TIU Power Supply

I have my TIU powered by an MTH 750 brick, it's 75 watts of power. Got one at a train show for almost nothing.

Lee Fritz

Mike, find any wall wart that outputs 12-18 volts, ac or dc.  If you do not use any/many AIU accessory relays set to stay on, you can get away with a 400ma capacity.  If you can find a higher milliamp or amp rating, go for it. 

I use an old laptop power supply, it's 18 volts at a couple of amps.  I had one that had the correct plug, but I also bought some replacement barrel plugs for use with others.  IMO, you want at least an amp of current, and if you have one or more AIU's connected, I'd be thinking 1.5-2.0 amps.

Where do you find barrel plugs on line? The Radio Shack 18-24 power supplies are easily found on E-Bay for as low as $8, however; they don't include the tips that include the "M"barrel tip.

I bought them on eBay.  You can buy a suitable power supply for a lot less than $8.

Here you go, eBay: 251998381314, 25 of them for $2.47 free shipping.

For $4.68 you can have the power supply with the proper barrel connector, eBay: 371165009256

Thanks so much. I just ordered one. 

moke mike

GRJ, Doesn't powering the TIU with DC help with PS2/PS3 file loading or something? I think I will order one of the above myself.

I am using A Z500 for TIU power now which works fine, but the DC supply might just come in handy someday or maybe I will just switch over to it when it arrives.

Doesn't powering the TIU with DC help with PS2/PS3 file loading or something?

No, its does not. However, powering a PS3 engine with DC voltage does improve the effectiveness of loading its sound file.

Thanks Barry, guess I had that backwards. So you would power the track through FXD 1 with DC? I could still do that with the above PS, I think. 2 amps should be adequate for that, I would think.

2 amps should be sufficient for a sound file transfer. I suggest having the engine not started up to absolutely minimize current requirements.

Ok, that is the way I will do it, with the engine not started. Thanks again.

I've found that even with PS/2 that powering the locomotive with DC enhances the reliability of the sound file loads.  Nowadays, I power them with DC on the bench for configuration.  FWIW, I power mine with a bench supply, I can monitor the precise current drawn.  Even when the locomotive starts and the smoke unit fires up, I have never exceeded 1.5 amps.  Obviously, I still agree with Barry, I don't want it running while loading, it's just sitting there making noise.  Besides, when the sound file completes, the engine starts up, so it's your alert that it's loaded.

Even if the engine is started up, it shuts down once the SF Load process starts.  It has been noted by MTH Service that using DC has resulted in less errors when loading sound files.  I use a HO DC power supply feeding fixed one using a fixed DC output.  I use the Bench loader though.  To load a sound file you only need the 7 pin plug installed for PS-2.   I normally use all the plugs though, so I can check all the outputs after sound file load.  G

I have been eyeing some bench top power supplies, but do not yet have one. That would be a nice addition though. All the wants seem to always outweigh the available funds buy a large margin, maybe someday. I only have one PS2 engine and it's been packed away since we moved almost 3 years ago, but I will certainly keep that in mind too. The rest of the fleet is all PS3.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

...

For $4.68 you can have the power supply with the proper barrel connector, eBay: 371165009256

Does the 2.5mm center pin (a.k.a. "N" barrel) securely fit in the TIU Aux Power jack?  The "M" barrel is 2.1mm.  My experience is they do make contact but kind of loosey-goosey (that's a technical term  ).

As I opted for 'Free Shipping' I won't be able to test the barrel jack connection until sometime between 'Fri. Jul. 15 and Thu. Aug. 18' , but would be happy to report back then. However, GRJ will probably already know the answer.

The 2.5mm pin works fine with my TIU, that's what it's powered with right now.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

 

Here you go, eBay: 251998381314, 25 of them for $2.47 free shipping.

Can't beat 10 cents per connector.  But if soldering is not your thing, another eBay option is a 5.5/2.1mm "M" barrel adapter with screw-terminals for less than $1 (free shipping from Asia):

Out of all the electronic parts I see on the forum, many of which I end up ordering (it's a weakness...or would that be sickness?), the screw terminal barrel jacks are one of my favorites. I ordered some a couple of years ago and have used then quite a lot and given several sets to friends. Probably should order some more. Handier than a pocket on a shirt!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I bought them on eBay.  You can buy a suitable power supply for a lot less than $8.

Here you go, eBay: 251998381314, 25 of them for $2.47 free shipping.

For $4.68 you can have the power supply with the proper barrel connector, eBay: 371165009256

I just received the power supply from China on July 15, 2016.  It appears the unit will power a TIU, however; it requires a special power cord for the 110V power.  The end of the power supply has two round male barrels, that would receive two female portions to slide over them.  The power supply has a special receptacle that has two round cutouts to allow the cord to plug into the power supply. Each hole is abut the diameter of a pencil. Any ideas where I might find such a power cord as without it there can't be a source of power from the 110V? I can't see using alligator clips as I'm not sure about polarity. 

mokemike

So just to confirm..the tiu aux in is 5.5 x 2.1mm ?

Bummer, I can't believe they didn't include the power cord.

