Lionel tpc 300

[xxl]

Hi everyone this is my frist post.   I need some help finishing my layout.   I have three separate tracks.  I am using a 275 pw ZW for power.   I have one track that is protectected by a  Direct Lock-On 6-1417.   This track will only run Tmcc engine no conventional ones.    The second track is transformer controlled.   The thrid track is where my problem is i want to install a TPC 300.   I know how to tie it in with the legacy but should i use a  Direct Lock-On 6-14178  for surge protection? If so how should i wire the surge house in?

Thanks

[8ntruck]

Welcome to the forum.  There are a bunch of great people here that can answer just about any toy train related question.

I have a TPC 400 on my layout.  I believe that they hook up the same way that a TPC 300.  Working from memory, you will find two terminals to connect the output from the transformer to the TPC 300, two terminals on the TPC 300 will connect to the track through the direct lock on.  I am running a Legacy system, which requires a special control cable to plug into the Legacy control base and sonnect to one or two of the signal terminals on the TPC 300.

I have my TPC 400 connected directly to the track, with a transient voltage suppressor to take care of voltage spikes.  I rely on the circuit breaker in the powerhouse brick I use for a power supply for overcurrent protection.  I believe that the lock on that you are talking about includes a circuit breaker - a good choice since the circuit breaker in the ZW there to protect the transformer, not whatever is on the track.  Properly sized self resetting automotive circuit breakers might also be an alternative to the lock on.

Good Luck.

[xxl]

My other question is since this needs a lock on,   when i swicth the the tpc to varible voltage how will that  affect the lock on?  

[xxl]

But dosent the the lock on need 18 v to close the circut?

[8ntruck]

I don't have one of these lock ons, but as I understand from the description in the catalog, the lockon has over current protection, like a circuit breaker - it will shut the power off to the track in the event of a short circuit on the track or if you try to run too many locomotives, smoke units and lighted cars on that loop pf track.  I believe that the lock on will pass the same voltage to the track that is applied to the input terminals.  Variable voltage should work just fine with the lock on.

Lock on is an old term that originated with a terminal set that snapped on (locked on) to the old tubular track that was uses before the invention of Fastrack so you could connect wires to the track without soldering.

Again, good luck.

[gunrunnerjohn]

You don't need the TMCC Direct Lockon with the TPC, and you are indeed correct that for conventional operation it will screw things up.

The primary reason for using the TMCC Direct Lockon is for command operation using a PW transformer.  Using a modern PH180 brick, you also don't need it, the electronic circuit breaker in the PH180 is more than up to the task of circuit protection.