Max. Power Available from Each Throttle on a Z-4000 Transformer

[wrmcclellan]

Yep. You ran into exactly the same thing we did on our former display layout. Once the Z4000 hit about 9 amperes, the voltage starts folding back (thus the 16 volts vs 20), and everything slows down. Something in the Z4000 circuitry causes this to happen, which is good actually, but it will not deliver that level of power continuously. I melted a PW ZW core (coating on the magnet wire windings) a few years back when I forgot we had run the ZW up to get all the 8x20 ft layout lights (a lot) brighter at a train show for photos - let it sit there too long - it overheated in the worst way.

[ADCX Rob]

bridgeengineer

...is the Z-4000 only able to put out half of its power on each throttle...

Yes. 180 watts per handle.

[bridgeengineer]

On our large seasonal holiday layout at The National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, I ran a passenger train consisting of a Lionel 2343 F-3, a Lionel 2333 F-3, each with two motors, and nine AMT extruded aluminum passenger cars, eight of which contained two large-globe light bulbs.  So, there were four motors and eighteen light bulbs, counting those in the engines.  From old Lionel instruction book info, I estimated that this train could potentially draw about 172 to 190 watts.  We use a Z-4000 for the O gauge level on this layout, and for normal, small trains, the ampere draw is about 4 to 5, and the voltage can read 20 or 21 if we crank it up all the way for a few seconds just to see.  For the heavy train I described, with the throttle up all the way, the voltage read only 16.0 and the amperes alternated between 9.3 and 9.4, and the train ran at only a moderate speed.  This would seem to be 150 watts, if volts x amps can be directly multiplied for alternating current.  Therefore, is the Z-4000 only able to put out half of its power on each throttle, with a 25% loss in the transformation process?  A Lionel ZW can put out its full power through any one of its four throttles, about 180-190 watts continuous after transformation losses (although the roller on the secondary coil will get pretty hot!).  Any comments to help or correct my understanding here?