PL-10 + PL-13 vertical clearance

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

How much vertical clearance does a Peco PL-10E point motor (or probably any Peco point motor) PLUS a PL-13 accessory switch need below a baseboard? 

The reason I need to ask is I

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

I think I should also have added the PL-9 mounting plate into the equation, right?

[B.Meldon]

You can mount the point motors under a baseboard without the mounting base, I use this system a lot, but it involves bending the tabs flat that may well invalidate the warrantee on the point motor.

You can also cut a hole in the baseboard and mount the motor direct on the point reducing the under board clearance even more.

With the PL-13 accessory switch you need to make sure you have some side to side adjustment in the point motor because the small amount of movement in the 009 points requires precise adjustment of the position of the switch relative to the point.
In fact if you mount the point motor direct onto the point and then mount the PL-13 switch to the point motor it will not switch properly!
If you are using the switch for a frog polarity switch you need to test the switch is switching correctly with the point before you wire it up. Or if you have already wired it up place a piece off thin paper between the point blade and the stock rail to test the switch.

Brian Meldon

[Elmgate]

I do have a Peco motor with switch, on a base, and by folding myself up under the baseboard (! :) ), find that 40 mm should be adequate clearance beneath.

Regards

Tim

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Thank you both!

Brian, think I want to use the mounting plate.  It seems more proper.  (This written from an armchair hundreds of kilometres from any such mounting plate.)  And yes I will indeed be using the PL-13 for frog polarity switching.  I'm grateful for your hint that I should check it early in the process.

Tim, 40 mm is very interesting!  I have just ascertained that Ukrainian timber (but not plywood thicknesses) comes in multiples of 10 mm dimensions.  I am beginning to see my framing design taking shape...

[Elmgate]

I would therefore go for 50mm (nominal) as you can bet that 40mm will be just under! My measurement was approximate , it may be as little as 38, but not as little as 35 mm!

Tim

[B.Meldon]

 The only other comment I will make is that you need to make the point motors accessible just in case one fails and you need to change it at some point in the distant future.
I have had two fail in 30+ years.

Brian Meldon

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

Thank you both, again!

As I mentioned, I will be building low over some furniture units but these will be able to pulled out (on average every 15 years, according to Brian's experience).