Hey guys, i need to know if you think i have enough power for my holiday layout.
On my inner circle (4x8) I am going to be 3 engines, 2 of them as a lashup and 1 on a sidding that i will switch out with the lash up. So most of the time there will only be 1 or 2 engines running at the same time, but when switching out the engines all 3 will probaly be running at the same time. They all have dual motors. Is a 180watt brick through a TMCC lockon enough power to handle this?
Lots of lookers, LOL… someone here must know if my power is adiquate, or if i need to make some adjustments.
Should be enough power as I have run three Williams SD-45’s together, all dual motors, from a 100 watt transformer. Just add some power wires to keep up the proper flow of volts or amps if you have a big layout.
Lee F.
I would imagine you have enough power I have run 3 single motor engines at once from a transformer that comes with the sets (back in the 80’s - 90’s the ones that had a transformer as one piece and the controlls to another can’t remember the model number but they were only like 77 watts of power came with the NYC set)
In fact (adding this as a edit ) I believe one was a dual motor unit now if you were talking about something like the postwar 2343 I might have a second thought but if your talking about todays cam motorers I would say no problem.
The locomotives i will be running are a tmcc lionel U33C, and two tmcc Atlas C425’s
The loop in question will be about 4’x8’
Also, if i but all these on the track, how will i know if i dont have enough power??? Will the breakers trip?? In the TMCC lockon, or the brick breaker? If i find out i dont have enough power what are my options for bridging two bricks?
And im guessing that my 135 watt brick should be enough power to handle a scale K-line pacific with 5 18" lighted passenger cars? (Last year i ran the 180 on the pacific, but figgured with 3 locos it needs to be used on the other loop)
92 - It certainly sounded to me you have enough power…but I did not respond because I was not sure. I believe if you over tax your MODERN transformer / brick, any modern one will just suffer from voltage lag (and therefor reduced current per engine) so the speeds would drop OR that if you managed to really overtax the transformers/brick(s) the circuit breaker/fold back circuit would kick in. That would be be no worse than a short circuit derailment.
If I were in your shoes I would just try it. If some trains slow down when you add others then you know you could use more power.
As long as your bricks are in phase, then putting them in parrallel should be no problem as long as there is only one block (ie track as purchased with no insulated section modifications). This assumes that you have no voltage control on the bricks to set them at different voltages (like you could do with two transformers). If I did determine a need for more power, I would just add another brick through a lockon to the other side (then another, then another…). Make sure they are in phase (plug them into the same wall outlet or better yet all one power strip).
Everyone…please correct me if I am wrong on this post. I believe each brick has its own circuit breaker doesn’t it?
Jim H
I run 3 motors on a 100w transformer all the time.=, plus it switches turnouts and runs the railsounds and smoke.
Wes
Sounds logical, and i dont mind purchasing the extra power, haha, but for some reason it will hurt to shell out another $35 for a tmcc direct lockon. LOL, but i guess its all part of the game, and protecting the loco is the #1 priority. They seem to work pretty well, as ive never had a powerhouse trip, the lockons trip much faster and are auto reseting.
It sounds like i should be ok, expesialy since i wont be running all 3 locos at the same time at full throttle. Most likely they will run at slow speeds while switching in and out of my little siding.
Thanks Wes, sounds good!