I have a bunch of cheese grade powerpacks that came from trainsets. I have started building my first semi permenant layout and was hoping to use one of those powerpackes, but it turns out they all have very nonlinear voltage increases. What i was wondering ifthis is exclusive to the really cheap packs or does it show up to some measure in all powerpacks.
Lost in the snow
Pretty much all of them are that way, some even by design - it's a design decision to make the first part of the control arc make a massive change and the upper part a lesser change, because at one time most locos needed a decent amount of voltage to start them moving, so why use half the dial just to get the loco to creep and then the other half would go from creep to warp speed.
Plus regulation on most of them is pretty poor, and there often needs to be a load to get a decent control - open circuit it may jump from nothing to the full voltage immediately after cracking the throttle. Plus some models incorporate pulse power options (not the cheap train set ones, the nicer ones) which depending on the type of pulse may manifest as constant full voltage under no load, or a fluctuating output instead of some steady voltage. Precision low noise, low ripply power supplies are not used for model railroads, no oone's DC power pack will have that quality of an output. In fact, other than coreless can motors, a permag DC motor will almost always run better with some form of pulse power versus a nice celan pure DC power
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bering,
Do yourself a favor and buy a good quality MRC DC power pack. They are worth their weight in gold. And, even if you should migrate to DCC, it can be used as an accessory power source for operating turnouts or lighting.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage Bering, Do yourself a favor and buy a good quality MRC DC power pack. They are worth their weight in gold. And, even if you should migrate to DCC, it can be used as an accessory power source for operating turnouts or lighting. Tom
I concur with Tom..Ditch the cheap power packs and buy a quality MRC DC pack.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I would shell out and get a MRC pack, but am unfortunatly building on a VERY tight budget. Would it still be worth it to pick up a secondhand unit?
Absolutely! I picked up a new MRC 1370 Rail Power power pack off eBAy several years back for $20. A very simple and utilitarian design but it works quite well.
Yes spend the extra money and get a MRC power pack even second hand because in my experience train set power packs will overheat if used for extended periods of time.
Joe Staten Island West
I have a number of little train set bricks, prizes collected by my yard sale addicted sister. I actually tried to use one for locomotive power, but ED1618 (1-B+B-1 cat motor with two huge vertical open-frame motors) ate it alive. The others have been relegated to scenery use, each powering a few lamps, a few LEDs or a single can motor.
For serious locomotive control I have several MRC packs, an ancient Tenshodo pack (selenium rectifier replaced with a silicon diode Wheatstone bridge, rheostat changed to a potentiometer) and a couple of home-brews based on 3 amp filament transformers. Each moving train has its own dedicated power pack, and I might have six trains moving at once on my double garage filler.
Overloading an inadequate power pack is a false economy - you'll just end up replacing it, probably sooner rather than later.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - analog DC, MZL system)
Hi,
As said before, spend the money for a new MRC pack. I've had them for decades, and even now on my DCC layout I use an MRC pack to power turnout motors, etc.
The epitome is the MRC 120, of which I had two. They aren't cheap, but you will have all the power and control you could use, and it will likely last a lifetime.
Lots of MRC packs for sale on Ebay, so you may want to check them out.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
tstage Absolutely! I picked up a new MRC 1370 Rail Power power pack off eBAy several years back for $20. A very simple and utilitarian design but it works quite well. Tom
Rich
Alton Junction