Now when the train comes to the switch it stops and short circuits. It is called a frog juicer.
Universal Mono Frog Juicer Automatic Frog Polarity Switcher
Frog juicer wiring diagram. A single wire goes to each frog. It should be in the same power block as the frogs will be but not necessarily if you are powering frogs across the layout. It is essentially a simplified dcc auto reverser. That is all that the wiring diagram says. Place the board on a non conducting surface wood or wallboard. The device detects the short circuit caused when a locomotive passes.
Two single frog juicers one dual frog juicer or two circuits from a hex frog juicer two of the frogs diagonally across from each other can be un gapped. Installation of the hex frog juicer hfj is simple. The lightning bolts represent a train arriving on the other route and causing a short circuit the first short occurs with the entry frog and then a subsequent short occurs on the exit frog. Connected two wires from the bus line that go into the two output of the frog juicer. They have no adjustments to make. It comes in a single frog dual frog and a hex six frog configuration.
Think of it as half an auto reverse section controller. Live frog turnouts require power juice to be supplied independently to the frog with the correct phase to match the route selected. Frog juicers have no mechanical linkages so they fit neatly under your layout. The frog juicer supplies the power and switches the phase by electronic means rather than a mechanical switch. I have a six input frog juicer that can handle up to 6 switches. The frog juicer is an electronic autoreversing device sold by tam valley depot.
The problem turned out to be that i had used an old wiring diagram. Youre in luck it is also about half the price. Hex frog juicer v15. The diagram below shows how to wire up a live frog crossing eg. Wiring a crossing for automatic polarity control requires 2 frog juicer circuits. You need a piece of plain rail ie one not connected to a juicer between the frogs connected to different juicers or terminals if using a dual or hex.
Wiring diagram here is how the hex frog juicer is wired to your frogs. Each switch has a wire soldered to the frog. Connect the 2 pin terminal block to the track bus. Track power goes in at the other end of the board. The tam valley depot frog juicer is a dcc accessory developed to simplify the task of energizing the frog and set frog polarity with minimal effort. This needs to be isolated from the frogs connected to the juicers obviously and powered.
Installation is quick and easy it takes about five minutes they require very little long term maintenance and they are very reasonably priced. A peco electrofrog diamond crossing with two juicers feeding the frogs.
Gallery of Frog Juicer Wiring Diagram
