Lionel caboose # 17605 with DCS

[phillyreading]

I just wanted to mention that lighted cabooses and lighted passenger cars need to be looked at every month or so when used with TMCC or DCS as they both operate at somewhat high voltages from your transformer. 

Lee F.

[Train-O]

Thank All Of You Forum Members,

For your safety concerns.

Thank You,

Ralph

[Train-O]

Lee F.,

I, thank you for your information, what you now said and reading other members having short circuit protection, now will cause me to definitely add the extra protection, especially that you and Bob Nelson mention about the danger involved with the P.W. ZWs.
These new T.M.C.C.units and I believe Legacy also, need at least 18 volts to operate and that is a lot of current.  With all of the power units to operate these newer units, the protection equipment should be sold right with the initial package, instead as an after thought.
I know, the owner's manuals mention about the protective items, but they are sold separately.

Thank You,

Ralph 

[phillyreading]

Ralph,

About post war ZW's, they can burn up something before the circuit breaker throws. Bob N. a.k.a. Lionelsoni, says that the circuit breaker inside a post war ZW either 250 or 275 watt is connected to the U terminal to save space inside the post war ZW's.

I have 10 amp circuit breakers from Scotts Odds and Ends wired in to the A thru D terminals on the output of my post war ZW and still had something burn up on me. Each terminal gets a wire to a breaker and then to the track.

Lee F.

[phillyreading]

I took the truck assembly apart and found that it had melted the plastic completely from around the center rail pick-up. The top of the spring assembly was shorting out to the frame of the truck assembly, no wire was touching(no burnt wires) as the guy at my hobby shop thought was the problem. Now I have just the uncoupler on both ends of my caboose, no more lighted caboose for right now.

Looks like I can get a post war part to fix the center rail roller issue. Looks like post war parts were used for this along with modern to make this caboose.

Don U, looks like I need to lower my circuit protection from 10 amps to maybe 7 amps. Like I mentioned before I thought that the engine had a problem.

Lee F.

[DMUinCT]

The DCS TIU (Track Interface Unit) has an electronic circuit breaker (called a crow bar circuit) that instantly shuts down the TIU before the circuit boards can be damaged in event of a short or overload. It's set for 10 amps !   On a solid short it will trip fast but on a high resistance ground (sputtering sound) it may never trip.  This is a problem in all gauges, plenty of transformer power and breakers that protect the full power available.   I add a lower value fuse in line with the TIU, in running two twin motored "G Gauge" locomotives, 5 amps is plenty, "O Gage" could be less.

Caboose ? look for a bad socket, a strand from a wire to a grounded part (coupler, wheel, axel).  

[Train-O]

Lee F.,

My new type of caboose made around 2002/3 had it's pick-up wires burn with the slightest short and with out the fuse throwing inside of a P.W. ZW transformer.
Fortunately, I caught it in time and the only damage was the wire's protective coatings melting off of the front and rear pick-ups.

My local hobby shop's repair person replaced the wires, which now have shrink wrap at the contact points, where the wire's lugs are soldered to the pick-ups.

My older P.W. cabs., when shorted, never had this problem and still worked like a champ. 

Good Luck,

Ralph

Ralph

[phillyreading]

Just found out that I melted the center rail pick-up for the light to the frame of the truck assembly. Light plastic being used but is there a reason for the center rail pick-up to melt on this lighted car? Only a small light inside the caboose, NO smoke unit.

I was using this lighted caboose with a DCS base wired in to the track circuit for engine control. At first I was having engine control problems then I took off the first engine and put another engine in it's place and problem continued. Finally I looked at the caboose and saw some light smoke coming from the coupler area & a small noise and found it extremely hot to the touch as the plastic had melted but no circuit protection device picked up this problem.

Now I need a new truck assembly as the old one is melted together; uncoupler and center rail pick-up. Wheels turn fine, just the truck assembly major parts are damaged.

Lee F.