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Hey Folks,

Still working on resetting up my railroad, and have run into an issue that needs some expert advice. I have 2 mainline runs, both going in the same direction. Next to each track, I want to connect a Lionel 153IR. The 2 separate 153IRs will be connected together and connected to my transformer. The ground and NO terminals of each 153IR will be connected together and then those are connected to the crossing gates.

I typically test things out on my work bench before I connect to the actual track.

So here's the  issue. When I connect the first 153IR to the transformer and then the ground and NO of the 153IR to the gate, it all works great. If I connect the second 153IR in the same way, it works great. However, when I connect the first and second 153IR together and then to the transformer and the first and second ground and NO together and then to the crossing gate, I get an overload on my transformer. I have this exact same setup in multiple locations on my layout right now - and they all work fine.

That being said, the ones on my layout are all are connected to my old Lionel ZW transformer which is set at 16 volts. My bench setup is to the transformer shown in pictures I've attached to this post. Why might this not be working correctly? Not enough juice, perhaps using my bench transformer? I have only 1 crossing gate connected right now to that setup on my workbench instead of the 2 I'll have on my layout - but I don't think that's the issue.

So each 153IR works ok - just not together.

Any thoughts?

Signed,

Clueless in PA!

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  • 153IR setup
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Do you know if the two 153IR’s you are using are from the same batch.  I discovered a few years back that while Lionel kept the same sku#, they changed the electronics a bit and they did not function the same from version to version.  The reason I ask is because the color of the terminals in your picture looks different between the two, which may indicate different versions.

Try a search on the forum for 153IR and you should find several threads discussing wiring differences.

Jeffrey,

The problematic functionality you see may not be due to your connections or logic.

There were apparently at least three versions of the 153IR manufactured, each different in how they are to be connected, with the same product number (6-14111).

See this post/thread for a detailed, but sometimes rambling, discourse documenting the attempt to sort this out:

   Wiring Dual 153IR's to operate one signal light. Can it be done without relays? | R Whitley

As @MrMoe50 suggested check your two 153IR's to make sure that they are exactly identical.  They may not be.

Good luck with the effort.

Mike

Last edited by Mellow Hudson Mike

Never mind. I did a bit more experimenting. I switched the A and U terminals on one of the units - they may have been reversed by accident in the factory. All works fine now.

Good to hear you had success.

In addition to the intentional changes put in by the factory over two or three variations (without changing the product number) an accidental reversal at the factory would add even more complications to the mix.

Important to remember.

Mike

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