I am getting one of these to put in an old MTH Challenger and am looking for help in powering it. Can it be run straight off track power or does it need some network to alter voltages and current to make it run?
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No one?
It can be run off track power in conventional; 10-12 volts typically.
It is designed to run off about 10 VAC from the R2LC, with short duration boosts to about 17 VAC when the boost is pushed on cab 1.
If you are running command with track power at 18 VAC, that may be a bit much, although the standard 27 ohm heater may be OK at that voltage. I have never tried that to be honest.
The standard 27 ohm heater is useless running at 10 VAC; it just does not get hot enough. I switch them out to 16 or 18 ohm for normal application running from an L2RC.
What I would do is try running it from 18 VAC from a transformer and see what happens.
Rod
BTW in case its a concern, the smoke unit includes a diode and regulator to reduce the AC voltage down to 5 VDC for the fan motor, regardless of the supply voltage.
So you need not worry about that.
The board connections are hot to both outside pins, and return to the center pin of the 3 pin Leoco connector. Polarity does not matter.
Rod
Rod- can you suggest a source for the heaters you mentioned? Thanks for the reply.
You can get 16 ohm from MTH, or you can get 16 and 18 ohm from Boxcar Bill here on the forum, or Chuck Sartor also on the forum.
Rod
