Switch track lanterns

I have to ask, are they wired in parallel ?  

Dan

Yes parallel but acts like series 

They're not acting like they're in series, they're acting like you have excessive current draw for the size of the wire.  If they were acting like they were in series, they'd all be at the same intensity.

I'd check to see why you're having such a power drop, #18 wire is PLENTY big for the task.

On my long switch motor control runs I use 14 ga stranded, No problem.  A 30 foot pair run is really 60' of circuit travel.

These tiny lantern lights are the only ones that do this, buildings with much larger lights are OK. I measured with a analog volt meter and there was no difference from one end to the other. Could it be these are DC lamps ?

Tom, I still don't think that 60 feet of #18 is an issue, there shouldn't be enough current to cause a significant voltage drop.

I'd be interested in measuring the current in that loop to see why you're getting a voltage drop.  You have to be sucking significant power to cause a visible change in lamp intensity.

If you have a 30 foot run of #18 (yes, 60 foot total wire), a two amp load would result in less than a volt of drop, hard to imagine that would be noticeable in lamp intensity.  Note that would be the 2 amp load at the end of the wire, with the load distributed along the wire, the voltage drop at the end would doubtless be less. 

How many lights are there, and what type of bulb?

John... right now only three to four this is a burn't out bulb, first in the line 5 feet from power source.

If they're burning out, maybe you have too much voltage on them?  That size bulb can't be drawing enough power to make a dent in the capacity of an #18 wire!

John only the first in line burn't out. Thats the second one that failed, after the first failure I reduced power.  I want to put these in my frieght yard, but i'm having trouble with three how am I going to do 12 ? You can see each one in line gets dimmer. I have two other peninsulas to wire and the far end of those are dim also, almost can't see the last in line. I would have thought a Z1000 would power all the lights of the layout. the other Z1000 does just fine powering all the lights of a town (no switch lanterns). 

Well, with no pictures, I can't really "see" what you're talking about.   However, my first thought is something is drawing significant power through that 18ga wire, because having a visible voltage drop suggests you are drawing a few amps, certainly far more than a few small bulbs would draw!  You don't have an insufficient power issue, you have some sort of wiring issue.

clem k posted:

John only the first in line burn't out. Thats the second one that failed, after the first failure I reduced power.  I want to put these in my frieght yard, but i'm having trouble with three how am I going to do 12 ? You can see each one in line gets dimmer. I have two other peninsulas to wire and the far end of those are dim also, almost can't see the last in line. I would have thought a Z1000 would power all the lights of the layout. the other Z1000 does just fine powering all the lights of a town (no switch lanterns). 

It would help if you could post a diagram of exactly how your lights and transformer are wired. Don't leave anything out, especially the stuff that "can't be the problem." Are you using a common or track return, or are all the lamps on a dedicated pair of wires? 

If the lamps are all identical, and the voltages throughout the system are the same, they should light the same. Something is escaping attention here.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

They're not acting like they're in series, they're acting like you have excessive current draw for the size of the wire.  If they were acting like they were in series, they'd all be at the same intensity.

I'd check to see why you're having such a power drop, #18 wire is PLENTY big for the task.

Maybe I should wire them in series?

clem 

That's not the solution, the solution is to find out why you have such significant voltage drops for what would seem to be an insignificant load.  What is the exact Ross product you have?

I would be interested to know of a good white LED that can be used in the #50 switchlantern instead of a light bulb.

     I don't know if this may be your problem. When I went to automotive school the teachers car had a problem with a flickering head light when he hit big pot holes in the road. We checked the connections and the head light would not flicker. I started shacking the wires under the hood and it would flicker. I took the wires out of the loom along the core support and found the + wire to be very hot in one area. The teacher told me to split the wire coating length wise and see why it was getting hot. When they make wire when the copper wire runs out they but the new spool of wire to the end if the last roll and keep making the wire. That is what happened to the teachers head light wire. The ends were barely touching and inside the red coating was all black from the wire arcing. If you can? Run your hand over the Ross #50 light wire and see if any spot is warm or hot while the power is on under the layout. I am no expert and this is just a suggestion. Take care. Choo Choo Kenny

I have the #50 Ross Custom Switch stands. I bought these 24 pcs. over a period of ten years or more so maybe during all that time, the light bulbs came from different places. I noticed that all of them have a clear focusing lens over the color lens, maybe some of the focusing lens are not quite put in even. They actually do shine a focused beam,really cool. Measured the voltage at the initial terminal strip and the end of each of the three runs, each appears to be, by my gauge, right at 11volts (Analog  meter). these are 16V grain of wheat bulbs. recommended volts is 10V to 12V. They all get warm.    

If it's 11 volts everywhere, and the lights are on and different intensities, my guess is the bulbs are different.

That was my thinking also John    I'll just install all of them and see what happens.

Thanks for all the input gentleman, see you ay York 

Clem

PLCProf posted:

... Don't leave anything out, especially the stuff that "can't be the problem." ...

This is really good, I like it. I have actually had the 'can't be the problem' stuff turn out to 'BE' the problem stuff (I'm not saying, but this could possibly have happened to me more than once).

You disclosed a significant  variation.  Various generations of bulbs.  Try all new bulbs from the same package.

Edit: which means different pig tails too.

At least we're at the bottom of the mystery.

Can the bulbs be easily moved around, swapping locations of the dim and bright bulbs?

Hello all.......The bulbs are difficult to move, 3 different kinds of wires, very soft copper, soft silver and stiffer silver.  I'm leaning to the lenses being different. I'm installing all of them in one 36 foot freight yard, be interesting what happens when I turn it on. Pain in the neck trying to connect those tiny hair like wires to the buss wire. 

clem

26' yard, how many tracks across in the yard, how many light do you use?  one each at each end I am guessing unless they deadens at some point.. Can you use these light stands on Z-1000 motors?   The reason I am asking is I am presently laying track and switches for a six track yard using Z-1000 on Ross switches.  Those lights look very cool in the yards.

Not to change the subject.

Thank you

John

I did not know you could replace the lamps in these stands. How do you do it? Can a led be used instead of a bulb? A 18 volt led would be a great replacement if it can be done.

John ....................I'll have 9 of those switch stands when I'm done with the yard. I don't know how well they work with a snap action switch, I use tortoise.

Feet............. there is a set screw that holds the lantern on, thats the easy part, disconnecting the tiny wires from your power is whats hard, then just pull the light bulb out. Feeding the tiny wires through the roadbed and reconnecting is also difficult.  I'm going to solder 20 gauge solid strand wire to the light bulb leads , to make the job easier.

Ross switches as parts for these

Clem

Thanks Clem, I was going to suggest that you solder the leads, I had to solder the leads of Lionel lamp post for the same reason, the wire is way to soft and small for wire nuts or any type electrical connectors.

John

clem k posted:

John ....................I'll have 9 of those switch stands when I'm done with the yard. I don't know how well they work with a snap action switch, I use tortoise.

Feet............. there is a set screw that holds the lantern on, thats the easy part, disconnecting the tiny wires from your power is whats hard, then just pull the light bulb out. Feeding the tiny wires through the roadbed and reconnecting is also difficult.  I'm going to solder 20 gauge solid strand wire to the light bulb leads , to make the job easier.

Ross switches as parts for these

Clem

Thanks Clem.