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power question

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • 4 posts
power question
Posted by mo985 on Thursday, November 18, 2010 8:58 AM

I have set up a track arround my sons room, roughly 10' x 9', or 40' of track. currently I have one MTH Z-1000, 100W transformer powering it, through two connection pionts equal distance from each other. I am running O-scale, on MTH 3 rail track.

Yesterday my swich came in, and I added it to the track, and it would not operate properly. I have since figured out my transformer is not capable of providing enough power for everything. The switch says it uses 10V and 1.25A, so my question is how large of an accessory transformer would I need?

I don't plan on running more than one engine, or more powered accessories so this second transformer, in essance, is strictly for the switch alone.

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Thursday, November 18, 2010 9:39 AM

Did you connect the switch to the "Accessory" terminals on the power pack and not the variable AC track power output?  If you have it connected properly, you may just need to use a larger gauge of wire between the transformer and the switch.

 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • 4 posts
Posted by mo985 on Thursday, November 18, 2010 10:36 AM

I had it hooked up both ways. When I plug the power pack back into the actual controller, it trips the circuit breaker after 3-5 seconds. 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Vail, AZ
  • 1,943 posts
Posted by Vail and Southwestern RR on Thursday, November 18, 2010 5:23 PM

I don't know your equipment specifically, but lack or power isn't the problem.  Sounds more like you have a short somewhere, perhaps in the switch control.

Jeff But it's a dry heat!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • 4 posts
Posted by mo985 on Thursday, November 18, 2010 6:05 PM

I called MTH this afternoon, and one of their Tech guys told me there were a batch of transformers that had the inside wire terminals of the accessory output, installed backwards. I switched my wires on those post, problem solved! Thanks for your input and advice, I was sure I was going to have to buy another transformer to add on.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,312 posts
Posted by locoi1sa on Thursday, November 18, 2010 6:23 PM

Its great MTH could not be thoughtful enough to post it in a newsletter or magazine add about the screwup.

     Pete

 I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!

 I started with nothing and still have most of it left!

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, November 19, 2010 1:32 AM

 Hey look, Digitrax aren't the only ones! (Some DB150 boosters have the Rail A and Rail B terminals wired backwards internally, so you wire everything up conistently and when your train crosses from one district to another, it shorts, even though A and B match on all rails - oops, it's the backwards booster.)

                                --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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

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