POSTS ON A TRANSFORMER

[Anonymous]

somebody told me that i should be hooked to the "A" post which is the 18 volt side not the 14 volt side. currently using lw 125 watt transformer. will this ruin anything in the future, or should i change over? still new at the volt thing.......my posts on the lw are as follows.........#1 post is "U" post to terminal #2 on track-- #2 post is "B" nothing hooked to it, line from this post to #3 post says (18v) in between-- #3 post no "letter" #4 post "A common" in betwwen #3 & #4 hooked to terminal #1 on track-- and #5 post is "C" nothing hooked to it.

Is this the way it should be hooked up? everything is working fine at this point. so when the guy said to be hooked to the "A" 18 volt is that the #3 post or the one that i'm on?

Confused Cade

[ChiefEagles]

No too familia with LW's fixed voltages. Try "U" to the outside rail and "A" to the center rail. This should give you variable voltage when the transformer handle is moved [max 18V]. Most people run their trains with this setup.

[ben10ben]

A-U is the correct combination, however A should go to the outer rail, and U to the center rail. The LW is backward in that A is the common terminal.

[ChiefEagles]

Thanks Ben.

[Anonymous]

so what would happen if i left it like the way i have it? anything? all my lock-ons are spliced in to that way if i change it on the post will everything be the same or would i have to change each hook up. (did that make sense???? I hope.) so in a nutshell evrything hooked up is backwards, right? what would i gain or loose?

[sulafool]

Ben is correct, it is backwards. Go ahead and connect "A" to the center rail if you like. I had to because my horn button would not activate the alleged whistle of my Docksider until I did.

[Chris F]

As Ben noted, terminal A is the common ("ground") terminal and should be connected to terminal #2 of the Lockon. Terminal U is the hot terminal and should be connected to terminal #1 of the Lockon.

A train also will work with terminal A to Lockon #1 and terminal U to Lockon #2. However, either you won't get any power from terminals B and C (which you're not using at this time) or, if you do, the power won't be protected by a circuit breaker (which connects thru terminal A).

sulafool, I think the reason your LW's standard hookup didn't work was because the LW (and SW) rectifier disks were hooked up backwards at the factory. It didn't matter with Postwar locos, but it does with modern ones. This problem can be fixed by using a diode in place of the rectifier. [Original info from Frank McGuire et. al. on the OGR Forum]

[Anonymous]

OK, great! thx Chris F. for the info. learned what I needed about posts and terminals. that makes sence now. my W.P. gp-20 diesel wasnt working correctly. I thought it was the button on the transformer, even though everything else worked ok. that explains that one.

Cade