Lionel CW-80 - problem

You may want to contact Lionel. i believe they're pretty good about replacing these. They typically ask you to cut off the cord and send just the cord to them.

 

They then send out a replacement. Lionels phone and email can be found here: https://www.lionelsupport.com/ContactUs/

 

I have had good luck sending emails via the service/repair question link.

Thank you  Rick , I have just  filled out their form , I really hope you are right believe me

It is really not meant to be opened, but if you got the security screws out, there is a glass fuse that probably blew.  If you can get a replacement that is best.  G

As my reply from Lionel  seems to state I have  few options

 

Douglas,

 

There is not a way to repair the CW80. We do not have a tool to open them, as when they are in warranty - we simply replace them. We do not make repairs on CW80's. At this point, you may want to consider purchasing a new transformer.

 

Well that's a lot of nothing. To open it, you need a triangle bit screwdriver. What Lionel is missing is supporting the transformer, not a screwdriver.

If they don't have a tool to open them, why did they specify the screwball triangle screw head??? 

 

What a lame response, that's really not what I'd expect from Lionel!

 

Well thats what I would expect from the "customer service representative." they can only answer with "cookie cutter" responses.

 

In the past, when I've emailed Lionel I was always under the impression Mike Reagan or one of the other techs was on the receiving end.

 

I'm not sure if it was luck, or maybe Lionels emails now go through customer service first since they've moved.

 

Questions/repairs were always handled fast and accurately.

I guess the next question is, who can help Robert repair his CW-80, or give him a good deal on a replacement.

Dale M noted that the transformer itself inside the CW80 is quite robust. It's probably that fuse, etc.

I have plenty of CWs, however, I am cautioned by the postal expense to Canada...you can email me if you want to discuss.

Greetings All,

 

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination but I can share my recent experiences with the transformer in question.  I was using a CW 80 that I had left over from a set break-up to test LED lighting circuits.  Well, being the Thomas Edison that I am (NOT) I put the alligator clips on the respective red and black wires and "gave her the juice" which produced a rather loud buzz (it actually sent chills up my spine) from the transformer for a Millisecond and the green light went dead and all was silent (except for my quiet sobbing).  Well not being one to acquiesce to a "stinking anti-tamper screw", I started thinking "Out of The Box".  I hit the head and grabbed a Ham & Cheese Samich on the way back to the work bench and arrived at a way to defeat the evil tamper-proof screws hindering my journey into the bowels of the transformer.  I found a Tri-Angle meal File and proceeded to grind down the end until the file fit into the Tri-Angle head of the tamper proof screw.  As a result, I was able to gain entrance into the forbidden interior of the transformer.  There is a fairly large coil some red wires and some black wires, a small cooling fan, what looks to be either a heat shield or a heat sink, a printed circuit board, (of which I know nothing what so ever about) and a "glass fuse".  I stripped away the shrink tubing only to find the fuse was intact and not blown.  I decided to plug the power cord back into the wall socket only to hear a small "click" noise and nothing else.  Well, ultimately not being an electrical engineer I decided to do what I considered was the best thing to do in my situation.  I cut off the power cord and used it to replace the tattered one on my Post War 1033 90 Watt transformer and then I chucked the rest of the CW80 into the trash.  Besides, the 1033 has 10 more Watts.

 

Chief Bob (Retired)

Actually, given that the 1033 is rated on input power and the CW-80 is rated on output power, the CW-80 probably has slightly more output power.  However, I think you probably made the right decision anyway.

 

FWIW, the usual failure of these if it's not the fuse are the output triac drivers, they're fairly easily replaced.

As I remember Dale M's experiment, the transformer in the CW-80 is pretty robust. I want to say he was loading it to something like 8 amps ac or more and it held up well. That means that you could pull all the guts out and use it for a TMCC power source almost or as well as one of the 180 watt bricks...maybe leave the fan in it, etc.

I'm not sure it would be 8 amps, that would put it at 144 watts at 18 volts.  Judging the difference in that transformer core and the PowerHouse 180, I'd say you'd be more in the 6 amp range at most.

 

I remember him being surprised...but I don't know how long the test lasted and I think it was in air, not enclosed.

I'd be surprised too.   You might get 8 amps out of it, but I suspect the voltage would have dropped significantly and it's likely overloaded.

I don't see the load test, but here's the repair stuff on the older version...

 

http://www.trainfacts.com/trainfacts/?p=34

 

if the output impedance is .15 ohms, then 8 amps would drop the output from 17.9 to about 16.7 v. Still workable. Not a proposal, just interesting...

 

I don't think the output impedance translates directly to the maximum current of the voltage drop at that current.  There is the losses in the transformer core to consider as well. 

Thank you all for your replies , certainly  gives me some to think about  

 

HOWEVER     

 

imagine the surprise I had today  when I checked  my  emails 

I had  a very nice note from Lionel that grand old American Company .. they had reconsidered their situation and are going to replace my CW-80 transformer

 

 

That certainly says a lot for this company, in my books anyway  ......

 

 

I will be able to run my 2018  once again  with out a whole lot of complication

 

A tip of the old hat  to    Lionel 

 

 

I like that very much!

Hmmm, I wonder if a little birdie had given them wind of this conversation?

The transformer core is robust but the electronic can still fail, not just the fuse.  An many times it is the IC controller not a FET/TRIAC.

 

I have repaired about 10 of these.  I think 3 couldn't be fixed.  The other were simple fuse issues.

 

But the best repair is a replacement, so glad Lionel is sending one.   G

I have read many many posts/threads on various forums dealing with this infamous CW-80, & CW-40 transformer.  I personally do not own one, whether it's Postwar, or the modern one.  The opinion I have come up with is to just stay away from them.  The majority of posts highlight all the problems people have had with things like phasing issues, internal parts failure and the like.  I'll stick with my KW's and ZW.  Just a personal opinion!

There are "tricks" you could do with the various combos of PW transformers too.

 

They all have to be phased, and "multi-posts" used correctly, no matter the age.

 

 A CW will just refuse to work if its not phased right.

Its breaker drop out, is lighting fast compared to PW.

A CW draw back would be the peak amps on a high draw PW unit, might shut it down if you throttle up too fast.

 

The main PW difference is U being reversed on single train, and to two train transformers..