AU and DU Posts to a single power distribution buss new ZW 4 180 Bricks

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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My layout is about 20 feet by 12 feet with a main outside 72 radius track and an inside 54 radius track with all the side switches and normal stuff that a train layout usually has. I am running TMCC with a ZW and 4 180 power bricks. Sometimes I operate a ABA powered set of F7 Atlas engines and a double set of powered GP9 Atlas engines. With 5 engines operating, which equals 10 can motors and 5 smoke units…the power requirement really climbs. I fully understand the simplicity of a set of blocked tracks AU outside and DU inside. However, when I built my layout I nevered anticipated those kinds of loads. I have power feeds coming off a central buss to about every 4 sections of Atlas O track. In order to block the inside and outside tracks I have to pull apart a great deal of wiring. QUESTION: If I dump AU (180 watts) and DU (180 watts) to my central buss do I end up with 360 watts and a combined 21 amps OR is this a formula to blow up the mother board in my ZW? HELP???

Thanks for the help…I took two 180 bricks in parallel into a tpc 400 by-passing the ZW and I am now at close to a 20 amp capacity. The reason a ZW cannot be used to route (according to Toni at Lionel) two bricks in parallel is because the internal circuit breaker in a ZW will blow at 10.5 amps. You saved me pulling my tracks apart and in the process breaking a couple of $75 Atlas switches.

Thanks-Dave

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Hi Dave

I think you would do damage to your ZW if you bussed AU and DU. The best way would be two 180 bricks into a TPC 400. That would give you 20 amps.

Bill

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There was a repairman that posted on the OGR forum some time ago that stated he had replaced several ZW motherboards. All of the motherboards were on ZWs with four power supplies attached. I have replaced one motherboard on a friends ZW and he also had four power supplies attached. So it appears that four power supplies may reduce the life of the ZW motherboard.

Earl