I have a 100 sq. ft layout. Roughly 12x8. I have currently 6 big transformers. I am wondering if I am overpowered or underpowered. I have (4) Z’s and a ZW and a KW running it all. I have 4 lines of trains. About 25 accessories. I have 20 of the 022 switches, hooked to run fixed voltage. 17 of the 71 lamp posts. All my trains are postwar and the accessories are all the big ones that lionel had back then. I run maybe 2 locos at a time. A layout this size should have how many transformers?? Right now I have every post on my transformers used up. But, I only use 1 transformer at a time as well as 1 accessory at a time. To prevent my transformers from going into protect mode or whatever its called. I have main feeder of 14 AWG and 16 AWG to the accessories and lights. The track power is 14 AWG as well. I use terminal strips to keep it organized. My longest run of wire is obviously 12 to 14 feet. I don’t think I have enough transformers. I mean i used up all the posts. And I have roughly 6 accessories per Z. And running my trains and switches on the transformers as well. I am thinking I might need another Z for my expansion that I am doing. I will be adding a 114, 118, 128, and 462 derrick platform in October. Might wanna add a Z to that list. I mean a decent Z transformer is roughly $80 to $90 at the shows. But, all those other things I need might be a few hundred more. What size are your layout and how many transformers do you have running it all?? thanks.
Lights are the biggest thing that draw power, but you should need 2 Zs or ZWs at most to cover the lamp posts and switches that you have.
You don’t really need to be too worried about the power that accesories draw, aside from the lamps in them. Most won’t be running constantly, and you won’t have but one or two running at a time, so the amount that they draw is really irrelevent.
I do like for accesories to each have their own individually variable throttle, so that I can fine tune their operation. Zs and ZWs are nice in this respect as they give you four separate throttles. If you’re using a single Z to run four or five accesories, though, particularly ones that aren’t running constantly, you’re nowhere near maxing it out. For situations like this, I like to use Vs, which still have four throttles, but are only 150 watts and usually $20-40(or sometimes less) on Ebay and at shows.
For the lamp posts I have them hooked up to my KW on both throttles. 8 of them on A and 9 of them on B throttle. I have about 8 switches hooked up to my ZW on the inside throttle power and about 8 more on my Z transformer on the small dial. Is that okay?? My main line has 5 switches and my 2nd line has 12 switches. Its all wired up correctly with common grounds and all that. No problems at all. Just worried about my expansion if I need another Z. Maybe I should look into a V transformer. It should be good enough to run those additional accessories i will add in October. Thanks.
You have too many transformers on your layout if you have one plugged into the wall and it doesn’t connect to anything on the other end!!![:-^][(-D][:o)]
That is another way to look at it the situation. Thanks.
You could probably get by with one Z or ZW, two controls to run the two trains that you can handle at one time, two more for two groups of accessories.
If you can interchange trains among your tracks and have those tracks connected directly to multiple transformer outputs, you have a safety problem.
I never interchange trains among the lines. Each line has its own throttle. Thanks for the warning.
As many as you want. Not being smart. Do as you like. No formula for too many. As long as you have vacant plugs. I ran a 240V circuit to a breaker box under the layout. From that, I ran an outlet for transformers and plugged in two outlet strips. Transformers are plugged into those. The other side of the 240 is used for outlet under the layout for plugging in things like soldering iron or other thing like that. Now here is a reminder [thanks to Bob Nelson]. Transformers plugged into the other “leg” of the 240 will not phase with the ones plugged into the original “leg”. I use the breakers on the same side of the breaker box if using more than one curcuit for transformers and you want them to phase.
This is interesting to think about - I have two MPC-era train set transformers, a new CW80 and a reconditioned R. - each one powers its own route - with two for the R. The accessories are connected to various tracks. Seems to work well but I may ‘streamline’ it a bit.
I have a regular outlet. 15 AMP service for the basement. I have 3 tranformers on 1 power strip then 3 more on another strip. Plugged into 2 wall outlets. Maybe I should make a seperate breaker or block for my trains. And maybe a 220V outlets instead of 110V. Sounds like I might be able to get someone to do that for me. But, other than the trains all work fine. No shorts at all, just need to wire up 4 more 022 switches and a few odds and ends. Then I will be done. Thanks.
Don’t plug your transformers into a 240-volt outlet. The plugs won’t fit anyway if you have the right receptacles. What Frank is talking about is called a 3-wire circuit, with nothing but 120-volt receptacles. These are wired between the black phase and the grounded neutral on the one hand and between the red phase and the grounded neutral on the other hand, not between the red and the black, which is where the 240 volts are.
You would have to draw a total of something around 100 amperes from the transformers for the transformers to draw as much as 15 amperes from your present 120-volt outlet. I can’t imagine that you would get anywhere close to that.
Even with separate controls for all four of your isolated loops, you should have plenty of power available for your accessories at four separately adjustable outputs, using just two of your Zs or ZW. However, if you just want to use a lot of transformers, there is no harm in it. Just be sure that any common returns are big enough to handle the greatest total current of each phase. That could be a lot with half a dozen transformers sharing a return and connected in phase!
Okay I got it. No problem at all. Thanks.