Advice Wanted On Whether To Leave Point Motors Outdoors Over Winter

idlemarvel

idlemarvel

Neither idle nor a marvel
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I'm sure this has been asked and answered before but couldn't find a relevant thread through searching. :-(

What are people's view on leaving point motors outdoors over winter, and if yes what precautions should one take to protect them from the elements?
 
Left mine out over 10 winters with no problems. Although I would suggest filling in the screw holes with sealant, something I did later.

Make sure the ground underneath is well drained. Mine were on (sharp shingle) ballast.

After winter, take off the lids and give them a good squirt of WD40. You should soon get them up and running again....
 
Yep - a bit of drainage helps. Mine have been outside since 2007 - only problem was when insects filled one with carp - easily cleaned out (it was totally full of a fine dust).
Frequent use is the best preserver - run trains often! ;)
 
Never had a problem...and yes..I know..1 will now promptly fail now
 
Lgb point motors are very robust and reliable. Sometimes the screws or connectors rust up, I think this depends on when they were made. Occasionally they will need to be taken apart and cleaned. But they are fine to leave out all winter.
I had one completly lock up during a recent cold snap. When I took it apart the mechanism was surrounded by ice. Soon thawed out and working fine again.
My experiences suggest the advice given above is worth following.

Don't know anything about Piko motors.

Aristocraft point motors were total carp. If you see some for sale don't even think about buying them.
 
They make great spider destroyers! A few flicks back and forth and there're shredded. :devil:

I have topped mine off with a piece of roofing felt cut to size. The heat of the sun has stuck them down but not so hard that it doesn't come off very easily.
 
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Thanks for the advice. I was not looking forward to having to remove and re-install point motors every year, even though I only have three outdoors. They are already sitting on ballast and I will put some sealant in the screw holes.
 
I like the roofing felt idea - consider it nicked.
 
Yes , great idea the roofing felt, now all I have to figure is how to keep the Earwigs out of my Massoth receiver.......any ideas??????
Dave
 
Keep it in doors.
We don't know where you keep it (and your base station) but it not considered a good idea to leave the BS in a garage or shed where damp can get at it.
 
My LGB motors seem to survive most things, although I do have have some spares which I swap out if a motor goes tropo on me. The TrainLi motors tend to be a bit more temperamental. In both cases, drainage is important.

My problem is more in the summer, when we have an irrigation system going about every other day. This drenches everything and as we have predominantly sand soil - we're about two miles from the Gulf of Mexico and on the edge of Choctawhatchee Bay - the sand tends to get blown up into the motif boxes. A blast out with an air spray every now and then dies no harm, and rather than WD-40 which can leave a sticky residue, I use a DuPont Teflon spray lubricant that dries, well, dry!
 
Tanker man said:
Yes , great idea the roofing felt, now all I have to figure is how to keep the Earwigs out of my Massoth receiver.......any ideas??????
Dave
Click to expand...
You could consider putting it in a Sandwich Box with the holes for the wire sealed with Silicone. If Box is in the daylight, consider a Spray with Matt Black to keep the UV from destroying it.
JonD
 
jonD
Thanks for the tip, my garden is 'L' shaped where the railway runs, the base station is kept in a heated railway shed, I extended the wire out to a tree which I think would give good overall radio coverage, the receiver was mounted on a wooden bracket and a 2 litre coke bottle put on top and secured with screws. I think the problem was where the cable entered the shelf, it worked extremely well last summer until my open day when it failed and on inspection, was found to be full of earwigs. Mark has had it repaired for me but I have not put it back yet. I only intend to leave it out during the summer months and would bring it in through the winter. I will try the silicone to stop the 'pests'!
Thanks
Dave
 
Martino said:
...and rather than WD-40 which can leave a sticky residue, I use a DuPont Teflon spray lubricant that dries, well, dry!
Click to expand...
Thanks Martino. I don't think you can get DuPont brand stuff over here (UK) so does anyone know if this is the same:
WD-40 Specialist Anti Friction Dry PTFE Lubricant, which you can get for £5 from Halfords or homebase (for UK readers).
I believe PTFE is the "scientific" name for Teflon.
 
"I believe PTFE is the "scientific" name for Teflon."

PTFE is known as Teflon, but is the abbreviation for Poly-Tetra-Fluoro-Ethylene.. (my capitals, and hyphens..)

I would not paint matt-black, but a lighter colour.. Think of the heat-soak in sunlight..
 
PhilP said:
"I believe PTFE is the "scientific" name for Teflon."

PTFE is known as Teflon, but is the abbreviation for Poly-Tetra-Fluoro-Ethylene.. (my capitals, and hyphens..)

I would not paint matt-black, but a lighter colour.. Think of the heat-soak in sunlight..
Click to expand...
I thought about that, but black does appear to reduce the break down of plastics by UV Light better, perhaps Black then a lighter colour?
JonD
 
As it happens, for telephone cables, external are usually black and internal are usually white or cream. They are also different plastics though.
 
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