Sick Tortoises? Try These Repair and Maintenance Tips (347)
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- Опубликовано: 13 июл 2024
- In February 2020 I posted a video showing how to repair a broken Tortoise switch machine. Recently this issue resurfaced and I got some updated information from Steve Worack at Circuitron, the maker of Tortoises, with his suggestions for improving the repair as well as cleaning and lubricating them. So in this video I'll show you the new and improved repair method and go over some maintenance tips. You can download a copy of the full maintenance tips from my website at larrypuckett.wordpress.com .
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:35 Background--The Problem
1:40 Circuitron's solution
3:14 Give it a shake
3:55 Continuity test
4:32 Cracking open the shell
5:25 Source of the rattle
7:18 Making holes
9:03 Amazon to the rescue
10:00 Installing wipers
13:57 Together again
14:38 Gathering tools and supplies
17:49 Dusting and cleaning
18:08 Brushing your teeth
18:53 Lubing
21:45 Wrapup 
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Thanks, Larry, for sharing this info. I happen to have 3 machines that I have replaced. Since I hoard items like the Tortoise's I shall now repair them and make 'em like new. You are the best!
Steve is a genius! I meet him many years ago. He keeps in touch with his dedicated customers.
I just used #2-56 screws and nuts
Great Video as usual! 400 then another 100 switch machines! would love to see a video on his layout!
Go to his channel via video link on end screen.
@@TheDCCGuy Thanks I found his site.
Fabulous as always Larry.
hello larry & it's is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks larry friends randy
Hi Larry, always informative to see your tips... I don't have Tortoise machines so I may not know what I am talking about. But I'll offer this for your consideration anyway. With the screws in place, even if they are stripped, why not fill the back side of the arm (near the screw threads) with a little epoxy or JB weld. It would be a lot easier and would give the screws plenty of material to adhere to.
I recently checked 25 of the 54 of mine on my storage yard, and although I never found any problems, I took the precaution of using a hot glue gun to glue all the way across, where the plastic holds the wipers, and run the glue across the top to form an extra bond whilst still allowing the wipers to retain there springiness. I didn't bother to check any of the machines I just disassembled and modified them. I couldn't be bothered to strip the contacts off and mess about with screws, After I had used the hot glue on the first one, I tried to break the contacts with a lot of prizing etc (within reason) and couldn't get them to break. I am satisfied that the hot glue solution is faster and just as reliable, Obviously I scored the plastic both sides and between the pairs of contacts and also along the right angle section at the top to give the glue a key. Must admit the lube is a good idea.
Sounds like another easier solution. Getting those little nuts on those little screws can be frustrating. I bet a line of epoxy would work too.
Excellent video on how to repair them but I can’t imagine what it would be like to do 600 of them!
Me neither!
Nice one Larry, thank you.
Thank you for this informative video. I don't have a layout yet, but if I hear my friends having problems with these, I can now help them and/or point them to your video.
Good video, Larry!
Hey Larry, Hi from down under! Yet another great and informative video. I have been using these for many years and encountered the exact same problem with the wipers and fixed them with self tapping screws same as you did initially so I think I will go ahead and slowly retrofit them with the metal thread screws as you have shown in the video. Another problem I encountered using the DPDT component to power frogs was that for a split second the contacts were contacting on both polarities causing the Digitrax DCC system to see it as a short circuit and shut the system down. The fix for this was to remove some of the track on the circuit board so that the wiper was only sitting on the pad when it gets to the final rest position at each end of the travel. When the switch motor is opened up to do the contact repair it is a good time to alter the contact pads on the circuit board.
Yep, I wrote about that issue in Model Railroading magazine 30 years ago, but have not run into the problem since so don’t bother. Do you have your command station set for the extended shutdown timing or the factory setting?
Thanks Larry I have it set at the Factory settings@@TheDCCGuy
I would suggest putting a drop of lock-tite on the nuts. That will help keep them from loosening.
Thank you for sharing.👍
I dont have any of those but great info
Very fine video! Love diy fixes!!! Thanks!!!
Great video Larry! I enjoyed this one.
Thanks Larry for the update. I havent had any problems yet but thats great info THX I dint know they had a 9yr warrenty more great info Thx again
Ive also repaired the early models of DCC Concepts Cobalt TO motors, they have the same problem. Its all very well to say they have a lifetime warrantee but when one lives on the other side of the world 😢 so I repaired ours the same way but used 10 Ba bolts and nuts. Thanks Larry.
