6-31420 Lionel direct lockon question

That's 6-34120,unit opens up easily, I would guess the relay contacts are burned.

I suspect you buy a new Direct Lockon.  If it's new, I'd send it back for a warranty replacement.  The whole point of that thing is to protect the layout from shorts like you had!

It is a protection, but this underscores the value of the PSX breaker.

http://www.traintekllc.com/DCC...ductinfo/DSP-PSX1AC/

I goes so fast, it is not generally possible for the short and the resulting arc to damage the trains or track system. BTW, these fellows give excellent service.

Nothing says that the PSX breaker couldn't have a failure as well.

Sure, but I have seen these things work and they are definitely fast. My thinking is that you avoid the "welding" going on while the short is occuring. I have heard some really long sizzle time with the heater kind. HOWEVER...I think this direct lockon is electronic as to the breaker and should be fast...now that I look at the board on it.

So...the thing probably failed electronically.

So what would I do to test it, or what would I replace?

I have the direct lockon here, it reacts faster than I can blink when a short occurs.

Well, if it smoked, I'm thinking we're past the "testing" stage.   There isn't much in there, I'm not sure it's cost effective to try to repair them if it's not under warranty.

Maybe you could open your LockOn and show us photographs of any obvious damage?  That would help us understand what happened and if it can be easily fixed.

That looks like the transistor driver for the relay coil. If that is open, the relay won't close and apply power to the track. The relay points don't look too good either. There is a chance that it could be repaired, points cleaned, etc.

Since it is less than a year, if you call Lionel customer service they should send you a new one. You would probably have to send it to them first...probably around $3, 1st class mail if you keep it under a half pound.

I'm in the "send it back" camp, no sense trying to repair it if you can get a warranty replacement.

Yeh...I sometimes repair if it's clear cut and will be like new again even though in warranty. I just had a linear amplifier go bad however and pretty much knew that it was a pin diode or the driver for them that was the issue, but I had them send me the RF unit and I sent the broken one back. Three or four days from broken to fixed. California to Illinois shipping. Warranty works if the company is a great company.

I also sent my CAB 2 back with the unresponsive row of buttons. Lionel said warranty even thought it's been 3 years since I bought it, but hmmm...a row of buttons on the key pad...oh well...when they quit fixing them, I'll take one apart.

Lionel is going to replace it since I only purchased it in June 2011. No trains for a while though, have to wait for that replacement or the new ZW-L I ordered to arrive.

Sounds like a good plan.  You can sky-wire a fuse in series with the track lead for protection while you wait, we hate to see you suffering train withdrawal.