Got yet another need for my layout. I have found that the wallworth that I am using to power my lighting is to the point where it's no longer powerful enough to do the job. (Some of the lights are starting to dim when everything is turned on.) I'm a bit our of my element when it comes to this part of electronics. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good transformer to replace that unit?
Is AC important, or ĵust what you're using now? For lighting, it shouldn't be.
Some years ago, I standardized all my building lighting on 16 volt incandescents, because i prefer the warmer glow to light my Transition Era layout. I bought a 4 Amp power supply and put a fuse on the output to protect it. Over the years, I've added more 4 or 5 Amp supplies as my layout grew.
These are 12 volt supplies. By running 16 volt bulbs at 12 volts, they last much longer and give off an even nicer glow.
These supplies do NOT have circuit breakers. A fuse is a cheap way to protect them. The fuse should be slightly less than the output rating of the supply. If you happen to overload a supply or short it out, they usually have a non-replaceable internal fuse to keep from burning the house down, but then you're left with an ugly black paperweight with wires coming out of it. Get a fuse.
I run lighting buses on my layout connected to my 12 VDC power supplies, similar to track bases. I first run them to a control panel toggle just to control them easily.
I am done with wall warts.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Get yourself an MRC Railpower 1370. Priced around $50 to $60, it will deliver plenty of regulated power.
I use several of these around my layout to power LEDs on my signals and control panels.
Rich
Alton Junction
I believe the OP uses some LED lighting so a DC supply might be in order although I've used inexpensive diode rectifiers to convert to DC easily.
I use quite a few of these DC power supplies:
https://a.co/d/9SDrsfO
In fact they power four of my Digitrax command station/boosters. They have a pot to make slight voltage corrections which is handy.
DC_Supply-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
What is the rating on your present wall wart?
Good Luck, Ed
Short answer: Go to a surplus outfit such as All Electronics. Lots of choices there.
Longer answer: Total the current requirements of your present setup, add to it any planned future expansion, and size your power supply accordingly. Then see "Short answer".
MisterBeasley Is AC important, or ĵust what you're using now? For lighting, it shouldn't be.
For part of the lighting, yes it is important. I have a automatic crossing light system setup that cover the mainline and the two yard yards that cross a road. As I couldn't figure out what was positive and what was negative on the DC side when I was using my Tech II pack, I had to use AC to power the circuit boards. I switched the lighting to the wall worth when the lighting dimmed when I used a remote turnout control.
gmpullman I believe the OP uses some LED lighting so a DC supply might be in order although I've used inexpensive diode rectifiers to convert to DC easily.
Most all the lighting is Woodland Scenics JP lighting with 20 streetlights that aren't and one station clock that I think is LED but I'm not sure. See above for the reason for AC.
gmpullman What is the rating on your present wall wart?
20 VAC 7VA according to the information on the pack itself.
MrMe Short answer: Go to a surplus outfit such as All Electronics. Lots of choices there. Longer answer: Total the current requirements of your present setup, add to it any planned future expansion, and size your power supply accordingly. Then see "Short answer".
The plan is to add 6 or 7 more Woodland Scenics Nano lights and maybe one more set of 5630 street lights for now. I might add more but I haven't gotten that far yet. (There are a few places that need more lighting that I haven't decided how yet.)
I currently have 7 stick on lights, 10 5630 street lights, 20 LED street lights (http://www.ebay.com/itm/133469640953), 3 of these (http://www.ebay.com/itm/166050635721) and 4 of these (http://www.ebay.com/itm/132345891906).
That MRC Railpower 1370 that I mentioned in an earlier reply provides both AC and DC power on a set of 4 terminals.
INPUT-120V AC, 60Hz OUTPUT-15V DC, 19V AC TOTAL OUTPUT-18VA
http://www.modelrectifier.com/v/vspfiles/resources/dc-ac/AA370_Railpower_1370_Manual.pdf
MrMe Short answer: Go to a surplus outfit such as All Electronics. Lots of choices there.
If you do choose to go to all electronics, I would do it ASAP. They are closing their doors and going out of business by the end of August this year.
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FRRYKid gmpullman What is the rating on your present wall wart? 20 VAC 7VA according to the information on the pack itself.
If my math serves me correctly, a 20 V power supply at 7 VA. Will only produce .35 amperes or 350 mA
watts law.... VA (watts) divided by voltage = amperage
not very strong of a power supply
One suggestion, if you can get by with 16 vac, would be to purchase a 16 volt doorbell transformer, most of those have an output of around 30 VA which would give you about 1.8 A at 16 V
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Wired-16VAC-30VA-Doorbell-Transformer-Compatible-with-all-Video-Doorbells-HB-130-03/309792479
and as others have suggested, I would protect the secondary side of the transformer with a fuse, which in the case of the doorbell transformer, a 1.5A fuse
richhotrain That MRC Railpower 1370 that I mentioned in an earlier reply provides both AC and DC power on a set of 4 terminals. INPUT-120V AC, 60Hz OUTPUT-15V DC, 19V AC TOTAL OUTPUT-18VA http://www.modelrectifier.com/v/vspfiles/resources/dc-ac/AA370_Railpower_1370_Manual.pdf Rich
Very simple reason for not going that route is no room on the control panel. http://photos.app.goo.gl/SHeWuCw7CGEPswAV9 (Yes there is a reason for a vertical control panel.)
dbduck MrMe Short answer: Go to a surplus outfit such as All Electronics. Lots of choices there. If you do choose to go to all electronics, I would do it ASAP. They are closing their doors and going out of business by the end of August this year.
