12VDC or 120VAC. How can I use a switch with a 16V output wall wart?

Thanks!

Hello there FJ—

Welcome to the board! :wave:

I’m really not the one to reply to your query. In fact when it comes to electrics, I am less than a novice.

I figured someone else would have stepped up because we have some real powerhouse technicians here on the boards that delve in that sort of thing.

Don’t fret though—
I had a mate do pretty much what your asking for me on a previous layout. We just went to Radio-shack and bought the bits needed. I recall buying a small plastic box for the switch, the switch itself and a blue light to signal the reverser was on. He nipped the wires on the end of the controller (but you could put a jack or some type of terminal ends temporarily hooked up the controllers you have), fed the wires into the box, soldered the connections and hooked the light up to the switch. The other end had wires that hooked up to the terminal track.
It worked perfectly.

If no one has a better solution or offers any advice, I’ll see if I can locate the reverser in my track boxes. I still have it somewhere and will post pics if I find it. If this is not what you’re looking for let me know so I don’t have dig. It could be anywhere so it might take a time. :)


Cheers..

Your best bet from Radioshack is a 275-1533 10 amp @ 125V double pole double throw switch. There is a wiring diagram here (http://ns1.nwecs.org/howorld/archives/fergy/wiring/brakes/brakes.html) on page 3 of the HO World (http://ns1.nwecs.org/howorld/pages/pageone.html) website in the wiring series in the archives. HTH

Bill Belsher

Thank you both for replying. :)

boss9, thanks for the generous offer to try to dig up what you have to look, but hold off for now. I'll try to figure it out before having you go to the trouble.

Bill, can I still use that switch for DC voltage even though it is rated for 125VAC? I didn't think I would be able to since they sell separate switches for 12VDC and 125VAC, but I really don't know.

Thanks :hat:

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Hey there AFX—

Man, I’m sure glad you came to the rescue here! I knew you were the man for the job, but thought it wasn’t right just coming out and calling on you. You were the answer man in my thoughts on this. Good show!
Thanks also, Bill!

Cheers..

Ps—I’ll be emailing you soon…

Thanks, AFX! That's just the explanation I needed.

So, it looks to me that the switch Bill suggested is fine. Rated at 125VAC, 88.4 x 7.1 = 627.5W. My requirements are 16 x 10 = 160W so I will be OK.

And I will be using fuses.

Thanks again for everyone's help!!