Nice fix! I’d be tempted to add a drop of thread lock (eg Loctite) to each of those little nuts just to make sure they also don’t come loose over time.
If you do that Loctite makes a product called after Lock that works well.
I’d consider using either the lowest strength loctite (purple I think?), the equivalent off-brand, or since I have it around and use it regularly for small thread applications, double-boiled linseed oil. It dries up and holds the thread but never completely hardens, making disassembly easy.
@@THBRailwayInHO , After lock is very low strength. Used after parts are assembled or adjustments to 8 track players or other adjustment screws that may have to be reset.
You can also just use some PVA glue.
Great information. One issue I seem to have quite often is once the machine has moved the points of the turnout the machine continues to make a clicking sound. It sounds like the motor keeps turning and is just grinding gears. At least you have given me some pointers on repairing them. I’m dreading working under the layout as is so often the case “ I’m not as young as I used to be”😅
Sounds like either something lodged between a gear tooth or worse, one with a missing tooth so it is slipping.
think it was you who told me about the MP5 switch machine i have sold all of the tortoises i had
i did find there are easy to program, too to i have used them in hard-to-tortoise machines but MP 5 allows me to half the piece of a tortoise something like the dewalt power tools are better in their warrant work all i have to say
Sorry but it wasn’t me.
Thanks for this - useful
One thing I would suggest though is that you brush your gears well away from the case you just so carefully cleaned.
I noticed that myself as I was editing the video.
5:05 if you recently purchased the unit in question, it may be under warranty. As one can plainly see, there is a clear warning that damaging the label voids the warranty. Oops.
Thanks for the heads-up, Larry.
Happy Holidays ⛄
As I said in the wrapup these are guaranteed for an amazing 9 years! However you must have your original receipt to prove purchase date.
If you're in the USA, the FTC has ruled that "warranty void if removed" stickers are illegal. So IMO don't worry about that.
I would take mine apart at least once a year to check them. Better to catch the issue before it becomes an irreversible detriment to operating the model railroad.
You just not have very many then, that would be a real chore. If he is willing to guaranty them for 9 years I would think that once the wipers are fixed they could go until the motors died.
@@TheDCCGuy Doesn't mean the gears won't start breaking. That's what I'd be checking. Heck, annual lubrication can help a lot with long term wear.
Hi Larry, I noticed when you were putting on the nuts you switched from tweezers to a stick with something that looks like putty. What is the stuff and it looks like it was working better than trying to hold the nut with tweezers.
That unfortunately got snipped out in editing. It was a small dab of Uhu black tack, a sticky putty I got on Amazon but you can find similar in blue or white at the local hardware store, that I normally use for installing LED lights. I put on just enough to hold the nut and guide it into place and it did work well.
Larry, I had several tortoises fail in the wipers couple of years ago. Took them apart and cleaned them and put vaseline on the wipers. Seemed to work ok for awhile then started loosing wiper contact again. Several tortoises are not showing turnout position again. I assume that I should not you vaseline, but oil?
I have no idea of the relative merits of oil vs grease (vaseline). However no matter what keep it to a minimum.
I have had the motor actually die and I don't see why they don't upgrade the solder pads to screw terminals
They offer the Zip Z card edge connector which clips onto the card edge and has screw terminals.
Great video. Can't imagine taking 400 modules apart and repairing them
Happy Thanksgiving Larry.
Do you know what size screws you used. Would 2-56 fit? I have 100's of that size from my RC model airplane years.
Another viewer commented he had used them but the nuts might not fit. I had trouble with the tiny ones I was using.
Thanks Larry. I'll keep that in mind and see how it goes.
What size nuts and bolts did you use? Metric? Non-metric? I lean toward a 00-72 size.
The set contained M1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 and I used the biggest I could fit. The problem is the nut has to fit inside the bottom of the sweep arm.
How is it possible to control 400 turtles?
He has a number of videos explaining all that on his channel.
Hi Larry My name is Melvin I need some advice please and y seem to be the exbert on Kadee cuplers please help
No Tortoises for me❗
DCC CONCEPTS. IP Point motors are by far better than Tortoise Motors. Also life time guarantee with them as long as you are the owner and dont sell them on.