I'm thinking that I remember reading here that running at less than 18V "stresses", or something, "puts pressure"???, on the engine and it heats up some.
I've been running at 15 or 16V in the past but I remember that on last Christmas' layout I ran at 18V.
I don't like 18 because of the lights in the Blue Comet's passenger cars.
comments???
As always, thanks - walt
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It's not a problem, that sounds like an Old Wife's Tale to me. The motor uses PWM speed control, and if the voltage is less, it just makes the power pulses wider. It doesn't do any damage to the motor or the electronics.
All DCS engines work just fine at about 15 volts or higher.
The only issue, if the engine has to work very hard due to steep grades or a heavy load, is that the top speed may be reduced a little bit.
Walt, our layout was designed by the Flat Earth Society and we run at 15/16 volts in an attempt to solve passenger car patron blindness. All the MTH DCS products run fine.
I run PS2 3V locomotives in conventional and they are find across the range from 0-18 volts. Doesn't harm them.
thanks John, Barry, BobbyD, and LOU 1985 for you input. VERY much appreciated.
The hazard I suppose of me just happening to read a misleading post and not remembering "this is the internet, be careful". But, really, I typically find responders here are correct so I suppose I just believed it.
what led me to believing it is a topic that Barry brought up. Several years ago I was running a PS2 under DCS at a lower voltage, guessing 15V, but it was traversing ramps at 4% and it started acting up and finally just stopped dead. I touched it to pick it up and, ouch, it was hot. Luckily OK after cooling down. That factored in my believing the post about a year or so ago.
As always, thanks so much - walt
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