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RE: Looking for parts
Thanks Scott, Ed and all other responders. I am going to go into this slowly, but my basic question was answered--get a big transformer and I won't go wrong.
I will continue to talk about this when I visit with you at various fun runs and shows.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: ttat-members-owner@aoot.com [mailto:ttat-members-owner@aoot.com]On
Behalf Of Scott A Smiley
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 12:23 AM
To: ttat-members@aoot.com
Subject: Re: Looking for parts
The are two ways of going to a command environment. Our Club layout has
both of these. One would allow you to only run command engines remotely
and the other would also allow you to run conventional engines. What
does this have to do with transformers? If you were only going to run
command engines, then you would not have to have any blocks on the layout
and you would need the most wattage available to run anything, many
things, at the same time any where on the track. If you want to run
conventional engines, then you should consider some power blocks,
although you do not have to. You can buy a power master that will
handle up to 400 watts now and if you did this with a large transformer,
you could power the whole layout from one transformer. however, you
would not be able to separately control two conventional engines. This
is what the power blocks gives you. The ability to control a
conventional engine independently on each zone. Now since you have
several transformers to run engines, you will need several power masters,
one for each transformer. As you heard from Ed, 4 motors can not be run
on 75 watts. But most of the current can motor engines with one or two
cans will probably work fine on 75 watts. May be not with a lighted
passenger train though. What most do with the smaller transformers is
use them for accessories and switches once they get more power for the
rails. We have 270 watts on track 1 180 watts on track 2 and 135 watts
on 3 and 4. we did this so the long lighted passenger trains would work
on some tracks. We used to use 110 watt transformers but they would
loose voltage as they got hot from use. The new ones do not have this
problem as much. there have been several articles in Classic toy trains
on this subject in the last years, how to pick a transformer. Although
not remade until recently, the old standby ZW gives you 275 watts with 4
variable taps. the wattage does get split if you use all 4. these run
$200 to $300. The 135 watt brick Ed mentioned runs around $75 I think,
maybe more. the brick requires you to have a separate control mechanism
since it only produces 18 volts. where a conventional transformer has
the control on the unit.
Most of us would be happy to talk to you about this since you see that it
is not an easy question.
Scott
On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 06:29:40 -0700 Pauwels Mike-rycl90
<Mike.Pauwels@motorola.com> writes:
> Scott,
>
> K-Line offered to replace the smoke unit for free. I am mailing it
> out shortly. Thanks for all the help.
>
> The next question will give y'all a chance to see just how deeply
> I'm getting sucked in to this. If I decide to go to a Command
> Control system, how big a transformer should I be looking for?.
> Hugh has at last count five engines which he would probably never
> have the space to run all at once, but let's say we could wnat to
> run three plus accessories.
>
> We are currently running two separate transformers, 75 and 90
> watts.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ttat-members-owner@aoot.com
> [mailto:ttat-members-owner@aoot.com]On
> Behalf Of Scott A Smiley
> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 9:45 PM
> To: ttat-members@aoot.com
> Subject: Re: Looking for parts
>
>
> Do a search on Ebay for liquid smoke repair kit and you will find
> one
> source for a replacement. i agree with Ed. on the whistle. Post
> war
> just wanted a DC current. Current technology allows the unit to
> detect
> the direction and thus allowing multiple operations, bell and
> whistle.
>
> Scott
>
> On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 10:32:06 -0700 Pauwels Mike-rycl90
> <Mike.Pauwels@motorola.com> writes:
> > Y'all,
> >
> > I have taken apart Hugh's engine yesterday to find out why the
> smoke
> > is intermittent. As someone had suggested, the resister had
> burned
> > up. However I have not been successful in finding a replacement
> > resistor (and the fiberous element covering it) anywhere on the
> web.
> > Could someone direct me to a supply for these parts? The engine
> is
> > a K-line, and I wrote the website for advice but so far no
> answer.
> >
> > I have also investigated why his tender whistle wouldn't work.
> > After disassembling, testing, reverse engineering, etc. I found
> out
> > that the whistle actually does work if the transformer connections
>
> > to the track are reversed. In a conventional whistling tender, the
>
> > whistle is activated by the superimposed DC on the track using a
> DC
> > relay. The polarity of the relay was not significant.
> >
> > However with the electronic switch used by the K-line tender is
> > polarity sensitive. When I reversed the transformer leads, the
> > circuit switched the current properly. This brings me to a
> question
> > for you experts out there. When the whistle switch is closed, is
>
> > the center track supposed to be positive with respect to the
> outside
> > tracks? Is that the way the club layout is wired? Do the club
> > command controls actually apply conventional whistle signals to
> the
> > tracks? (His whistle didn't seem to work on the club layout
> > either.)
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Mike Pauwels
> >
> >
> >
> > ------
> > TTAT members reflector.
> >
> >
>
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