Track issue

Rail Monkey,

   1st go back and make sure you have everything wired correctly, red to the inside tracks, Black to the outside tracks, make sure your connections at the TIU are all perfect and tight.  If you are using Banana plugs make sure they have not been damaged.

Then if everything is set up perfect, What kind of Track are you using?

PCRR/Dave

Ok checked wiring. I did have wires to track reversed but it makes no difference I still get .1 or .2 at 23 volts. Not sure what the track is called but it has the grey plastic -actually Lionel track snaps together. 

Sounds like Lionel FasTrack. Forget about what the transformer shows for amps and reduce the powered section of track to the smallest you can manage. Then try an engine and see what happens. This will show if the problem is with the track or the power setup.

You need to tell us how you have this wired.  WHat channels of the TIU?  If loop 1 which works is powered off Fix 1, and Left handle of Z and loop 2 is on FIx2 and right handle of Z, the first thing is a simple swap of Z input power.  Move the right handle output to Fix 1 input.  IF the loop still works you know both outputs of the Z-4000 are good.  SO it must be TIU or wiring to loop.

Remember VAR channels must be turned up the control track voltage not the transformer.  IF both fixed channels being used I suspect a fuse on the non working channel.  G

Fixed 1 works fine fixed 2 also   If I switch the wires around they work so it must be tiu. Quick background I had a rev l tiu first part of the year, blew a fuse tried to fix that but failed so bought  an earlier new tiu with the serial ports and that also failed pretty quickly. Gave up for a few months and just bought a new rev l which brings me to where I am now. So I really don't want to fry another tiu but no idea what can be causing problems. When I first hooked up the new tiu it seemed fine long enough for me to add engines but then as I was getting ready to run, it couldn't find engines and I noticed the amps were way down even with on engine on the track. Just checked the track, a few small gaps but nothing worse than on the other parallel track which runs fine. My track is as basic as they come an oval about 12' long 

GGG posted:

You need to tell us how you have this wired.  WHat channels of the TIU?  If loop 1 which works is powered off Fix 1, and Left handle of Z and loop 2 is on FIx2 and right handle of Z, the first thing is a simple swap of Z input power.  Move the right handle output to Fix 1 input.  IF the loop still works you know both outputs of the Z-4000 are good.  SO it must be TIU or wiring to loop.

Remember VAR channels must be turned up the control track voltage not the transformer.  IF both fixed channels being used I suspect a fuse on the non working channel.  G

I am using the fixed channels for both. Fixed 2 is giving me problems. As mentioned in my next post this is my third TIU so getting expensive but something must be a common problem to affect all TIU?

Ok well I had two terminal blocks one for each track. I knew it was overkill but I had them and thought I would,use them both. anyway disconnected from the block to the bad channel and connected to the other terminal block and everything is fine!  Obviously a bad. Terminal block somehow. Back in business!

Fixed 2 is giving me problems.

When you use Fixed #2 you must also have power going into either Fixed #1 or the Aux. Power port, as well. If you do not, you will have o DCS control at all.

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