Is there a 14 volt wall wart i can use to power some accessories. Or must i use one the train transformers?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Transformers are best since most accessories need fine tuning with voltage.
There are certainly 14 volt power supplies / wall warts available. Just be sure that the accessories that you want to use them on can handle DC voltage. Vibration motors use the 60 hertz AC cycle to shake things up.
There are AC wall warts. Not as common to find as DC. harder to find in 14 volts fixed. Much easier to find a starter set transformer. Lionel put out a 40 watt CW-40 that should be easy to find. Really any will do, but, you still want to consider something modern with a built-in circuit breaker.
Jameco.com is my goto site for wall warts and other power supplies when I need a specific voltage and amperage, but I usually root through my collection of wall warts from discarded computer equipment. IIRC, US Robotics modems used 14 vac. If 12 vac works, security alarm power supplies are good as they have screw terminals.
The Lionel 1011 (and similar) transformers allow voltage trimming and can be found at bargain prices. Other than 5vdc regulated (or 4.5vdc unregulated) warts to light up Miller signs, I rely on a collection of Lionel transformers for accessory power.
I agree with the other posts for a simple starter set transformer. If you wander around a local train meet, typically I see a lot of them really cheap, and shipping is simply carrying it to the car. 
How many accessories/lights? You'd be surprised how fast the power draw goes up using incandescent bulbs. My 12X16 layout ended up needing a 250 watt Type Z to handle the load.
Can you separate the wiring of accessories that can run on DC (e.g., lights) from those that require AC (e.g., vibrator mechanisms). I see from your other post that you have a Z4000; when you get that 14V AC port running note that it is rated for 3 Amps. That's "only" 42 Watts = 14 Volts x 3 Amps.
The cost and size of O-gauge accessory-compatible wall-warts for AC vs. DC is interesting. Photo from a previous OGR thread:
An MTH Z-1000 brick can deliver 14V AC at 80 Watts. Cost about $1 per Watt. Weighs over 5 lbs.
A generic universal DC output laptop charger can deliver 90 Watts - with selectable DC voltage using a slide selector switch and LED to indicate selected voltage. Cost about 10 cents per Watt. Weighs under 0.5 lbs.
Of course you can find a suitable inexpensive AC output train transformer at a show or swap meet where the weight takes shipping cost out of the equation. But you have to put it somewhere.
Note that it's "modern" semiconductor electronics which enables the compact conversion of wall-outlet AC to low-voltage DC. AC-output train transformers and bricks continue to use heavy/bulky brute-force iron-core transformers to step down the voltage.
Attachments
Images (1)
I’ve been using 300 watt ac low voltage landscape lighting transformers. They’re like $70 or something
Thanks Stan2004, that was informative, helpful/
