Loud buzz with couplers

It's the AC vs. the DC from the original power pack.  It's pretty normal, but the coupler should only fire a brief time for a request, right?

Yes, it's a quick buzz. I just wasn't expecting it after the no buzz of the DC.

Thanks John.

TMCC/Legacy couplers sometimes are pretty loud as well, and some are nearly silent.  Nothing to worry about.

Why would it be the AC John?

Swanny you might have a problem with the coupler or the board.  Can you measure the resistance on the coupler?

The fact it won't open on the 2 amp DC pack with smoke on seems a little at issue since the LC+ shouldn't droop the voltage that much.  But maybe it is.

As I understand the board the AC is rectified right at input and DC is used on all the newer Lionel boards. So it doesn't have an AC ground component like TMCC.  Regardless of input, the coupler is seeing DC just like Legacy.

So this buzz may be normal, but it is not from the AC power.  At least I don't think so.   G

I hear other LC+ couplers buzzing when I test run them at Henning's on the PH180, so I assume it's getting at least half-wave rectified power.  I never had an issue with a little buzz from a coupler being a problem, so I never looked closer.

Here are 2 short videos. 1st is with train volume about 70% and the other is with the volume at the lowest setting.

Now that I am expecting the buzz it's not so bad. It just threw me the 1st time after hearing nothing on DC power.

Let me know what you think.

The second video clip seems like the background sounds are much quieter, are those really the same level as the first one?  In any case, I don't see any issue, I'd just ignore it.

Yes. I turned the sound down to bring out the buzz clearer. 1st clip was 70%, last was min.volume.

I will not worry about the noise now, thanks for the help.

Does sound like normal noise.  Still not sure why it won't work with smoke on though.   G

GGG,

It does work with the smoke on with the PW180 just not the old DC 2 amp wall pack.

here is an old clip of what happens when you fire the couplers with smoke on with a 2 amp pack.

Same GP7 engine, just a different Road name. The UP engine does the exact same thing.

i sent this video back then to Lionel and they said:

Hello,

 

Although you have enough power to go around the track you do not have quite enough to run the engine fully with the smoke on and fire the couplers.  The transformer you are using only puts out about 2 amps and you are hitting that threshold with everything on.  We suggest you change the power supply to a CW-80.  One of the first things to go out when you are exceeding or reaching the max amperage is the sounds and you will see the light flicker like it is.  Here is a video that should help:  http://www.lionel.com/Customer....cfm?documentID=6486 .  The wall packs on the lionchief sets are not designed for expansion. We would not suggest adding any additional accessories or lighted cars to this set because you will exceed the available amperage.

 

Thank You,

 

Interesting response, I guess Lionel should have used a 3amp wall pack.

I have the LC PE.  That steam engine ran fine with a loop with light, smoke, sounds, and 3 lighted passenger cars.

I would think a single GP LC+ shouldn't draw that much more.  But a shot of current to the coil coupler would cause a current surge.  G

The LC and LC+ are quite different animals. The LC stuff draws quite a bit less power, and of course has no couplers.  Also, the smoke units have higher resistance in the LC vs. the LC+, so they draw less power as well.

The couplers alone can draw close to an amp when fired.  I've noted that many TMCC locomotives won't properly fire the couplers with less than around 15-16 volts on the track, the LC+ couplers are the same design.

With smoke, movement, etc. I can easily see that the couplers would be marginal with a 2A brick.

Quite different?  I do realize there are difference but didn't realize they were power hogs.  Just because the smoke resistor is lower doesn't mean it draws more power.  Usually they have lowered the input voltage also to compensate.

Even some of the Lionel new Conventional E-Units pulse voltage to the smoke units now a days.  No longer track power.   G

The fan driven smoke units require more heat, hence more power. 

Well, there wasn't any difference between the mechanical puffer at 27 ohms and the first fan driven smoke at 27 ohms, powered from the same R2LC.  Heck even some of the newer conventional diesels with fan driven use 30 ohms.

The fan just pushes out the heat you want from your furnace.  G

Well, I guess there's no reason it doesn't work, odd that it doesn't anyway.

I am sure there is a factual reason. G

Swanny,

    Thanks for posting that Lionel Response this way I don't have to wait on the phone.   I already returned one New B&O NW2 to my dealer just last week because it "shorted" when I tried to fire the couplers.   I was however using a ready to run Lion Chief Power pack from my Son's track.   Dealer didn't even ask about my power situation.  I got the new one and still had the same problem but was amazed that no one else had it as well.  I guess a larger transformer is in my future.  Thanks for the video and response again.  

At our modular club outing yesterday, several people were running the LC+ locomotives.  I tried the couplers on the NW2 and the Camelback.  Both have a noticeable buzz when you fire the couplers, we power the layout with PH180 bricks running at 18 volts.

Glad I could be a part of the solution!

I also received help from others on this forum.  Gunrunnerjohn is always a big help. 

The 180 PW bricks are great for powering LC+ engines and easy to wire straight it.