Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Testing powe packs

1452 views
8 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Ulster Co. NY
  • 1,464 posts
Posted by larak on Thursday, October 16, 2008 6:05 PM

And now for something completely silly.

Solder two long wires to a 12 volt bulb. Hook to terminals. It will light if AC or if DC and the voltage is up.

Warning - Theoretical content below (run away now) not yet verified:LaughAlienSmile,Wink, & Grin It's been a long day.

Hold cord three feet away from the bulb and spin rapidly.  Do not let it hit you or anything else. You should be able to see the bulb blink on and off if the rate is correctly synched. to the 60hz (50 for our Canadian and German friends) power line frequency. I do this with a 120volt cord and a neon bulb for my classes to "prove" that AC is not steady. I suspect that small incandescents would cool enough between peaks to dim somewhat.

Karl

The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open.  www.stremy.net

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:50 PM

 Well, if you hook a 12V test light to the 16V AC accessory terminals, it should light up nice and bright. If you connect it to the variable DC terminals it should get brighter as you turn up the throttle knob. So it IS sort of a valid test, at least to figure out which terminals are which and if it still puts out any power. 

 A meter though is well worth the cost. You can get inexpensive ones for as little as $5 which work perfectly well for model railroad uses. And that's digital - I paid that for a poecket-size digital meter which came in very handy. I had a super-fancy benchtop one from Fluke if I needed to do anything really fancy - luckily it was given to me, new it ran somewhere north of $300, and that was 20 years ago. Definitely overkill for wiring trains.

 

                       --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Ulster Co. NY
  • 1,464 posts
Posted by larak on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:11 PM
 TomDiehl wrote:

Unfortunately, a test light will usually operate on AC or DC, so it won't answer that question for him. As suggested above, a multimeter will be the best item to test these as he desires, but will still need a load on them.

You're right of course. I didn't read and UNDERSTAND the post.Sign - Oops [#oops]. I usually recommend a meter but figured he didn't have one if he was asking the question. Thanks for catching my brain f@rt, Mea culpa.

The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open.  www.stremy.net

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:51 PM

You still need a meter for proper testing. Do not try to work on model trains without a test meter.  It can be frustrating. Also, go to an automotive store and look for a auto replacement light socket for a single button lamp like a back up lamp. I recall at one time seeing a replacement socket with a six inch long pigtail wire. Get the lamp with the single base. The metal shell of the socket is for the other wire, ground or minus side of the 12 volt car battery. That should be a sufficient load.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Poconos, PA
  • 3,948 posts
Posted by TomDiehl on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:34 PM
 larak wrote:

Put a 12 volt test light across them. This will test under a decent load.

 

Unfortunately, a test light will usually operate on AC or DC, so it won't answer that question for him. As suggested above, a multimeter will be the best item to test these as he desires, but will still need a load on them.

Smile, it makes people wonder what you're up to. Chief of Sanitation; Clowntown
  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Ulster Co. NY
  • 1,464 posts
Posted by larak on Monday, October 13, 2008 9:01 PM

Put a 12 volt test light across them. This will test under a decent load.

 

The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open.  www.stremy.net

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • 732 posts
Posted by conrail92 on Monday, October 13, 2008 8:00 PM
Do you happen to own a multimeter?
"If you can dream it you can do it" Enzo Ferrari :)
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, October 13, 2008 7:45 PM
If there trainset power packs they'll have two sets of terminals, one set for DC (track) and the other for AC (accessories). Sometimes you can come across a really cheap one that has only one set of terminals. Those would be for DC. If you have the ones that look kind of like the EZ-Command controller, the wall pack puts out AC but the controller puts out DC.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 40 posts
Testing powe packs
Posted by usher40351 on Monday, October 13, 2008 7:34 PM
I have two packs that came fro bachman train sets. I dont wont  test them with oval layout  just test them with powr pack plug in outlet and finout if they power eiher dc track or ac for assceries.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!