circuitron tortoise swith machine power

[cpeterson]

I motorize my turnouts using tortoise slow motion switch machine, but was wondering what people reccommend for a power supply.  I have been using multiple old bachmann power supplies bought from the local hobby shop from people who upgrade and didn't want them anymore.  This has worked fine, but I was hoping to have a single source of power for all of them.  I don't have a good LHS in this area but have many radio shacks, any ideas?

[oleirish]

I use an radio shack 12VDC power supply adaptor,the kind that the power supply plugs in to the wall and there is an long wire running from it,its hooked up too an terminal strip in side my control pannel,it works great and cost about $6.00

 

JIM

[emdgp92]

I use those Bachmann train-set transformers. They're cheap, and plentiful. I thought about getting a purpose-made power pack for the Tortoises, but the transformers work fine. I divided my layout into 3 sections, with a transformer and power bus for each. Since I'm using the DC terminals for the machines, the AC terminals are free for connecting lights or other accessories.

[UNIONPACIFIC4018]

I just use a power supply from an old cordless phone and run bus lines under the layout so I can tie in anywhere needed.

[Sperandeo]

Hello "c,"

I build my own power supplies for Tortoise motors, using the circuit from the article "Using slow-motion switch motors" in the August 1987 "Model Railroader," pages 62-65. (Photocopies available from the "Shop" section of this Web site, orr by e-mail to [e-mail].) This is a polarized supply delivering + and -12VDC with filter capacitors to eliminate motor hum. I run a three-wire bus around the layout (+, -, and ground) and control the motors with SPDT switches.

So long,

Andy

[jeffshultz]

I work at a company that distributes a lot of 9 - 18vdc eletectronic equipment. We've gotten some back as defective that we can't return to the manufacturer, so I grabbed a couple of identical 9VDC power supplies that had come back in and had no future use and wired them up in serial to use with SPDT switches per the diagram on the Tortoise instructions. I think they're about 1amp so they'll run a lot of Tortoises.

[Don Gibson]

May I SECOND Andy's +/- 12 volt DC supply using capacitors.

Inexpensive DC supplies have 60 cycle 'bumps' in the wave form, and produce some 'Hum' in motors.

 

[cacole]

I use a regulated switching computer power supply, which gives me + and - 12 volts and + and - 5 Volts for other uses such as building lighting and signals.  A 200-Watt supply is sufficient for a large club layout.

[howmus]

I use a couple Radidio Shack Wall Warts that are 9v DC and 300Ma output.  9v is plenty of power to the torti and runs the motors at a nice slow realistic speed.  I use one Wall Wart per dozen Torti.  One suggestion is to check out any old wall warts you might have lying around the house from old broken equipment, toys, etc.  You might find one that is in the 9 to 12 volt range that would work fine for you.

[D&HRR]

I use the fixed DC side of an old Tech 2 1500

[jrbernier]

  If you have an old powerpack, use it.  Myself, I have an old 12vac 850ma 'wall-wart' power supply from 'something'.  This is my Tortoise power supply.  A Tortoise only draws about 15-20ma of power.  I figure the wall-wart should power about 45-50 Tortoise motors!  I only have 13, so I am no where close to the limit.  My wall-wart puts out 12vac, and I followed the directions that used a pair of diodes to get +/- DC voltage.  Works like a charm.

Jim