TIU Doubles the Voltage of a Z-750?

Perhaps some sort of sine-wave oddity causing the meter to read more than the engine is actually getting?

There was a discussion over a Lionel video discussing transformers, and there was mention of smoke units performing better on a CW-80 than a postwar transformer because the chopped sinewave delivers a higher voltage that is seen by anything fed through a capacitor. Or something to that effect. Perhaps related?

---PCJ

Maybe. But would the "sine-wave oddity" affect my old-fashioned analog meter? The remote is a digital readout, my meter is an analog type.

Did you have the Z750's controller hooked up, or did you plug the brick directly into the TIU??  TIU Fxd 1 channel, I assume??

Analog or digital doesn't matter, but volt meters may be designed to read voltages differently, e.g. peak, RMS, average.   Each of those meters will also be designed for a specific wave shape. 

It was connected through the controller. I don't know what waveform the meter was designed for, I'll check the manual. My guess would be RMS, but not confirmed. 

I'd suggest removing the controller.  Plug the Z750 brick directly into Fxd 1 and check it again.

Easier said than done. The plug from the brick to the controller doesn't match anything else; I'd have to go to the electronics store, find a matching socket, and make up an adapter cable. Not worth the trouble, since I can just use a different transformer. I am trying to find out what's going on, why I'm getting the odd voltage reading. 

https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/6357414879278909

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/50-1017

Are you sure meter wasn't set for DC?

But would the "sine-wave oddity" affect my old-fashioned analog meter?

I think it will, since the meter is probably calibrated for 60Hz pure sine wave.

Positive. Also, if it was set for DC, it wouldn't have read correctly when I checked the output on the Z-750.

Thanks. I always wondered what that TIU/barrel jack adapter was good for. As far as the thread goes, it confirms my observation about the voltage readout on the PS3 locomotive, but but it peters out without a firm explanation. There is the suggestion that the meters are measuring peak to peak. Also, at least one of the guys who posted in that thread checked his track voltage with a regular meter and got a normal reading. My meter agrees with the locomotive. I might try another meter (I have at least three) and/or a PS2 locomotive on the same setup, just to see what happens. 

SWHi, the plug from your Z750 brick should plug directly into your TIU aux power input.  Mine do.   Definitely, do not use the controller, that's the problem.   it's in Barry's book.

Hojack

Thanks. I looked in Barry's book, didn't see anything about the Z-750 controller. I'll have to look again. I thought the aux power connector was only to plug in a power source for the TIU itself when you weren't using Fixed-1, not to provide track power. Guess I better look that up too. 

I thought the aux power connector was only to plug in a power source for the TIU itself when you weren't using Fixed-1, not to provide track power

Correct.  I think Hojack meant to say "Input"

I just checked with Barry's book and the real world - plugging a Z750 brick into the AUX input lights up the TIU but does not provide any track power. I'm still wondering why I get those strange voltage readings. That does remind me, though - I'm moving from a single test loop to a multi-track layout, so I will have to make provision to power the AUX input so the TIU will work regardless of whether I apply power to Fixed Input 1.