Lionel transformer 1033 short

I am assuming that you have removed all the load wiring from the binding posts during this test, correct?

Maybe, the circuit breaker has seen better days.

Ive replaced circuit breakers

on ZWs with electronic ones from

Radio Shack

As with all transformer repairs and trouble shooting, if you absolutely don't know how to repair an electric appliance, see a certified electrician. Electricity is nothing to mess with and house fires are caused too easily from faulty fixes.

I fixed a 1033 for a friend that tried to "fix" it him self. The cord was frayed and cracked and broken with covering missing. He had tried to wire nut the cord back together inside the cover. CUT the old cord off, yanked everything apart to replace the cord.

What voltage are you getting between posts A and B when this occurs?

I have read articles about professionals

recommending that you take your transformer

repairs to an electrician also.

As soon as I turn up the voltage on the black handle, the ammeter on my test stand jumps to 15 amps so I immediately shut it down.  The voltage doesn't move off zero. So the transformer is connected to my home made test stand.  It is not the stand since I checked it by hooking up a Z750 and the test stand works fine.  

I get no smoke or burning or noise, just the jumping of the ammeter. But I don't leave the power on for more than a 1/2 sec or so. 

Please explain where in the circuit the ammeter is wired.  An ammeter on the input will measure how much the entire transformer is drawing from the mains. Is that where you have the ammeter wired? An ammeter on the output will measure how much current is being used by a load. Since you need to ensure that there is no load on the transformer during your test, any indication of the output ammeter is irrelevant.

I need you to disconnect all the wiring (including any test equipment and/or meters) from all the binding posts and tell me what voltage you measure between posts A and B. Those posts are not under control of the circuit breaker inside the transformer.  Then we can begin to see what the other secondary coils are doing.

Eventually, after you tell us that info, we can proceed to taking off the cover and using the voltmeter to find out if the circuit breaker is opening due to an internal problem, or if it's just not closing completely.

Do not be concerned about dangerous voltages, or burning down any houses. You can do these tests safely and have the satisfaction of learning how it works, and of knowing how to fix it.

Here's the diagram. As you can see, it's going to be easy to trace.

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/...ansfmr%5Cps1032a.pdf

What happens when you turn up the black handle with the transformer posts connected to nothing?

DAve, These are pretty simple.  Nothing has disconnected from the top bearing plate and fallen into the transformer.  Such as the whistle lever collar, or rivet material from a terminal?  No damaged insulation where the wires move from the transformer core around the sharp edges of the metal frame?

I assume when you plug this in it is not tripping the house circuit breaker.  When you said the transformer circuit breaker trips and won't reset what do you mean?

As a few stated, you need to unload the transformer and measure voltages under no load as you move the handles.  Plus see if the fixed outputs read correct voltage.   G

Okay, I'm back home.  I get .025 V AC between the A and B terminals with nothing connected.  I ran the black handle up and down and the voltage remains .025.  The ammeter was on the output.