Signal Question

I recently had a nearly identical problem; turned out to be a defective Base-1L. Lionel took care of it for me with no grief.

Try joining  the outside rails together.   A piece of wire with alligator clips on both ends for testing.

Sounds like it could be a ground problem.  Make sure the Legacy power supply is plugged into a grounded outlet and not a power strip.  Some power strips will degrade the Legacy ground if they incorporate spike protection.

BT

BruceT47 posted:

Sounds like it could be a ground problem.  Make sure the Legacy power supply is plugged into a grounded outlet and not a power strip.  Some power strips will degrade the Legacy ground if they incorporate spike protection.

BT

 

I have the TMCC base and transformer plugged into the same wall outlet.  Is that a problem? 

Gregg posted:

Try joining  the outside rails together.   A piece of wire with alligator clips on both ends for testing.

Half of my leads are connected to the inside rail and the other half to the outside rail and I still have the problem. Is what your suggesting different? 

Not all wall outlets have the ground pin properly connected to Earth ground.  Buy an outlet tester and verify.

MrHorst posted:

BruceT47 posted:

Sounds like it could be a ground problem.  Make sure the Legacy power supply is plugged into a grounded outlet and not a power strip.  Some power strips will degrade the Legacy ground if they incorporate spike protection.

BT

 

I have the TMCC base and transformer plugged into the same wall outlet.  Is that a problem? 

To my knowledge that should not be a problem.

BT

MrHorst posted:

Gregg posted:

Try joining  the outside rails together.   A piece of wire with alligator clips on both ends for testing.

Half of my leads are connected to the inside rail and the other half to the outside rail and I still have the problem. Is what your suggesting different? 

 A little bit  different ,  I'm suggesting connecting both out- side rails together . A wire from one outside rail to the other outside rail.     You can test to see if it's going to help with the alligator clips before going to all the trouble of adding the extra jumper wire .

 I'm not sure where you have the "U" connection from the command base hooked up.  If all your outside rail are  common to each other (no insulated pins)  It shouldn't  matter too much, I like to use an outside rail but some suggest using the black from the tiu output. 

MrHorst,

    IMO you might try upgrading your Transformer and see what happens, try using an old KW or ZW if you own one of them.  If your house is grounded/wired properly and you have the TMCC/Legacy 990 Base unit plugged directly into the wall outlet your problems should not be the ground, especially if you have a Breaker Panel set up in your home.  Do not use a multi plug bar, most of them are not grounded properly.  I also suggest you tie both outside rails together to create a stronger signal, if you have DCS use the out Black Channels for your Legacy drops, then another drop directly to the opposite outside rail directly from the 990 Base unit.  It sounds like you have accomplished this already the way you have your drops set up.   Definitely try using a different Transformer and see what happens,especially if the CW-80 is an early model, they can cause all kinds of different problems.  If you have the TMCC/1L connected also, PLCProf could be correct on the faulty 1L unit, try running your Legacy on it's own via the Cab2, to test just the Legacy unit signal.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

MrHorst,

    IMO you might try upgrading your Transformer and see what happens, try using an old KW or ZW if you own one of them.  If your house is grounded/wired properly and you have the TMCC/Legacy 990 Base unit plugged directly into the wall outlet your problems should not be the ground, especially if you have a Breaker Panel set up in your home.  Do not use a multi plug bar, most of them are not grounded properly.  I also suggest you tie both outside rails together to create a stronger signal, if you have DCS use the out Black Channels for your Legacy drops, then another drop directly to the opposite outside rail directly from the 990 Base unit.  It sounds like you have accomplished this already the way you have your drops set up.   Definitely try using a different Transformer and see what happens,especially if the CW-80 is an early model, they can cause all kinds of different problems.  If you have the TMCC/1L connected also, PLCProf could be correct on the faulty 1L unit, try running your Legacy on it's own via the Cab2, to test just the Legacy unit signal.

PCRR/Dave

Dave,

The only other power supplies I have available are two MTH Z500 bricks.  I don't have a seperate Cab2 setup, just the Cab1L and I don't have the full DCS system just the remote commander left over from my first MTH starter set. 

Just thought of this, what about if I connect my Cab1L to my MTH remote commander and power the whole thing using a Z500 brick?  

How do I tell if I have one of the older CW80s?  

Thanks!

Mr Horst,

    In your 1st post you indicated you had the TMCC/Legacy, sense you do not, my previous advise is not applicable.  Further I know nothing about the Z-500 Brick, maybe Guns or one of the others who use the Bricks all the time, will help you with that set up.  Leave off the MTH remote Commander and try just using the TMCC Cab1 with a TMCC Engine and see what happens with your layout.  IMO all the CW-80 are entry level Transformers and I always recommend upgrading as soon as you possibly can.  I do not know what kind of voltage a Z-500 delivers directly to the tracks, if it supplies over 18V constantly to the tracks, I would not use it for your TMCC Engines.  This is one of the reasons I do not like Bricks.  

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Mr Horst,

    In your 1st post you indicated you had the TMCC/Legacy, sense you do not, my previous advise is not applicable.  Further I know nothing about the Z-500 Brick, maybe Guns or one of the others who use the Bricks all the time, will help you with that set up.  Leave off the MTH remote Commander and try just using the TMCC Cab1 with a TMCC Engine and see what happens with your layout.  IMO all the CW-80 are entry level Transformers and I always recommend upgrading as soon as you possibly can.  I do not know what kind of voltage a Z-500 delivers directly to the tracks, if it supplies over 18V constantly to the tracks, I would not use it for your TMCC Engines.  This is one of the reasons I do not like Bricks.  

PCRR/Dave

Sorry Dave,  I should have said I have a Legacy equipped engine that runs fine with my Cab1L and it's my two Atlas with TMCC that are having the issues.  I only have the Cab1L setup, not legacy.  Sorry for the confusion. 

Have you tried holding your hand just above the Atlas engines when the headlights flicker to see if they then run properly? 

OddIsHeRU posted:

Have you tried holding your hand just above the Atlas engines when the headlights flicker to see if they then run properly? 

Tried that already and it didn't help. 

I know that it's the signal because if I place the Atlas engine on a single 40" straight section with one power lead and TMCC connected it works just fine.  

Where did you  hook up the U connection from the base?    It wouldn't hurt to add   another wire from the  U connection to a different location. Can't hurt anything and easy to try.