Please help with an issue adding a 135w powerhouse to track.

Have you tried to just add the base leaving the kw in place with no powerhouse?just add the base to the mix with 1 wire

FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

 Does the powerhouse need to be phased with the KW & the 1033?

Yes.

PM-1 "U" to 1033 "A".  This is not a typo... "A" is common on the 1033.  "C" will power your switches at 16 volts. If the 1033 is powering switches & accessories only, no trains or track, it really doesn't make a lot of difference, but the whistle & direction controls are all on the "U" post, and you don't want that stuff common with the whole layout.

E-UNIT-79 posted:

Have you tried to just add the base leaving the kw in place with no powerhouse?just add the base to the mix with 1 wire

 I have powered the PM-1 very satisfactorily with the D-U posts, no PH-1 needed.

ADCX Rob posted:

FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

 Does the powerhouse need to be phased with the KW & the 1033?

Yes.

PM-1 "U" to 1033 "A".  This is not a typo... "A" is common on the 1033.  "C" will power your switches at 16 volts. If the 1033 is powering switches & accessories only, no trains or track, it really doesn't make a lot of difference, but the whistle & direction controls are all on the "U" post, and you don't want that stuff common with the whole layout.

E-UNIT-79 posted:

Have you tried to just add the base leaving the kw in place with no powerhouse?just add the base to the mix with 1 wire

 I have powered the PM-1 very satisfactorily with the D-U posts, no PH-1 needed.

In my case, to exploit both 16 & 11 volts from the 1033, I’m connected to it’s A & B with C as the common. I see where you’re going Rob...I just need to connect PM-1’s U to the 1033’s C (instead of A in your example).  But isn’t this already the case since I already have the KW’s and the 1033’s commons connected by jumper wires?  If I’m feeding common to PM-1 from any bus, it shouldn’t make a difference where I tap into common, correct?  And yes, this is an accessory only transformer; no trains, no worries about whistle/direction. Trains are the KW’s duty.  

The reason I’m trying to implement the PH-1 is to free up the KW for loops #2 & #3.  The KW’s A post is powering loop #2, and an old CW was powering loop #3 previously (and just barely). The B post on the KW will now be plenty for loop #3.  Also, the CW will soon be powering a small bump & go trolley route.  Since loop #1 will be TMCC only, I figured the PM-1 would be the perfect choice...plus it was offered to me dirt cheap. 

E-UNIT...I haven’t tried the base with the KW yet, since I don’t yet have any TMCC locomotives.  The PM-1 did work great with the KW however.  I suppose I could try the base and KW combination on Monday when my TMCC Pennsy Sharks are due to be delivered.  

Tom

If it is strictly TMCC, you don't need even need the PM-1. The center slot of the PH-1 connector goes to the center rail lockon clip 1, the outer slot(bottom, not the blank slot at the pointed end) goes to common outside rails clip 2. The Command Base terminal connects to any convenient outside rail connection on the TMCC loop. You only need to be sure to power up the Command Base before the track power so the TMCC loco sees the command signal.

Reading through your original post, it looks like everything was working fine with the PM-1, when configured that way, just flip the PM-1 switch from conv to cmd, connect the powered Command Base to "U", and you are running TMCC.