hey, i was just wondering if anyone here knew whether or not the MRC Tech II 1500 has 2 transformers inside or just 1. I need to know, because this is my power pack, and I need to know whether or not I can use common rail or 2-rail wiring with it. If theres only one transformer inside, common rail would create short circuits in the power pack.
thanks!
DeadheadGreg wrote: hey, i was just wondering if anyone here knew whether or not the MRC Tech II 1500 has 2 transformers inside or just 1. I need to know, because this is my power pack, and I need to know whether or not I can use common rail or 2-rail wiring with it. If theres only one transformer inside, common rail would create short circuits in the power pack. thanks!
Greg
I just took a quick gander at the MRC site to refresh my memory. The Tech 2 1500 is a single controller with momentum added (comapred to the 1400). Since the 1500 has only a single controller, it only has a single transformer, too.
The Tech 2 2800 Dual Cab Controller has 2 controls and 2 transformers and advertises itself for common rail wiring.
Nearly all MRC dual cab power packs have/had 2 separate transformers for common rail wiring. The triple controller had 3 transformers. This was an advantage of MRC power packs over their cheaper competition at the time.
As long as each controller has a separate transformer, you can use common rail wiring, regardless of whether the controllers are combined into the same box. In my case, I have 2 separate power packs, and each has their own transformer inside the case. I use common rail wiring. I run a 16 gauge bare braided antenna wire around the underside of the layout as my common connection bus. All the common rail feeders are connected to this bare wire bus - I use 26 gauge magnet wire (has easily removed varnish for an insulator) for nearly invisible feeders for each section of rail. At worst case I might double-head a train, and my power packs put out 1.5 amps max before the current limiter comes into play, so my wiring is plenty adequate for the loads I am running.
I suspect you gave either the wrong Tech series or model number. If you are really looking to hang an independent controller off the fixed DC or AC terminals on a single controller power pack, you aren't going to find one with 2 transformers, regardless of make or model. You can add the second controller to a single controller power pack, but you can't use common rail wiring.
Fred W
whoops!!!! hahaha, thanks for pointing that out dude. it IS the 2600 that I have. donno why i said the 1500......
anyway, yeah, thats what I have. Thats great to know that it has 2 separate transformers, because common rail seems to be a lot easier to deal with than 2-rail.