Looked there already and didn't see anything that seemed to fit what I needed.
dbduck FRRYKid gmpullman What is the rating on your present wall wart? 20 VAC 7VA according to the information on the pack itself. If my math serves me correctly, a 20 V power supply at 7 VA. Will only produce .35 amperes or 350 mA watts law.... VA (watts) divided by voltage = amperage not very strong of a power supply One suggestion, if you can get by with 16 vac, would be to purchase a 16 volt doorbell transformer, most of those have an output of around 30 VA which would give you about 1.8 A at 16 V https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Wired-16VAC-30VA-Doorbell-Transformer-Compatible-with-all-Video-Doorbells-HB-130-03/309792479 and as others have suggested, I would protect the secondary side of the transformer with a fuse, which in the case of the doorbell transformer, a 1.5A fuse
From looking at the picture of the item in question, I presume the wires on the back are to wire in the 110/120 VAC and the terminals on the front are for the 16 VAC output. That size looks like it would fit easily on my control panel. (Picture link above.)
I probably would have to change the main resistor on my street lights for a lower value as I decided they were too bright on the 20 volt power but that shouldn't be hard.
FRRYKid richhotrain That MRC Railpower 1370 that I mentioned in an earlier reply provides both AC and DC power on a set of 4 terminals. INPUT-120V AC, 60Hz OUTPUT-15V DC, 19V AC TOTAL OUTPUT-18VA http://www.modelrectifier.com/v/vspfiles/resources/dc-ac/AA370_Railpower_1370_Manual.pdf Rich Very simple reason for not going that route is no room on the control panel. http://photos.app.goo.gl/SHeWuCw7CGEPswAV9 (Yes there is a reason for a vertical control panel.)
Correct, the black white and green is your 120 V AC in. Could be wired into a plug cap for easy connection. The two screw terminals is your 16 volt out. I would recommend before calculating your resistors, is to measure the voltage on the output screws to see what the actual output voltage is. The 16 volt rating is a nominal value, that can be affected by the actual voltage in your house.
FRRYKidThat size looks like it would fit easily on my control panel. (Picture link above.)
I can't grasp just why a transformer for your layout lighting would have to occupy space on your 'control panel'?
My power supplies, DCC boosters, track circuit breakers and the like are mounted on shelves below the layout in accessable, yet out of the way locations.
I must have misunderstood what you are looking for. Not unusual.
Ed
gmpullman FRRYKid That size looks like it would fit easily on my control panel. (Picture link above.) I can't grasp just why a transformer for your layout lighting would have to occupy space on your 'control panel'? My power supplies, DCC boosters, track circuit breakers and the like are mounted on shelves below the layout in accessable, yet out of the way locations. I must have misunderstood what you are looking for. Not unusual. Ed
FRRYKid That size looks like it would fit easily on my control panel. (Picture link above.)
No you were correct for the values I was looking for. I probably should have led off with the available space. I actually have all my rolling stock under the layout on plastic shelves so there's not much room. I actually need to figure out how to mount the speaker for the engine horn under the layout at some point. (That's the second "box" on the shelf.)
dbduck I would recommend before calculating your resistors, is to measure the voltage on the output screws to see what the actual output voltage is. The 16 volt rating is a nominal value, that can be affected by the actual voltage in your house.
I would recommend before calculating your resistors, is to measure the voltage on the output screws to see what the actual output voltage is. The 16 volt rating is a nominal value, that can be affected by the actual voltage in your house.
I just eyeballed what value I used originally. (How bright the lights looked on the streets versus what the prototype would do.) The layout is actually in my garage but the statement still holds.
The suggested transformer has been ordered and it is estimated to be here end of the week. Thank you for all the suggestions and information.
Finally got the transformer installed on the panel about a wekk or so ago and got the wiring done yesterday evening. Had gotten the wrong fuses for the inline holder that my neighborhood electrician gave me. (Across the street.) The correct ones finally came in today.
Everything powered up perfectly. As suspected, I need to change the streetlight resistor as the lights are a bit dark for my liking. I also discovered that I need to work on the sensors for my crossing signals. (They are trigging with no cars on them.)
Thank you again for all the suggestions.
What did you order?
The suggested door bell transformer. I ended up wiring up a plug in for it.
I also discovered that with the lower voltage I don't need a master resistor on the street lights. They are the right brightness without one.