Hi,
I recently discovered that one of my 180 bricks has a short in the adaptor plug (the one coming from the brick to the adapter cable). My guess is that a wire has come loose inside the plug. I know it is at the plug, because slightly bending the bottom of the plug causes as short. Is this something that could be fixed, repaired or replaced? Or, is this something I must now throw away?
Thanks,
Greg
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Greg,
When you're fiddling with it:
Is it truly a short circuit?, i.e. Does the breaker trip?
Or is it an open circuit? i.e. Does the output simply go to zero?
Mike
I would not throw it away, it has value and likely can be repaired or modified. At the end of the day, it's an 18V AC power source.
The minor catch is, if it is a newer powerhouse 180, they put a tiny switch inside the plug to turn power on and thus the cord is not just 2 wires. Also the question of what are you connecting this to for an end device and dos that then require the specific plug end.
If it's is the older power house and truly is only 2 wires with no safety switch and extra wire in the plug- even easier to repair.
Is this a newer brick?
The newer bricks had a pin in the plug that must be depressed in order for the brick to work.
Topic discussion containing that newer style 3 wire safety switch problem
https://ogrforum.com/...erhouse-180-to-a-tiu
![IMG_2852[2778]](https://ogrforum.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/145719824747149248/filePointer/145719824772109214/fodoid/145719824772109210/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_2852%255B2778%255D.jpg "IMG_2852[2778]")
This is the older brick. There was a short with a weird hum and when I "play" with the bottom part of the the adaptor plug from the brick to the adaptor cable there is a small spark. If I bend that bottom part a certain way, the power turns back on and the weird hum goes away.
If the problem is at the plug. Lots of folks cut off the plug and just wire it in directly.
Take note of which wire is hot, and which is common.
The "plugs" function allows it to connect easily to a tmcc lockout which has a male receptor. Outside of that, it really isn't needed.
Lionel offers the adapter plug so folks don't have to cut the plug off of the brick.
From this topic https://ogrforum.com/...c/176694689226585108
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I just make them using the readily available Molex connectors, links below. The mating pins are on the same page as the connectors at the bottom of the page.
Molex 0003092032 CONN PLUG 3POS .198 https://www.digikey.com/produc...2032/WM1325-ND/61297
Molex 03-09-1032 CONN RECEPTACLE 3POS .198 https://www.digikey.com/produc...1032/WM1332-ND/61321
Molex Female housing 538-03-09-2032
Molex Male housing 538-03-09-1032
Molex Male pins 538-02-09-2103
Molex Female pins 538-02-09-1104
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