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Transformer is smoking from the Top, What the Causes?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Austin, TX
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Posted by lionelsoni on Saturday, June 16, 2007 7:03 PM

Conrailman asked, "What the Causes?"  The KW, like many other toy-train transformers, can easily be connected in a way that will set it on fire, even though there is nothing "wrong" with it.  In this case, getting it "fixed" would not help.  I asked him how it is hooked up because it would do no good to get it repaired and then connected back into a setup that gets past the transformer's inadequate defenses.  (Actually what is wrong is the design.)  However, it seems that the way he is using it is not the cause of the smoke; so the advice is indeed good to get it fixed.

 

Bob Nelson

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Posted by conrailman on Saturday, June 16, 2007 6:52 PM
I am taking it back to repair shop next week.
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Posted by baltimoretrainworks on Saturday, June 16, 2007 4:57 PM

 conrailman wrote:
I just my Transformer back from the Repair shop a few days ago and now its starting to smoking for the top of transformer, Causes for it to start smoking. Do i need to take it back to shop again.

Forgive me for being Captain Obvious but do you have other electrical appliances that smoke? If it wasn't smoking before and it is now after being "fixed" there's a good chance something is wrong with it. I don't mean to be sarcastic but this one is a no brainer, this is how houses burn down.

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Posted by conrailman on Friday, June 15, 2007 9:20 PM
 lionelsoni wrote:

How is it used in your layout?  Is there any way that the C and U terminals, or any two of the A, B, and D terminals could have been connected together?  For example, do you run trains from track powered by A to track powered by B?

No

 

 

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Friday, June 15, 2007 7:18 PM
 dwiemer wrote:

As Lee said, Take it back.  Don't mess with it or even plug it in.

Dennis

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Posted by lionelsoni on Friday, June 15, 2007 6:02 PM

How is it used in your layout?  Is there any way that the C and U terminals, or any two of the A, B, and D terminals could have been connected together?  For example, do you run trains from track powered by A to track powered by B?

Bob Nelson

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  • From: NS Main Line at MP12 Blairsville,Pa
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Posted by conrailman on Friday, June 15, 2007 5:32 PM
I took my transformer down to repair shop because of sides of transformer was getting Hot and now this new problem.Disapprove [V]
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Posted by dwiemer on Friday, June 15, 2007 5:13 PM

As Lee said, Take it back.  Don't mess with it or even plug it in.

Dennis

TCA#09-63805

 

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Posted by conrailman on Friday, June 15, 2007 4:40 PM
It a Trainmaster Type-KW transformer.
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Posted by phillyreading on Friday, June 15, 2007 3:11 PM

Take it back Now!!  Or have good homeowners insurance as that transformer may start a fire!The transformer should never smoke!!   By the way what transformer is it?  A ZW, a KW, a Z1000?

The only reason I can think of for a transformer to smoke is a short circuit when left uncorrected for too long! 

Lee F.

Interested in southest Pennsylvania railroads; Reading & Northern, Reading Company, Reading Lines, Philadelphia & Reading.
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Transformer is smoking from the Top, What the Causes?
Posted by conrailman on Friday, June 15, 2007 2:49 PM
I just my Transformer back from the Repair shop a few days ago and now its starting to smoking for the top of transformer, Causes for it to start smoking. Do i need to take it back to shop again.

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