power trouble

[Anonymous]

Hello All


yes that is correct on the independent test track i did run all ten locos but i did not run it long enought for it to get hot ran less than 5 minutes and yes you are correct that the tech 4 does have a internal circuit breaker that is what is tripping when i try to run 5 locos now i can run just the 4 with no problem but i dont want to be limited to that cuz it suks

still am not completely sure how to hookup the volt/amp meter i am sorta of a hands on show me person dont know how to set the voltmeter to measure resistance either
as far as a water leak the roof did leak slightly but i fixed that long time ago i live in a single wide mobile built back in the 60's with an addition in the backside where my layout is
am going to try the voltage test around the layout suggested last night but it was a bit late for me so will do here in a bit an get back to you all with the results

talk to you in a little bit
Thanx
Larry

[SpaceMouse]

True enough. But he said he was doing ten on a test track. I'm assuming short time frame, stack and go.

[rrinker]

Although if that were true, they would slow down as the output voltage sagged, and/or the old pack would start to get HOT.

--Randy

[SpaceMouse]

Another thing I thought of is that your Mech 4 has a built in circuit breaker. The old power pack might not have one. It may be that you are overloading the old power pack with your ten locos, but it cannot protect itself or your engines.

[cwclark]

you'll have to hook up a multi meter in series to check for amps...take off one leg of your power pack and touch a lead to it..then the other lead to the wire you just removed from the power pack..then set it on amps, run a locomotive one at a time and check the amp output...add another and another until all five are running...then check the amps and see if you are surpassing the power packs amp rating...i use the MRC tech 4 - 260 model..it has momentum and brake and can run up to seven locomotives before it overloads...another thing...if you have older locomotives that can be a problem..a lot of the older locomotives pull way too many amps for the power pack's good...chuck

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MESSING

... yes i do got a cat although not for [censored] long if i find out he pissed on my layout. just kidding i couldnt hurt my cat

Cats have a not-so-funny way of telling you they're sick. Best to ban him from the layout room. Keep him happy with catnip and toys when you are in the layout room. Otherwise he may get upset he can't hang out with you.

QUOTE: ... it does give me another possibilty to look in to Hmmm water on the layout ? even if the layout looks/feels dry could there still be some water someplace that i cant see i will definitley look into that as well Thanx Larry

Well I was thinking maybe you had just done some scenery and gave it a spray of wet water. Or a water pipe above was leaking (or a pipe sweating on a hot summer day). I was trying to imagine all posibilities of what could cause a minute short.
But, hey, you found the problem.

[Anonymous]

Gary

yes i do got a cat although not for [censored] long if i find out he pissed on my layout he is in enough trouble as it is for sending 6 hopper cars 4 feet straight down to the hardwood floor below!![censored][censored][censored] did not see for a couple of days havent repaired them yet as my car shop crew is backlogged with new cars to get ready

just kidding i couldnt hurt my cat even though he really made me angry that day
however it does give me another possibilty to look in to Hmmm water on the layout ? even if the layout looks/feels dry could there still be some water someplace that i cant see
i will definitley look into that as well

Thanx
Larry

[Anonymous]

Well it sound like the power pack itself. If there is nothing like a stray strand of wire across the terminals, it must be something internal.

[Anonymous]

Gary

yes i do got a cat although not for [censored] long if i find out he pissed on my layout he is in enough trouble as it is for sending 6 hopper cars 4 feet straight down to the hardwood floor below!![censored][censored][censored] did not see for a couple of days havent repaired them yet as my car shop crew is backlogged with new cars to get ready

just kidding i couldnt hurt my cat even though he really made me angry that day
however it does give me another possibilty to look in to Hmmm water on the layout ? even if the layout looks/feels dry could there still be some water someplace that i cant see
will definitley look into that as well

Thanx
Larry

[SpaceMouse]

Hi, I know nothing of Transformers, but I do know that it is common for surge protectors or GFI's to give out. It may not be that the Tech 4 has less current, it could be that it's just tripping a weak breaker.

