I got back into Model Railroading when I was cleaning out the family house and saw the old layout. It was neglected and most everything could not be salvaged except for old building models. In the attic I found some old, new inbox product.
I found a old DC power Supply, probably high end at the time as my brother had good taste. Anyway, itis over 35 years old and it was in a humid non-climate controlled attic in Southern New England, however it would be perfect for powering my accessories such as Turnouts, building lights, etc.
My concern is using such an old power Supply stored in this manner. How old is too old? Is is it worth the risk or should I just buy a new one?
Assuming the cord and plug are not cracked and frayed, not much can go wrong.
First, plug it in. Does it look unhappy? Does it smell unhappy? Is it getting too hot to touch?
If not, put a voltmeter on the output screws. Get a voltage?
If so, hook it up to some track, and put your most expendable engine on it. Try it out. I don’t see much of a risk for the engine, but why take chances?
DON’T leave it plugged in, unattended. That’s a good plan for train layout power supplies, anyway.
I have an old transformer. I think it’s a Lionel, and it’s from the 1940s. I use it to power a few accessories, mostly because it has a lot of taps for odd voltages.
Replace frayed and worn power cords, though. They can be dangerous.
To my mind it’s not a case of age but of condition.
Only if you feel comfortable doing it, I’d suggest you open up the pack, (un plugged from the mains of course!!!) check for corrosion on contacts, and the wiring for condition, (broken wires, loose/faulty connections, insulation not cracked, proper grounding/earths etc). If you have a multi meter you could also check for continuity. If it only requires cleaning then I’d suggest, after doing so, that you reassemble the power pack and give it a go, again if you have a multi meter I’d test for voltage on the output terminals.
BUT I stress, if you don’t feel confident about your abilities “playing” with electricity and have an aversion to self electrocution, go and buy a new power pack. I, for one, would not deride you for doing so!!
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
I power my DCC with a 60 year old American Flyer transformer. Before I did, I used a voltmeter to check that the primary windings were not shorted to the secondary windings and that there was not a short in the primary windings. Then I plugged it in and hey presto!
Some years ago I found a couple MRC packs with metal case. Zip cord a little cracked and unpolarized plug.
I rewired with cord that had three prong plug and tied the green, ground wire to the metal frame.I had some cords from older desktop mini tower computers.
The transformers had metal shells.
I have worked in electrical for many years and have read of people getting shocked from metal case drills with two prong unpolarized plugs. You can only die once.
…from the mid-'50s to power the test track in my workshop. I also haul it out to the paint shop in my garage, where I use it to power an old Bowser turntable bridge, when painting and weathering steam locomotives.
LION uses much old electronics, transformers and stuff.
CHECK the WIRES! Old rubber coated cords will crack when moved. Plastic ones are ok and so are the old wax and string insulated wires from the early 1900s.
My concern would be the insulation on the wires both inside and outside of the case. The attic heat in summer can go well over 100F. The cold in the winter and the humidity changes can cause a breakdown of the insulation. Even plastic insulation, especially 35-year-old plastic that is not as good as the stuff we have now.
If you really want to use it, take it to an electronics repair person and have them look it over and test it. It’s better than starting a fire or hurting someone.
If it does work, I’d be leery of using it for DCC. You don’t know how ‘dirty’ the output voltage is or how well regulated the output is. Power supplies have come a long way in the last 35 years. Use it to power accessories.
We had one of these growing up. Probably in the trash decades ago but my dad has been talking about a new layout. I’m afraid he might have it stashed somewhere and use it.
I have a Tyco transformer from the 1970s and it still works fine. For a long time it had been stored in a garage in the desert that could get really hot. It works fine. I used to use it as the throttle for my yard but I replaced it and now I use it to power slot cars. Stuff from the 1970s far outlasts stuff made in recent years.
Anyway check the cord and see if it is still good. Plug it in and see if it smokes or makes sparks.
At least at one time, every visual indication was that the Tyco trainset power supplies were made by MRC but simply branded Tyco, so I would not discard a Tyco unit just because that is the name on it. The MRC “Ampack” that came with my original trainset circa 1960 still looks good, and still gives good service on a test track. The cord is in great shape. It is certainly capable of powering switch machines and the like and I keep it for that reason.
I tend to judge old “power packs” by the condition of the exterior metal and the cord. Not a perfect measure I am aware but the exterior tends to reveal explosure to moisture and the like.
Besides signs of worn out or absence of insulation and freyed wire listed above, I would also be leery of old dried out, leaky capacitors. You can’t always determine the condition of capacitors by visual inspection. These are often a source of failure, especially if it has sat idle for a long period of time. Given the fact that a power supply is one of the foundations (track being the other) on which everything runs on, it might not be a great idea to use something that old without a thorough test which means looking at the output on an oscilloscope in order to see how clean the output looks. Given today’s availability of inexpensive, high quality power supplies used in computers makes buying something new a much surer bet than depending something that has sat idle in less than ideal conditions for decades.
