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Transformer Questions

raising4daughtersraising4daughtersOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

Yesterday, I took an old Lionel 1033 transformer and a modern BW transformer (separate power block and throttle that came with my Lionel Santa Fe passenger set) in for repair.  The shop said the 1033 was an easy fix for less than what a used/reconditioned one would cost, so that was a no-brainer. 

 

The BW's problem is that it's only putting out 14-15V whereas it put out 20V when new.  The shop didn't want to repair this, claming the new ones aren't worth fixing.

 

Questions:

1.  Does that make sense?

2.  Could I pick up a 135W or 180W power house and use it with the BW's throttle?

 

Even if I had gotten these fixed, I needed a couple new transformers because I'm finally getting around to refinishing my permanent basement layout and can no longer use the basement's transformers for our Christmas layout which has 3, soon to be 4, loops.  So, on impulse, I bought a reconditioned ZW with a 1-year warranty.  I figured "what the heck".....it cuts down on the real estate needed.  I feel like I bought the holy grail.

 

Other questions:

1.  Should postwar transformers' whistle button/toggle activate a modern engine's whistle?  I noticed the ZW wasn't activating my newer Williams engines' whistles, but can't remember if my other postwar transformers did.  I know that a couple of them had problems.  WHen I hooked up a powermaster between the track and the ZW, the whistles and bells worked fine from my Cab-1.

 

2.  If I run postwar transformers without power masters, how can I activate a modern conventional engines' bells when there's no bell button?  Should I look for the Track Activation buttons that came with the Railsounds boxcars?

 

 

Last edited by raising4daughters
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ADCX RobADCX RobOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
Originally Posted by raising4daughters:
2.  If I run postwar transformers without power masters, how can I activate a modern conventional engines' bells when there's no bell button?  Should I look for the Track Activation buttons that came with the Railsounds boxcars?

 

Here is a 5906 Sound Activation Button that will work.

 

There are others too, K-Line made a nice one with a switch to select whistle or bell.  They turn up at dealers with NOS and on eBay.

Last edited by ADCX Rob
Pine Creek RailroadPine Creek RailroadOGR Forum Member

R4D,

   When I upgraded I went in another way, the Z4K added what I needed and along with the side receiver it has all the goodies I needed for running DCS, combined with my ZW's and KW I had enough power to run the 5 level layout I was building, numerous switches included.  Remember to use the 10 Amp Scott breakers between the old ZW's and the TIU, lots of power with the old ZW's & a Z4K, and all the controls for both conventional and modern DCS Engines.

PCRR/Dave

Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad
raising4daughtersraising4daughtersOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

Thanks.  Yes, I ordered 20 TVS from mouser.com.  They shipped today.

 

So, should a postwar conventional transformer whistle button (or toggle on a ZW) activate a modern conventional (e.g. Williams) whistle?  Seems like most of my transformers don't.  I've even flip-flopped the wires going to the A and U posts and still nothing.  Something wrong with the transformers? 

chuckchuckOGR Forum Member

PW units tended to use copper oxide "disk" rectifiers.  These could fail in several ways that would interfere with the units ability to trigger the whistle.  There are posts on how to replace the old disk rectifiers with modern silicon diodes BUT it's probably easier to just install the newer sound activation buttons where ever you need them.

DH Dale HOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by raising4daughters:

The Williams units all work OK when I hook up a powermaster to the transformer and use my Cab-1, both the whistle and bell work fine.  Seems like a problem with the transformers, doesn't it?

Yes

 

I thought I read it did not work with any transformer,sorry. The old selenium type rectifiers in PW type did not work that well and go bad with age. If it works with the newer transformers,you need to replace the rectifier or build and external one that I linked previously. The advantage of the external one is that you can get both bell and whistle using 12 diodes..

 

Dale H

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