Wiring PECO N Scale Turnouts - Unifrog and Electrofrog - DCC

[@GRUMP5B]

Just found your channel and this video - thank you for the simple and clear demonstration, it has given me the courage to start as you have shown where to cut and where to solder in understandable English with no hype thank you. Applause going your way from the U.K.👏👏👏

[@56NeilWatson]

I use a jewelers saw for isolating the frog. Produces a neater cut and no chance of damaging the stock rails

[@nscaler454]

I'll have to check that out. Thanks

[@The282mike]

Use a jewelers saw to cut your rail gaps, the gaps are nearly invisible just be sure that the gaps are free of filings so you have no shorts! Happy modeling!

[@sammym.belfastchild]

Its amazing to me that Model railroaders ( these days ) have to deal with all this nonsense , and manufacturers can not put out a Turnout that is good to go for DCC right out of the box as doing this to expensive turnouts is ridiculous , makes me question if DCC sound is worth all this , not to mention the expense an frustration. I loved model railroading but did not sign up to be a low voltage Journeyman electronic engineer... J.M.O ... cheers

[@nscaler454]

I have to agree that a simpler version could have been designed by now. But it would be very hard to please everyone. The Unifrogs are quite a bit easier that's for sure.

[@phillipg1588]

Peco unifrog turnouts (points) actually do work straight out of the box with no need to stuff around with that connecting wire to any polarity switch. I have 24 unifrog turnouts on my layout all working straight out of the box with no mods of any kind.

[@phillipg1588]

I have never needed to use the jumper wire on any of my unifrog turnouts. They work fine straight out of the box.

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

Nice job, hope they work good. Bob

[@LeahK2018]

Can you hook up a peco switch without wiring it up?

[@nscaler454]

Yes, by using metal rail joiners.

[@mikeobrien5884]

Good video, thank you. Do you have another showing the next step ... wiring the Tortoise Switch machine to the ElectroFrog turnout. I am SOOO electronically challenged ... I'm really struggling to understand this. I also want to include toggle switches to control the Tortoise. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! Mike O

[@nscaler454]

As a matter of fact I do. Check my videos, I recently uploaded a video how to install/wire a Tortoise.

[@mikeobrien5884]

@@nscaler454 Found it. Thank you!

[@anthonysurman8192]

I found it best to cut rails from underneath using dremal ....you get a thinner looking cut on top

[@nscaler454]

I've been doing that. I agree, it works better.

[@HumancityJunction]

Do I need to make the modifications to the Electrofrog? Can't I just add a sinfle wire to the frog and connect that to the SPDT of the tortoise. That would then allow power to the frog both from the points and the additional wire. I will use insulated joiners on the two inner rails to prevent shorts.

[@nscaler454]

No. The wire to the frog is to change the polarity only. It is not meant to power the track.

[@SwanSycorax]

I am just starting out having taken oveer 30 years since my last experience of model railways, so please excuse my ignorance. I am about to start building an N-guage layout -end to end, not loop, using Peco track. Firstly, my suppliers recommended Unifrog, not Electrofrog turnouts for my DCC use. I am amazed that these turnouts need as much work as you are demonstrating and haven't understood why?

[@nscaler454]

Unifrogs require much less work. Wish they offered them in other sizes.

[@johnsoderberg4766]

Hi buddy I’ve got two right hand peco n gauge electro frog points. I’ve watched all sorts of videos but I keep getting confused. When I have my trains running everything is great but as soon as I flick the point to joint the other track, via the other right hand point, the train stops dead. What is happening and how do I fix the problem ?

[@nscaler454]

My guess is you either have a short or a polarity problem. A multimeter is a great tool to troubleshoot these problems.

[@GUATAPARO1]

Excellent video. Thank you

[@ericp6612]

I am going to be doing this with my electro frog turnouts, but there are 3 wires at the frog on my turnouts. Do I have to solder one wire to all 3 wires? Thanks!

[@nscaler454]

are yours HO scale turnouts?

[@ericp6612]

@@nscaler454 no they are n

[@ericp6612]

I think if I cut the wires underneath and keep them attached to the frog rails I can attach a wire to those to power the frog and insulate the frog. Cut the jumpers at the points and power the stock rails with jumpers. Thoughts?

[@nscaler454]

@@ericp6612 I was not aware that Peco made an electrofrog with 3 wires in n scale. I would have thought they would all be the same as to what is shown in the video. I suppose my advice would be just visualize the flow of power through the rails. Have constant + or - power though the necessary rails (as shown in the video) and have the frog wired separately to control it's polarity. I can't see any turnout needing more than 3 wires going to it. (positive, negative, and frog polarity)

[@ericp6612]

I don’t know why there are 3 separate wires that jump the frog since there are only 2 rails. I will modify one and see if it works before modifying the others. Thanks for your assistance!

[@TimWhittle]

These insulfrog points don't look like mine? Have they been superseded? I'm having the devil's own trouble getting insulfrog to work, just about ready to trash the layout.

[@nscaler454]

I bought the same Unifrog and Electrofrog turnouts about 6 or 7 months ago.

[@abdullahabu1252]

Hi, I would like to know the best turnout tracks to fix the LADDER TRACKS LAYOUT For HO SCALE cod 100. Either Micro Engineering System. Or Atlas Customline Marks V # 4. OR Peco cod 100 UNifrog and Electrofrag. Please advise me. B/R AIW

[@nscaler454]

I don't have experience with anything but the Peco turnouts. Sorry.

[@sergioarroyoguerrero5434]

I used Atlas switch code 80 #4 .

[@adriengadson3544]

Make sure to inform people if they have a returning loop after the turnouts frog. They will need to isolate the frog or will result in a dead short plus need a reversing loop module to change the polarity.

[@larrybaughman618]

🤠👍

[@phillipg1588]

I have never of such nonsense about cutting rails with Electrofrog turnouts. My electrofrog turnouts work 100% fine straight out of the box no problem at all. All that needs to be done is the use of insulated (plastic) rail joiners on both centre rails coming straight out of the frog and ensuring electrical connection at the entry rails into the turnout. I am NOT a fan of electrofrog turnouts and much prefer using unifrog turnouts.

[@solobassoon]

I think it is way too tedious that you have to make such extensive work on a turnout just to make it work. I simply do not get it.

[@richardbraham2486]

I agree. It’s just ridiculous given the amount of $ you have to spend to run trains