Proper voltage for accessories

I use 14 volts for just about all my accessories, like the ones you mentioned.

The only time I find a little more juice is required are with items like the Lionel Smoking Switch Tower which has a smoke unit.  Some Postwar accessories with the pullmor motors also seem to work a little better with higher voltages.

For these items I dedicate a separate small transformer to achieve higher voltages.

Dave

I also use separate variable power supplies for accessories.  In fact, I've found it's a good use for an old original ZW...or two...that would otherwise need an overhaul to be suitable for conventional train running.  IOW, if the rheostat rollers aren't totally shot (broken, chipped, etc.) and can hold a fixed voltage position OK, and if the whistle control rectifier has never been replaced/upgraded, it's a good candidate for powering four bus voltages for accessories........IMHO.

Also, some accessories.....like the 356 cattle car/pen...may operate best at two different voltages.  In the case of the 356, the optimum voltage setting for the pen vibrator may be different from the optimum voltage for the car vibrator.  And it may change over time as the bovine-bouncing bottom buds wear, or the foam platform pads age, or Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon juxtapose in a most influential way, or the accessory senses that skeptical relatives/visitors are entering the train room, or.......?

Also, for accessory lights, I use a voltage somewhat below the bulb's rated voltage in order to extend its life.   Somewhere along the line in my 70+ years I recall a 'rule of thumb' about this that running a 14-volt bulb at, say, 12 volts, or a 12-volt bulb at 10 volts, etc., etc.......would double it's rated life.   Well, I don't know about the accuracy or credibility of that specifically, but employing that technique to accessory lights for our store (LHS) layouts has been quite successful.  We're a 7-day operation with the layouts powered up for more than 63 hours per week.  Since 1998 I doubt we've changed more than a half dozen bulbs.  Of course, LED's are certainly a preferred way to go for the future!

FWIW, always.....

KD

What, is this a Great Lakes region only thread? Lol.

  Usually if voltage info is skipped it isnt too important but I always play it better safe than sorry.

Are there part numbers for any bulbs? A bulb number would give you a good idea of the best voltage.

  The rule of thumb I learned from high school on bulbs was "a 12v bulb would burn twice as bright, but last half as long at at 24v. The same bulb at 6v, half as bright, twice as long." ...experience has taught me it's not extremely accurate, but accurate enough to use along with the various bulb voltages/wattage of one base type, to get close to just about any brightness from any set voltage going to any socket. I think understanding the concept is far more important than any accuracy because of part mfg. variences.

Over voltage to bulbs will also create more heat. At 2x voltage, heat is sometimes more than the glass can dissipate well, so cracked bulb glass is more common too.

Newer accessories I've used, seem to operate at lower voltages than P.War. 

  There can also be significant difference between two identical items. I can recall Gramps trading oil rigs, flag shacks, and yard towers to get close matches out of his post war. I think the new stuff is usually more consistant.

  I'd test all starting at 9-12v , Then creep to 14v to see what I had to run on 18v. Brightness and heat around plastic being my main concern with bulbs. Anything with a board I'd start low and only feed it slightly over what it needs to work right (1-3v).

Even long term, the only thing I can think of you should be truely worried about feeding an under voltage to, within the model train world, would be a motor. (Heat build)

As Adriatic wrote, it's a good idea to pay attention to the voltage going to incandescent bulbs. I have seen a fair number of items ruined from the heat generated by a bulb.
Sometimes this happens when the original bulb is replaced with the wrong one.
Other times, it's the right bulb, but run at voltage that is too high.

Certain Lionel items are prone to heat damage from bulbs.
The 192? Railroad Yard tower, and 60 trolley come to mind.
Maybe the 52 fire car too.

We have the Oil Derrick on the Museum layout. it's on 14 volts, as that's the only AC power bus voltage for accessories that I could manage. The ACC terminals from a Z-1000 brick.

I believe that you'll find for best operation, each will have a voltage sweet spot. Generally 14 volts is a good starting point. 12-15 range.

The #455 would work better at 15 volts, creating enough heat to get the tube bubbling in short order. My work-around was to get different bulb at the 14 volts available that would create the heat needed.

You could test each one and measure the voltage that you like for it's operation. Use the highest to set the transformer output and tap off a voltage dropper board to supply the others. You can mount all of this to a piece of wood.