LGB Point motors

[Eaglecliff]

I have a couple of LGB point motors and in both cases, the screw terminals are rusted solid. 3-in-1 has not helped. I don't have any terminal blocks small enough to replace them directly and don't really fancy trying to solder new wire to the tiny terminals where the very thin wires from the coil emerge. Any suggestions? ( Apart from new motors, obviously.) Perhaps unusually, the body screws of one of the motors won't budge either, and they are of course only into plastic. D'oh.

 

[playmofire]

On the last point about the body screws, I have had this with isolating rails. The body is plastic but I'm sure the screws are japanned metal and as the metal rusts, it swells.

 

[Neil Robinson]

I have a couple of LGB point motors and in both cases, the screw terminals are rusted solid. 3-in-1 has not helped. I don't have any terminal blocks small enough to replace them directly and don't really fancy trying to solder new wire to the tiny terminals where the very thin wires from the coil emerge. Any suggestions? ( Apart from new motors, obviously.) Perhaps unusually, the body screws of one of the motors won't budge either, and they are of course only into plastic. D'oh.

I may be able to help. PM sent.

 

[Eaglecliff]

I may be able to help. PM sent.

Thanks, Neil - helpful as ever.
I needed to disassemble the motor as it was not functioning properly - so I broke off the top cover (got a couple of spares) and found that the metal cover on the works was completely rusted up and bits of rust were clogging the gearing, which explained why it wasn't working smoothly - if at all. I've thrown that bit away! Fortunately I did find a very small chocolate block and connected it to the very short lengths of wire I had fortuitously left in the terminals of another ancient switch, and Presto! I've got a working double switch.

 

[Gizzy]

I've unsoldered the terminal blocks on some of my motors and soldered in a flying lead instead.

Useful for crossovers where you can have 2 motors operated with one decoder (or a switch if Analogue)....

 

[phils2um]

This post reminded me that I've got one with a frozen screw too. I just ordered what I believe to be nearly identical screw terminals with nickel and tin plated brass hardware from Mouser, part no. 651-1786174. $3.14 each. I'll let the group know how they work out.

 

[Dan]

With a hot soldering iron you can solder the enamel wire to another wire but make sure you tin the enamal wire first as the enamel will melt/vaporize. I do this to very small lights like the LGB rail truck front lights and you can hardly see these small wires.