Just looking through boxes of old electronics for power supplies for 3 tortoises just installed. I know Circuitron says 12 V DC can be used and sells one for these, but also says this makes them loud.
I don't have any 12 V, but several 6 V old ones available. Still looking for a 9V which I see is a good bet.
If I can't find any 9 V would the 6 V do, or should I buy a 9V? Also, does the amperage matter much? I see my old ones vary from 180 to 300 mA. or so.
[edit] Ok, I found a 12V DC 500mA just like the ones Circuitron sells for the Tortoises. If I use this, could I use it for Tortoises separated by 20 feet or so....would it be ok to wire up the power supply from near a couple of Tortoises at one end and run a wire down to the other Tortoise 22 feet away?
Many use 12 volt and use a resistor lower the voltage to 9 volts. Slower, more realistic operation. Many 12 volt wall warts will probably be around 14 to maybe 16 volts as many are unregulated.
The current for a Tortoise is under 20 ma or under 0.020 amps. You can put a single bi-color green/red LED in series with one lead to see which direction the turnout is in. We have done that at our club.
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.
I use a 9-volt wall wart for my Tortoises. I'm very happy with the motion speed. The supply is about 5 feet from the control panel, and the panel is about 10 feet from the furthest turnouts. I've got a half-dozen machines on the system now with no problems.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Tortoises draw a maximum of 15-18ma, so figure from there to see how big a power supply you need based on how many Tortoise you have, or figure out how many Tortoises you cna drive with a given power supply. 9V tot he motors gives a smootehr and quieter operation than the specificed 12V - also realize most walwarts are unregualted and with the light current draw of the Tortoise they a probably putting out well over 12V.
Another option, if you want panel indicators, is to wire LEDs in series with the Tortois emotor. No resistors are needed since the Tortoise limits current to 15-18ma. This will reduce the voltage goign to the Tortoise motor, as well. Depending on the LED specfication, anywhere from 2-3 volts will be dropped - so using a 12V DC power supply nets 9-10V to the Tortoise if using the LEDs.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Power requirements for a Tortoise are not as strict as DCC track power. You can use telephone wire and run it almost as long as you want. I would suggest that you group your Tortoise wiring into layout sections. Sort of like using one power unit for all Tortoise on the left side, and another power unit for all of them on the right side, etc.
I have a large 2 amp 12 volt supply and use a bus of 18 gauge wire for my Tortoise machines that are not on the computer. The bus goes around the layout similar to the track bus, but not next to it. From the bus I use 24 gauge telephone wire to the panels and to the machines.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
My suggestion would be to hook up one of those 6v supplies to one of your Tortii, and the 12v supply to another, just as a test, to see which you like better.
If you like the slower 6v speed better, or find you don't care one way or the other, use the 6v supplies for your Tortii and save the 12v supply for something that needs the higher voltage.
Can i use the fixed DC on my MRC Teck 3 to run the tortoises.
Russell
csxns Can i use the fixed DC on my MRC Teck 3 to run the tortoises.
Maybe. Is it marked as 12V or 16V? 12V DC is fine, 16V DC is too much.
Cisco Kid I found a 12V DC 500mA just like the ones Circuitron sells for the Tortoises. If I use this, could I use it for Tortoises separated by 20 feet or so....would it be ok to wire up the power supply from near a couple of Tortoises at one end and run a wire down to the other Tortoise 22 feet away?
I found a 12V DC 500mA just like the ones Circuitron sells for the Tortoises. If I use this, could I use it for Tortoises separated by 20 feet or so....would it be ok to wire up the power supply from near a couple of Tortoises at one end and run a wire down to the other Tortoise 22 feet away?
I use MRC Railpower 1370 transformers to power my Tortoises. I have a series of four of these transformers placed along my layout, one for each control panel on which I have DPDT switches to activate the Tortoises.
The transformer shows a Total Output of 18 volts, but the Total DC Output is 15 volts.
On one control panel, I have 20 DPDT switches to control a corresponding 20 Tortoises. Some of the Tortoises are as much as 12 feet away from the control panel with the transformer sitting just below the control panel.
I am not sure how you define "loud". I can hear the Tortoise when it is moving the points on the turnout, but it is not particularly lound and the movement is slow as opposed to fast, certainly not like a snap switch. The grandkids actually enjoy watching the points move.
Alton Junction