Has anyone had experience with MRC transformers? Are they well suited for overload protection to protect the electronics in modern trains? What should someone know about them before purchasing one most likely second hand?
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I run conventional control. My basement-filling layout is divided into 3 power districts for train control. I use an MRC Pure Power Dual (AH601) for each district. The layout is on two levels....left lever for one level, right lever for the other. They certainly do the job for me.....from Lionel Postwar to TMCC, Legacy, DCS-equipped current production...Atlas, MTH, Lionel, 3rd Rail, etc. (I use Lionel ZW's for accessories, only....because they seem lately to be like rabbits....multiplying!....and accessory voltage buss feeds don't require frequent lever actuation or whistle/direction functions.)
At the store (LHS) we keep MRC power packs for all gauges...O3R, O2R, HO, N, G...in stock. They are a very good company, offering a multi-year warranty. Yes, they've had some few and far between not-so-good releases, but they've never ceased to promptly make amends/repairs.
I can tell you that several years ago....maybe 15 or more...a customer brought in an old MRC dual DC power pack....copper-colored fascia era...that had plenty of evidence of use. It was well past MRC's 5-year warranty period. The customer insisted on having it repaired, willing to pay for the effort, if we would send it into MRC for him. We did. It came back in about a month, fully repaired, NO CHARGE!! The customer, VERY happy, to say the least, only paid for shipping charges. Now THAT's what we consider a 
supplier!
I'm sure others have had varying experiences. Ours....mine...mostly positive!
KD
mrc ah 101 270 watts dual power SUCKS JMHO
oldtimer posted:mrc ah 101 270 watts dual power SUCKS JMHO
very helpful
I use MRC Dual Power Pack 270 Watt Transformers for conventional operation with no issues. I have MTH models from 1999 to present along with Williams and Lionel on 9 x 19 foot layout.
I too use the MRC dual 270. I run with DCS and it performs perfectly. It has VERY FAST breakers too. The amp and volt meters are SOOOOO very helpful.
- walt
SGP posted:...well suited for overload protection to protect the electronics in modern trains?
There are no breakers in any transformer fast enough to provide this protection. What you want is Transient Voltage Suppression.
That may be true Rob but the breakers on my MRC are extremely fast. I front end my TIU with fast blow fuses and almost always the trannie breaker will pop first.
- walt
walt rapp posted:That may be true Rob but the breakers on my MRC are extremely fast. I front end my TIU with fast blow fuses and almost always the trannie breaker will pop first.
- walt
Breakers protect against over-current conditions, not voltage spikes. During a derailment, your transformer may send out extremely short spikes of voltage long before your breaker trips. TVS Diodes will protect your electronics from these spikes.
I have 4 of them. I think they are well made. I use them where I would otherwise use an original postwar Gilbert transformer. I generally do not operate new Legacy engines with them but when I have there has not been any damage to the electronics after short circuits. Shorts from running into an open turnout can be more common in 2 rail. Be aware the output of these power supplies is not a pure sine wave.
When buying a used one make sure you get 2 remotes and that all the membrane switches on the remote are working. Obviously test all 4 of the outputs with a load to make sure they work. Anything that draws at least 2A should be adequate to determine the outputs work correctly. The 2 that supply the track are the most likely to fail. The fixed 10V and fixed 14V outputs are usually ok.
I find the ZW-L to be a better choice for operating Legacy engines.
For all that are in love with the MRC ah 101 270 watt 027 dual power I challenge you to repair the breakers. Better yet I challenge you to even get the case off. Then try to find the correct breakers. Factory tecky said "sorry we cant help you. Stick to the old ZWR. IMHO these are junk.
For all that are in love with the MRC ah 101 270 watt 027 dual power I challenge you to repair the breakers. Better yet I challenge you to even get the case off. Then try to find the correct breakers. Factory tecky said "sorry we cant help you. Stick to the old ZWR. IMHO these are junk.
oldtimer posted:For all that are in love with the MRC ah 101 270 watt 027 dual power I challenge you to repair the breakers. Better yet I challenge you to even get the case off. Then try to find the correct breakers. Factory tecky said "sorry we cant help you. Stick to the old ZWR. IMHO these are junk.
You seem offended that others don't share your displeasure. To each his own.
walt rapp posted:... the breakers on my MRC are extremely fast.
