Amperage

P

Philbahn

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Kim I think it's just about normal. My old set used to do it, mainly in summer, But you run quite big trains
 
Hi Kim

Where is the Central station located? may sound a daft Q but if it is in a shed or garage it may be becoming too hot from the sun shining on an adjacent outer wall,

I have experienced the same as you with both MTS & Massoth!!!! although in the latter case it was an unusually hot day
 
Kim
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Are the 4 locos single or double motored ones?? or put it another way how many motors are there in total??

I would feel that 3.3 AMPS If the Unit is COOL is too soon for it to trip out, is the ammeter OK?
 
kimbrit said:
Cheers guys, took all the loco's off and left the coaches on, 9 of them - 18 lighting boards - pulls 1.8 amps. I think a lot of coaches are going to get the boards taken out for day time running. On the pus side that'll give me lot's of spares!
Kim
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Thats a lot of amps for lights!! These are the Massoth units with bulbs?

I have some lighting boards with 14 LEDS ( long enough for 1 bogie coach) no idea who makes them they were in some S/H US coaches, just tried one board and it showed just under 0.06 amp
 
Might be worth emailing Massoth, see if theres a known fault. Might have to wait a bit for reply though!
 
kimbrit said:
Single motors Steve, 2 shorties, 2 moguls with sound & 4 smoking stacks & 18 massoth lighting boards showing between 3.1 and 3.4 amps on the Massoth navigator screen display.
I really do think that a unit rated at 5 amps should run all day at 5 amps when it's out of direct sun and on a cool day.
Kim
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Surprised that your displayed amperage is so low. Are you sure that the Navigator displays accurately, especially connected to an LGB central station?

For reference, these are figures I know are accurate for locos on my layout:
4 motors with an 8 wagon train on the flat = 4 amps (5 amps on the uphill)
loco lights: say 3 bulbs on each loco = 3*4*0.05 amps = 0.6 amps
4 smoking stacks = 4*.1 amps = 0.4 amps (which is why I don't use them any more...)

That gives 5 amps to start with. Add your coach lighting boards or a gradient and it's easy to overload the central station. I know: I do so if overenthusiastic!
 
I have had this trouble before with the old Airfix MTC and LGB controllers.
Check the bottom of the controller to see if it is warm. Could be it is not getting enough cooling and the thermal trip is operating. Try putting two pieces of 2? x 1? wood on edge under the sides of the controller, it may work and it?s cheap.
 
kimbrit said:
I think a lot of coaches are going to get the boards taken out for day time running.
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Kim, Just a thought but instead of taking the units out could you not isolate them with a miniature switch.
 
Its funny how you ponder over things isnt it!!!!!!!

Some further thoughts:

As far as I can remember from what I was told the MTS 2/3 central station differences wre in the operating system and not the 'power' side of them.

tHave you any point decoders in use? I have been aware of cases where point decoders which have been incorrectly coded, have had a small load running through them ( Where they are set to control colour lights etc) and so add a drain to the system. ( not sure though if this is poss with LGB point decoders)

Is your transformer giving out the correct power?

I checked some of my transformers (not all LGB) recently and found discrepancys to the rated listing!
 
I agree. Local computer shop about £3.50 - £5 max. Or there's plenty of scrap computers around these days and most have a couple of these things in them - they're standard size for a case fan or a psu fan.
 
If the relatively high price is for the AC option you could always fit a rectifier bridge for under £1.00 and use a DC fan. You may also use two 12V fans in series.
 
kimbrit said:
I'll do Maplins tomorrow and explore that bridge thingy that Neil's on about, trouble is, last time I asked Maplins for a circuit and the bits to run led's off in me buildings it went 'pop' in about a milli second. As you can guess I'm an electronic numpty! T
Kim
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Go for any of the W series, e.g. W02 or W10 bridge. These have four leads, one marked +, one - and both the others have an elongated S The first two are the dc output to the motor, if you swap them over the motor will run in reverse, the other two connections are the ac input from the transformer and it doesn't matter which way round they go.
 
Fans are good but I think you should get the unit checked for is output before buggering about with fans and such, If the output is not there then cooling it off will just make the internal components fail faster?.............................
 
kimbrit said:
Cheers Pete, Walt. Funnily enough Walt I did that earlier this evening, the base was cool but I raised it off the shelf. The heat is venting through the top vents by convection so I'm thinking of mounting a fan to blow through one of the side slots to vent the heat out of the other side and the top.
One mogul with everything working and 4 coaches is reading out at 1.2 amps Pete, sounds about right to me but I'll put my multi meter into circuit tomorrow and see if it reads the same. A nice big Massoth is the answer really, but I've promised to be a good boy and not spend spend spend.:crying:
Kim
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Hello Kim,

A standard Multi meter set to AC isn't going to give you accurate readings. Thats because the signal is DCC not pure AC. You would need an meter that understood DCC, like this http://www.dccsupplies.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=315
 
Cliff George said:
A standard Multi meter set to AC isn't going to give you accurate readings. Thats because the signal is DCC not pure AC.
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What about measuring between the transformer and the DCC central station?
 
kimbrit said:
Well, I've solved the problem with the output of the MTS, I've done a deal with Jeremy that gives me a Massoth 1200Z, that should do nicely!!:thumbup::bigsmile:
Cheers,
Kim
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Welcome to the very dark side Kim. You'll love it Kim takes a bit but worth while
 
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