(1) May I connect an older Lionel PH-1 (131.4 W) PowerHouse to a new TIU to provide satisfactory power for a railyard, where I will run 1-3 locomotives at a time, usually at slow speeds?
(2) Should I add circuit breaker protection, such as a Sensata/AIRPAX, PP11-0-5.00A-OB-V (SNAPAK series, snap-acting hydraulic magnetic circuit protector) or a DCC Specialties PSX1-AC 3 and 2 Rail Intelligent Circuit Breaker (both of which have been discussed on this forum)? ...Or is the built-in circuit breaker for the older Lionel PH-1 PowerHouse adequate?
(3) If additional circuit breaker protection is recommended, I prefer the Sensata/AIRPAX, PP11-0-5.00A-OB-V which is much less expensive than the DCC Specialties device. Since the Sensata/AIRPAX breakers are only available as 5A or 7.5A versions, I presume the 5A is more appropriate for the PH-1 or should I use the 7.5A version, even though the PH-1 is rated at maximum 7.3A output?
(4) If I must limit the PH-1s to a 5A external circuit breaker (as above), is 5A adequate for powering a railyard, or should I throw away these older PH-1 units and buy some new transformer(s)?
(5) I also have one PowerHouse 180 (Model 6-22983). I have been told that the circuit breaker for this transformer is adequate. May I connect this PowerHouse 180 to one channel of a TIU and one of my older PH-1 units (+/- circuit breaker protection) to the other TIU channel (even though they have different outputs)?
To explain: I have 4 older Lionel PH-1 (Model 6-12866) power supplies. These were released before the 135-Watt PowerHouse which supplies 7.5 amps. PH-1's are rated at 18VAC x 7.3A = 131.4VA. I used them with Lionel Lock-Ons 20+ years ago (running only TMCC on a previous layout) before I bought some MTH Z-4000's and converted to TIUs and DCS. I packed my old PH-1s away and forgot about them until now, when I realized it might be convenient to use them to power a yard (or 2) on my new (under construction) layout, connecting them to a new TIU (as one PH-1 per TIU channel). However, I read that the older PH-1's (or PowerHouse 135's) did not have good, fast acting circuit breaker protection. Hence, my questions above for this forum.
I apologize for so many questions, but I thought I should check in before throwing away so many transformers or running out to buy more.
