cheap power packs?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

hey i was wondering if there is any good power packs out there that arent to expensive im looking to spend maybe 70$. if you have any information please help me because im on my 2nd n scale and on my first i have that life like power pack the blue one and it rins like crap

2

Any of the MRC Tech II or Tech IV packs should keep you happy. All of their models are a large step up from the life like pack you have. Check out ebay for some decent deals on the Tech II’s.

Don’t throw away the Life Like pack though. It still may be useful for running your AC accessaries and stuff.

3

If you’re willing to do some soldering and make your own power pack, check out www.awrr.com - I built the pulsed power throttle (‘The Throttle’) and it really is as good as it says, even the worst running of my locos creeps along nicely with it. I’ve never done any soldering to speak of before, so it was a bit tricky, but certainly manageable. Total cost (if you don’t buy from RadioShack) is about $35 for the parts, and for that you get walkaround control. You could build two for less than twice that, since many of the parts come in bigger packs than you need.

4

Go with MRC as previously discussed if you are using DC (vs DCC). I use 2 Tech II’s that I bought in 1990. Keep the toy packs as suggested to run AC (switches and lights)

HTH

–Ed

5

I got a Tech II on eBay for around $30.

6

Keith,

The Tech IV 220 and higher have momentum to simulate the inertia of a real locomotive speeding up and slowing down. Terrific units, worth the money spent on them. Trainworld.com has some good prices on MRC power packs. Here’s the direct link:

http://www.trainworld1.com/transformers/mrcpowerpacks.htm

Keith, if you want one with a voltmeter/ammeter, the Power Command 9500 would be the one to get. Hope that helps.

Tom

7

Does anyone know how/if there is a way to clean out a Life Like (blue) power pack? I haven’t made the transistion to a better one, yet, and the current pack I have now is sluggish (meaning when I move the speed handle in one direction the loco. sits there until I have it at full throttle, then the loco takes off real fast like, then I have to back the throttle back down to make it more realistic). I have attempted to seperate the bottom from the top as I thought that the electrical contacts inside are dirty and/or in need of service. I know it is not the loco or the track as I have tried it with multiple locos on different sets of track.

Is this a fairly typical problem others experience? Is there any hope of using it to run trains again (and not just accessories?)

Thanks

Daniel

8

Personally I would hook a multi-meter to the output terminals 1st to see if it actually is sticking or if the issue lies outside the power pack.

9
  • Good idea; got any ideas on how to open them?
10

[#ditto] $70 will buy you a few of those on Ebay if you bid smart.

11

I’ve not had any apart. It could very well be they have a series of slot and tab connections for TEMPORARILY holding the top/bottom together until some sort of adhesive cures. If they are glued then the only way to access may be to dremel around the bottom perimeter and reglue when done. BE CAUTIOUS and have it unplugged! Also be ready for a trip to the LHS to pick up a new one if the operation has complications.

12

I have tried the voltmeter as suggested; it is the PP that is sticky and in need of maintenance. I think you are right about the method of holding it together would be a pain taking it apart. I also have a very good feeling that if I try to open it I would be sending it to its grave, so I might just forget about opening it and trying to repair it. I also plan on looking for a Tech 4 280 Dual Power with 16VA or a used Tech II at a train show in the future. Any thoughts on those/performance?

Daniel

13

[:-^]

Hi CXS,

If you are prepared to go a little more, say around $100.00, you can pick up a MRC Conrolmaster 20, off of E-bay. These retail for close to $300.00 up here and they are a great power source and gives you a walk around throttle to boot. I’ve got three of them and they all came from E-bay and I love them.

Go to www.Model Rectifier .com and check them out.

Johnboy out.

James:1 Verse:5

Let the “Wobbly” wobble on…

14

I strongly stand and say DONT open those trainset power packs. There are no User servicable parts inside and to have anything changed inside the box will destroy the safety and subject you or the home to a big problem injury, fire or death.

Those things are soo cheap as not to be worth the trouble. Im betting the cleaning supplies you plan to use combined will cost more than the pack itself!!!

Get a tech 4 220, I think they sell for 50 bucks or so and will provide you with the basic throttle that will work very well for you. MRC knows how to make good throttles. Ive had a Tech II until it died and my 220 for 5 years now that sits on the shelf lonely and sad next to the DCS 200.

It will find new life driving lights, signals etc… things of that nature someday.

Any of the MRC Throttles will serve you well. Just stay away from thier decoders… they havent learned to make a good one yet. lol.

15

If you want reliable operation, your power pack is not an area where you want “cheap.” Get yourself a good MRC power pack instead of trying to repair or cobble together a fix for a poor quality product. Your trains will love you for it.

16

Right now all I have is a 4X8 and when I plan on moving out and getting a larger/new layout I am going to go all DCC(probably, better than block control), but for now, I need a more reliable transformer. I am interested in the dual control as I like to control two different trains running on two ovals at the same time.

17

FV:

There are /always/ User-Serviceable Parts inside, for the right user.

However, there just isn’t much inside one of those trainset packs. I can’t remember exactly what - I took one apart years ago. It was an old brown Bachmann pack. ISTR the speed control portion was a very chintzy rheostat made of some sort of film on a board - I may be mistaken. I suspect that, if the OP’s pack is acting up, this film might be worn through.

What I suggest to the OP, if he wants to keep using the pack, is to leave it set at full throttle and use it to power a homemade transistor throttle. You can build one for under $10 with Rat Shack parts. My homemade one is little more than a TIP 120 Darlington, a 5K pot, and a DPDT switch (and a 1A diode and a small disk cap, but those are holders for extra magic smoke to prevent failures). I can provide schematics upon request. (Edit:Never mind, see below) It’s nothing more than a simple NPN voltage follower.

Edit: Schematics:

Edit2: grumble grumble fix link…

http://www.geocities.com/kezelak/ampack_mark3.gif

To use this as a plain throttle, cut the 2 wires immediately to the left of R2 and feed 12v there. The “upper” wire would be the positive lead. I wired from component to component, and bolted Q1 to a homemade aluminum heat sink. It’s not really pretty but it works well.

18

[#ditto]

I built a very similar circuit to use an old AHM train set power pack as the power supply. I used a Radio Shark plastic proje