Not fast enough.
As Rob and hundreds of others on this form stated, use a TVS. I have given several to friends only to hear that they haven't had time time to wire it up. They all use older transformers and swear they don't need the fast blow fuses or the tvs. They all have had major problems with blown boards in TMCC and DCS engines. You think that after driving 100 miles to the repair station, spending $$$ on new boards/repairs, they would listen. Nope, they continue to run these without adequate protection. A TVS is cheap insurance ( about (.50 ea) for any transformer you are using. I have never blown a board (hope I'm not cursing my good luck )
.
Bob
CP BOB posted:As Rob and hundreds of others on this form stated, use a TVS. I have given several to friends only to hear that they haven't had time time to wire it up. They all use older transformers and swear they don't need the fast blow fuses or the tvs. They all have had major problems with blown boards in TMCC and DCS engines. You think that after driving 100 miles to the repair station, spending $$$ on new boards/repairs, they would listen. Nope, they continue to run these without adequate protection. A TVS is cheap insurance ( about (.50 ea) for any transformer you are using. I have never blown a board (hope I'm not cursing my good luck )
Bob
That makes more seance than saying that they are junk most transformers could use double protection.
Dave Ripp. posted:That makes more seance than saying that they are junk most transformers could use double protection.
It's not really double protection - it's protection from two completely different threats for different components. The over-current protection(breakers) is for the electric plant(supply & transmission), and only for the trains in an ancillary fashion(melted/welded wheels/axles, eg.). The over-voltage protection(TVS) is to prevent both instant & cumulative damage to solid state electronic components.
For MRC power packs, look for the "Pure Power AC" power packs to run o guage Lionel. Those work with all locos made. If it doesn't Say Pure AC power then the transformer is putting out a chopped sine wave that PS1, and QSI equipped locos will NOT work correctly with.
For what it's worth I have a MRC ah 101 270 watt 027 dual power that I used for years because I wanted the walk around feature. My PS1 locos did not care for it, slow response to throttle changes, all others (Atlas, Lionel, Wbb) worked just fine. Now that I have only TMCC I still use the transformer with the remote set at 18 V. The fixed voltage options (10 V and 14V) are fine. Never had an issue with the breaker failing and I do have additional protection added as suggested on this forum. If I ever needed to fix a breaker this unit would be become an accessory transformer but for a used item that has been installed and functioning for over 10 years it was a great value. It has paid for itself and I do not open up boxes that were not designed for end user intervention so the complaint mentioned above has no relevance.
I've had an MRC ah101 270 for about 15 years. It runs cool, has lots of power, puts out true AC vs chopped power and I've have had zero issues. I have a friend wih the modern version of the ZW with out board power packs. He has experienced problems with 2 power bricks and is not a happy camper. My only complaint about the MRC is that the square metal case with fan and phone plug controllers is boring to look at.
I have two MRC AH101 packs that I used when running Lionel Pullmor motors. I love the walk-around feature. The large silver (the other one gold) sheet metal box lived [unseen] under the benchwork.
The AH101 was NOT usable (in conventional) when I acquired MTH PS3 engines.
The AH101 is NOT pure sine wave. It utilizes a wave chopping circuit. I assume this is why my PS3 SW1500s hated it even when operating in Conventional mode.
Just to throw a bit more into the mix, MRC did offer a later AC Power Pack (AH104) with walk-around capability. You had to buy the walk-around separately (AH920). This unit DOES power my MTH PS3 SW1500s nicely in Conventional mode.
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@geysergazer posted:The AH101 is NOT pure sine wave. It utilizes a wave chopping circuit. I assume this is why my PS3 SW1500s hated it even when operating in Conventional mode.
The AH101 is a really messy/dirty waveform.
Gilbert made engines with a supposed horn or whistle that used a speaker system driven by a vibrator tube. Frankly it sounds terrible. They are silent on pure AC until the vibrator control button is pushed. Put one of these engines on a track powered by an AH101 and the horn/whistle sounds continuously because all the higher order harmonics in the waveform are reproduced by the speaker. There are so many harmonics the engine sounds better than when used with the vibrator tube controller.
I have used an MRC Dual Power 270 for quite a few years now, and have been really happy with it. I did add TVS, just to be sure. I also added longer tethers (phone cords) to get around my 5x9’ layout.
