SEEP motor fitting aide

Discussion in 'Hints & Tips' started by Chubber, Mar 5, 2018.

  1. Chubber

    Chubber Full Member

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    ‘Get it Pegged!’

    The popular Seep point motor consists of two solenoids mounted on a 54mm x 16mm base. A metal rod is moved backwards and forwards inside these solenoids as the current is applied momentarily to one solenoid coil or the other, and it is this movement which is transmitted to the blades of the point by a 1mm steel rod mounted in this piece of metal. Each motor is supplied with concise details of the necessary connections and stresses the importance of keeping the moving rod exactly in the centre of the length of travel of the motor when mounting it to the underside of the baseboard. This can be difficult, especially working upside down, often in a confined space, and the common suggestion of packing pieces of cardboard into either side of the motor is inadvisable as damage can be done to the spring of the auxiliary switch.



    Luckily, an ordinary clothes peg is easily adapted to make the perfect jig for holding the motor in its central position, leaving both hands free to do the fitting and will repay the time taken to make it over and over again.



    1. Take the peg apart, and using sandpaper ensure each half is 9mm wide, as this is the gap between the Seep solenoids. Check that the pieces slide easily into the gap without force. Then, using a sharp Stanley-type knife cut a 1mm slot in one half and a 3mm slot in the other half. Each slot should be centrally located in each piece, as shown.
    2. Reassemble peg 'inside-out'.
    3. Open the peg and carefully slide it into the space between the solenoids being sure to locate the 3mm slot either side of the switch spring. Here are two added bonuses… the ‘peg-jig’ forms a convenient handle by which to hold the motor whilst marking out the location of the mounting screw holes and can be clamped in a vice whilst flying leads are soldered to the contacts without fear of damaging the motor itself.

    peg halvesa.jpg

    peg%20and%20motor1a.jpg

    Hope this helps somebody,

    Doug
     
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  2. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Great tip Chubber :thumbup:. I think someone else also said that mounting them firmly under the board can cause problems, so advised to leave the mounting screws slightly loose or putting a thin sliver of foam between the seep motor and baseboard.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
  3. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    Like the tip Chubber I'm sure ti will save someone a bit of grief :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
     
  4. Chubber

    Chubber Full Member

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    You are right, Pete, twas me 'in another place '......I found using 2mm screws in the 3mm base plate holes works very well if they are just backed off enough to let the motor move side to side fractionally. The weight of the motor and the stifness of the attendant cabling provides more than enough inertia to throw the turnout, ensures the switch wipers fully cover the auxiliary switch contacts and lessens the 'thump' when it moves. The latter may be of interest to fine scale modellers with hand laid turnouts with scale tie-bars.

    Poop-Poop

    Doug
     
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  5. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    I can vouch for how useful this tool is and have used it for sometime.

    Paul
     
  6. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Wish I'd known about it before I fitted about 35 to my layout! Faffing about under the boards gave me a crick in the neck and much chuntering/adjusting with cardboard before I got them all working properly, and as I use the PM1 secondary contacts for signalling and other relay operation, it's important to get the adjustment just right!
    Keith.
     
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  7. Len Thompson

    Len Thompson Full Member

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    Simple and brilliant, wish I had seen this prior to fitting 59 seeps, I ended up using a piece of plasticard as below, simple but effective.
     

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