Anybody know of a source for inexpensive analog panel meters? Need four each: 0 to 30 volts AC, 0 to 10 amps AC.
What are you measuring? If transformer voltage, what transformer(s)? Some transformers’ voltage cannot be measured with inexpensive meters.
Yup. I’m intending to measure transformer voltage. Power currently is supplied by a 180 Powerhouse brick, a CW80, and a 1033. Eventually, I’ll get some blocks set up on the layout too.
The CW80, being a chopper type power supply does do strange things with meters. I ended up borrowing a scope meter from work to help me troubleshoot the strangeness I was getting with the CW80 and TPC 400 combination. The TPC400 plays much nicer with the Powehouse or the 1033 than the CW80.
On my test unit I have a voltmeter and ammeter. The ammeter came from Loyds Toys I think, I’ll see if I can dig up the info. The voltmeter was from Portlines hobbies, but I believe it is a regular automotive voltmeter with a rectifier to convert the AC to DC for reading.
The Ammeter is very sensitive and is accurate to within tenths of an amp. The voltmeter is accurate within a volt.
Jim
http://www.lightobject.com/0-15A-Analog-AC-Current-Panel-Meter-P196.aspx
http://www.lightobject.com/Analog-Meter-C32.aspx
Go down the page for the volt meters.
Roger
Has anyone tried using aftermarket automotive meters? They seem inexpensive enough and light up too…
A little more expensive, but wouldn’t digital be more useful? Assuming it was accurate, that is.
http://www.lightobject.com/3-12-Digital-Red-LED-AC-200V-Meter-P216.aspx
I have bought some meters and switches (toggle & push button) from DeMar Electronics, I felt that they had Great Prices and service. I haven’t bought anything from them in quite awhile, but I would not hesitate to buy from them again. I found their Ad in MR, when I told him where I saw their Ad, and what I wanted the stuff for, he about talked my ear off, was really interested. They have a really good selection. You might be able to get a catalog from them before you order, they sent me one with my first order, all kinds of things in there that I would have to ask Lionelsoni (Bob Nelson) how to use.
I would definitely tell them that you are using a CW-80 and that it uses a PHASE CONTROL output (per Lionelsoni) not Chopped Sine, so that you can hopefully get a meter for it that will read correctly.
DeMar Electronics
(877) 655-6433
Doug
Looks like Demar has a web site too…
Thanks, I’m out of town and only have CTT with Me, no MR, so I couldn’t look at their Ad. But I did have Demars phone# stored in my cell phone. I thought that they likely had a website, maybe Lionelsoni is familiar with them too, I have been Happy in my dealings with them, but I am not as knowledgable about electronics and prices as he is.
Doug
I’m afraid I’m not familiar with Demar.
I wouldn’t have much hope of finding a simple meter that can read CW80 voltage accurately. Such a meter could be built; but it would have to be customized for the full-scale voltage used, which is 20 volts RMS for the CW80. You couldn’t simply use, for example, a 25-volt meter or a 30-volt meter the way you can with conventional meters and sinewaves.
There is such a thing as a “true RMS” meter that can handle any waveform; but I think you will find that they are not cheap.
One possibility, but not an attractive one, is to customize a meter yourself. It would be a lot of work to get the scale right and the graphics neat.
Thanks, all. These are sources that I have not heard of, but will certainly look into.
I’m a mechanical engineer with enough knowledge about things electrical to be dangerous. It is my theory that electronic devices run on magic smoke. It has been my experience that whenever the magic smoke comes out of an electronic component, it quits working - therefore it is the smoke that makes it work!
The analog meters run on magnitism, coils, and mechanical things that I have a good grasp of. The digital meters run on magic smoke and are not as interesting to watch work.
Are you near Harbor Freight Tool Stores? I purchased 12 digital multimeters for $1.99 each. They run sales with coupons quite often on these meters. I have them hard-wired to my MRC Control Master 20’s…8 meters for current/voltage. I have 4 hard wired to two Lionel ZW’s that run my O’Gauge layout. There specs will handle your needs as stated above. These are digital meters with on/off switches. I opened them up and drilled holes in the case and mounted them to my control panel which is quite large and it made a nice neat installation. I simply cut off the test probes and soldered on lugs to fit the various applications. The readings are accurate as I have checked them against a Digital Fluke Meter. Good Luck…Ed K
There is a parallel thread ongoing at the OGR forum. You can possibly find some additional links or sources there.