[rrinker]

I'm gonna have to say you have a problem with the Tech 4. 5 N scale locos shouldn't overload it, especially if they aren't pulling any trains, and even if they were all old bachmann engines. Especially if it instantly goes into overload, rather than running briefly and then stopping. If it's still in warranty, you can probably get MRC to repair it. If not - repair ususlly costs as much as a new one, hate to say.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Hello Gary and bukwrm

Ok just did an experiment took five locos and put them on my independent test track that is mounted on a 6 foot piece of 2x4 then hooked it up to the tech 4 same dang thing overload so it is not the locos even tried five others

then i hooked up the small cheap Railpower 1370 power pack and then put the five locos on there then another five for a total of ten locos altogether on test track
at same time ok?
open the throttle they took off all ten of them forward and back several times
i held them in place then opend the throttle bout 3/4 the way no problem but i noticed that i had alot of power trying to pull away then i stopped/reversed the direction had them 10 locos pushing against my fingers man you can really feel the power they have there had so much that 4 locos near the front jacknifed and derailed from the force of the other locos pushing against them

so why is it the small Railpower pack can handle 10 locos and the Tech 4 that has more than twice the power only handle 4 locos and overload on the 5th i dont think it takes that much to power the layout then i could be wrong

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MESSING

Ok where do i get this amp meter

Hi Larry!
ALL ELECTRONICS has them. Electronic and auto parts stores usually have them. You want one that can read more than what your power supply is rated for. 0-10 amps is good.

QUOTE: how do i use it

You connect it in series with the track. In other words, remove one wire between the power supply and track. Connect one wire from the power supply to one post on the meter. The other post on the meter connects to the track.

QUOTE: and then how do i use it with the resistor to test output

I don't know. It wasn't my idea. My idea is to find out how much power the locos are drawing.

QUOTE: as far as pushing it beyond max i had 8 locos on it at one time and it did not do this to me so i think the problem is track wiring but where..

Maybe one or more locomotives is drawing more power than it should. If it is the track, possibly a minor short like water or something on the tracks.
Do you have a cat? If so, maybe he has a urinary infection and he peed on the layout.
Do you have feeders on every 3' sections or do some sections connect with only joiners?
Is the layout divided into blocks? If so, what is the condition of the switches that control the blocks?
What type of turnouts do you have? Insulated frog, powered frog or power routing?

But since you have a volt meter on hand, remove all the locomotives, and turn the throttle to full power. Measure the voltage at different points of the layout to see if there is a voltage drop.

Also I see Nigel has responded (Hi Nigel). He is highly qualified to answer your question. He is correct. If the multi-meter reads infinity that means there is no short in the track

[nfmisso]

Larry;

Different locomotives draw different amounts of current, in addition the current a locomotive draws will vary with the amount of work it is doing.

Get out your multimeter (if you do not have one, buy one at Radio Shack, Sears, Home Depot, or many other places, a $10 one is fine). Disconnect your power pack, remove all of your locomotives and cars. Measure the resistance where your power pack attaches. It should be infinity. It it is not, figure out why, and fix it.

Lighted cars also draw power, reducing the amount available for running locomotives.

[Anonymous]

hello Gary , bukwrm

Ok where do i get this amp meter how do i use it and then how do i use it with the resistor to test output all i have is a volt meter
as far as pushing it beyond max i had 8 locos on it at one time and it did not do this to me so i think the problem is track wiring but where

will for certain try your suggestions see what happens

Thanx
Larry

[Anonymous]

Is the Tech 4 still putting out all the amps it is rated for? With an amp meter and a large variable resistor you could test the output or you could just try another power supply.

[Anonymous]

You may be pushing it beyond the capabilities of the power supply. The only way to know for sure is to connect an amp meter between the power supply and track.
Verify how much the locomotives are drawing before you go further.

[Anonymous]

Hello my name is Larry and am hoping sombody can help me out with this problem [banghead]
i have a Tech 4 power supply and a good sized N scale layout 12x15 or so my problem is this i can run 4 locos on it no problem [:p]but when i try to add the 5th any loco or more it overloads shuts down [:(]and i dont know why i have numerous feeders around the layout so no issue there what is causing this to occur i used to do this all the time with no trouble now this is happening rail is clean wheels all of it

Please Help!!

Thanx
Larry