can someone suggest a good, inexpensive power source for my turnouts and lights? I’m in N scale, and I have 3 turnouts, no lights yet, and for now, I have DC power, but I plan to get a DCC system someday
Oh, yes, the turnouts are PECO.
when you switch over to DCC you will have a nice DC power pack to power accsessories.
Does your DC power pack have a second set of terminals for powering accessories ?
Many DC power packs have one set of terminals for DC power for the tracks; and another set for AC power for such things as lights and turnout motors. If your DC power pack does not have a second set of terminals, then you can always buy a second DC power pack (they’re not that expensive). When you do switch over to DCC, you can use one DC power pack for turnout motors; and the other for lights (this will prevent the lights from dimming when you activate a turnout motor as they will each be on separate circuits with their own power supply).
This probably isn’t what you are looking for but I designed a power supply that uses a mobile decoder for DCC that can provide fixed voltage for panels and switch machines, a DCC controlled on/off function for 12V DC that can power layout lights and a DCC controlled variable output for 0-12 V DC that can allow adjustable brightness. All can be controlled by selecting the decoder address. The F0 function turns on/off lights just like on the locomotives. The throttle control adjusts the brightness. The base design has it’s own transformer and provides up to 3A of total current but you can substitutue an external supply, increase the current handling etc… Here’s a URL with schematics, pictures of the unit I assembled etc… All parts can be purchased at Radio Shack.
If N-scale PECO turnout machines are like the HO-scale ones, then you really should put together a capacitive discharge (CD) circuit. You could buy one, but it’s only a few dollars worth of parts, even from Radio $hack. If you “don’t do electronics,” then this is a good place to start.
A CD circuit will store up energy in a capacitor, and then release it all at once when called for. PECO machines like this better. Another advantage of CD circuits is that they limit the current flow after the initial jolt, which will protect your switch machines in case you have a “stuck switch” which would otherwise burn out the switch machine coils.
If you aren’t afraid of some very simple wiring in (disconnected) 120VAC (house current,) Radio Shack carries an inexpensive filament transformer, 12.6v center tapped, which is ideal for incandescent lighting and solenoid switch actuators. Just house everything in an insulated protective housing (mine is in a freezer container, 4-cup size.) Connect the input lugs on the transformer to the socket wires of a line cord (mine was salvaged from a broken utility lamp) and connect the line cord ground wire (round pin) to the frame of the transformer (mine is attached with the same screw that holds one corner of the transformer to the plastic container lid.)
Connect the three output wires to three machine screws, the threaded ends of which project outward through the container lid. 6.3VAC (2 available circuits) is adequate for most structure lighting requirements, while 12.6VAC will power any twin-coil solenoid switch machine, even the ancient KTM/Kemtron rock smashers I use.
Since everything on my power supply is attached to or passes through the lid of that plastic container, I screwed a mounting bar to one side, which was then screwed to the L-girder frame behind my control panel. After testing for operation, I superglued the lid to the container.
All of my layout power AC line cords go to a circuit breaker/power bar which is switched off when I’m not operating. Adding a separate switch to the supply wouldn’t be a problem - there’s still plenty of room on the container lid.
Chuck
where would I get one of these?