Wiring aspect lights

[DavidEnghauser]

Thank you for your previous help. As I start to wire in turnout motors I have some questions.

I have used Peco electro frog points.
I plan to use the Peco smart switch to power them.
I will be cutting a small hole in the plywood to set them beside the turnout.
I have purchased the following lights from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H9 ... UTF8&psc=1

I also bought two pole throws to change the points, instead of the single throw provided with the motors.

How do I wire in the resistor? Do I wire the two ground prongs from the LED lights together and then put the resistor into that circuit? The positive wire on the red and green would then go to the toggle switch?

Does anyone have a recommendation for covers for the motors?

Thanks in advance for your help.

David Enghauser

[Chris]

Given that there will only be one LED on at a time then having a single common resistor on the -ve side is perfectly fine, however one issue is that sometimes the Red is considerably brighter than the green, if you find that it looks odd then having two resistors means that they can be altered independently.

[Brian]

By what your saying the operating switch will change the aspects, the actual point moving doesn't? All that proves is the operating switch has been moved not the actual point. Far better to prove the point or the point motor has actually moved one way or the other.

My method would be to use a micro switch that is either positioned so its actuating lever is operated by the point servo motors arm movement or by the points moving stretcher bar (Tie bar) operating the micro switches lever. Then via the contact of the micro switch feed the LEDs.

Resistors in the common negative is fine. It is how most are wired, but as suggested by Chris you find one (or both?) are too bright remove the single resistor and connect the negative directly to the LEDs Cathode leads and fit a resistor of suitable Ohm rating into each LEDs Anode feed. Do not power the LEDs until a resistor is fitted. The ones shown seem to be 1K0 (1000 Ohm) so you can try any values above that e.g. 2K2 or 3K7 etc until they display the level of illumination needed.

[DavidEnghauser]

As I study the instruction manual, there are terminals built into the control panel that the LEDs can be wired into directly. In addition the manual states that the control panel has resistors built in so there is no need for another resistor. The toggle switchs are wired to additional terminals on the control panel.

[Chris]

well that saves getting extra complications

[Ron S]

By what your saying the operating switch will change the aspects, the actual point moving doesn't? All that proves is the operating switch has been moved not the actual point. Far better to prove the point or the point motor has actually moved one way or the other.

My method would be to use a micro switch that is either positioned so its actuating lever is operated by the point servo motors arm movement or by the points moving stretcher bar (Tie bar) operating the micro switches lever. Then via the contact of the micro switch feed the LEDs.

.....

I agree with Brian, I was using the toggle switch on the one-wire method, to activate panel LEDs but often, the solenoid ( side mounted) may not go over so the panel indicated one direction but the turnout was the other way with a result not liked.
Since then, I have mounted micro switches as Brian suggests - yes a bit more work but now all is good.