Here's one for $1.77 shipped from a US seller: 322192620344

Willy,

The aux in barrel measures the correct outside diameter of 5.5, however the length is about 1.1 mm. But comparing the Radio Shack M barrel, this power supply barrel is less than 1/32" shorter.

It fits snugly into the TIU and the unit label pn is PSA36-180 (PA).  AC INPUT 100-240V~0.5.   Output DC 18V _ ...2.0A.

2 1/2" wide, 4 1/4" high and 1" thick.

mokemike

On the subject of barrel connectors, I find that on a Z500 transformer, the jack on the power supply is a lousy fit into the controller.  What should be the size of a plug to fit properly?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Bummer, I can't believe they didn't include the power cord.

Here's one for $1.77 shipped from a US seller: 322192620344

John, I can't find the e-bay listing by the number you used in your replay. ( 322192620344) The search comes up with no listing found.  I've clicked on the part number with my iPhone and it can't recognize the part number and instead try to call the number with the phone.  Could you please find a listing for the cord on e-bay and then send me a link for that specific listing as the e-bay listing number can't be found using the e-bay search method. Also include the part number of the cord in case the link doesn't work.

Thanks

mokemike

Don't know what happened there, the number is really: 322193747663, the description is:

snowman Power Lead WALL Cord Cable Figure 8 Epson Printers, ac adapters 2-prong

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Don't know what happened there, the number is really: 322193747663, the description is:

snowman Power Lead WALL Cord Cable Figure 8 Epson Printers, ac adapters 2-prong

John, thanks. Found it by item description as the 12 digit number doesn't seem to work. Bought the last one for $1.77.  Several others for $4+ but many in China with a 3 week minimum ship time. This one is a US listing and should have by the end on this coming week.

mokemike

That was why I picked it, I must have not copied the number and pasted the number from a previous post.

I am planning 3 TIUs with 1-3 AIUs off of each of them.   Would it work to run a bus line from a brick or new ZW around to power all 3 TIUs at the same time or would I need a separate power supply for each of the TIUs?

Take any ZW you have to an antique store. The red light for a short won’t activate to cut power until the transformer overheats. That should take about 25 seconds. Your equipment will be damaged after 1 second or less. Works great with post war though.

mike mike 

Well, since he's only powering the internal electronics of the TIU with the ZW, perhaps the equipment on the track is safe.  However, I'd simply use a fast blow fuse for the power feed to all the TIU's, for three TIU's with let's say a combined total of six AIU boxes, I'd start with around 6-7 amps for the fuse.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Well, since he's only powering the internal electronics of the TIU with the ZW, perhaps the equipment on the track is safe.  However, I'd simply use a fast blow fuse for the power feed to all the TIU's, for three TIU's with let's say a combined total of six AIU boxes, I'd start with around 6-7 amps for the fuse.

About 2% of all readers will buy the fuse. About 99.% who don’t read OGR even know they need a fuse. Plus they don’t even know if the ZW is in phase.

moke mike

Well Mike, phasing applies to all transformers.  Let's not forget all the modern transformers that have been shipped with phasing issues.  If you're suggesting we should throw away all our old equipment because some reader won't know what they're doing, we'll have to agree to disagree.  

Greg asked the question, and I suspect he understands the need for circuit protection and phasing.  As far as the 99% that don't read OGR, I'm not targeting my response to them, as you say, they wouldn't read it anyway!

I was planning to use the NEW ZW-I which I understand has good circuit protection.   I am hearing that using one of those channels will work for the 3 TIUs correct.   A second question is around connecting common for the 12 bricks and the ZW-I.   What do I connect the Legacy base to for common?   Does it get the common from the TIU connection or do I also need to connect the legacy base to the common output of one the TIU channels.  For the ZW-I do I connect that common to the legacy base as well?  

Appreciate the help,

If you have the common for the Legacy connected directly to the outside track, it should go everywhere.  I'm assuming all the outside rails are common in the layout, that's a requirement for Legacy.  What is the ZW-I, I'm assuming we're talking about the ZW-L, right?

From the ZW-L manual, the "command base" connection is just the common side of the transformer.  If you connect your command base there, it's connected to the common of the of all the outputs.

mokemike posted:

Take any ZW you have to an antique store. The red light for a short won’t activate to cut power until the transformer overheats. That should take about 25 seconds. Your equipment will be damaged after 1 second or less. Works great with post war though.

mike mike 

 

I've been powering my DCS/TMCC layout with a Postwar ZW. I have automotive 10 amp fast blow fuses (ATO type) between the TIU power ("hot") input and the ZW output. No issues. 

I disagree with Mokemike also.  They postwar ZW is great for running DCS, IF AND ONLY IF you have external fuses & breakers not exceeding 10 amps.  Also, the breaker does not not activate unless the transformer overheats; it is thermal type and open the circuit when a heater wire in the breaker overheats.  That said, the internal breaker isn't worth a hoot.  I can't afford fuses, so I use breakers.

Yes, Its ZW-L   If I use bricks for all the tracks (yes all rail is the same common) and use the ZW-L for accessories, powering TIUs, lights, signals etc but never to a track, it is best practice to also attach it to the legacy base given I may run some of accessories from cab controllers?

Thx,