Using a 180 watt brick with an older TMCC Powerhouse

It would still work. A derailment short or overload in theory still is sensed and limited to 135W.

It's this simple- power supply is capacity- voltage and amps. Your 180W is same voltage but can handle higher amps.

The load only draws what it needs. The powermaster being in the middle, between source and load, in theory, then limits the amperage and may cut off (sensed overload) when load or short begins to approach 135W level.

Tom,

Don't you mean PowerMaster?

A PowerHouse is the brick that you've described (PH-180).  A PowerMaster is one of the things that you can plug it into.

Mike

Mellow Hudson Mike,

Thanks for correcting me, yes, should read PowerMaster.  Upgrading and wanted to add a PowerHouse to power my layout but was not sure about using a 180 watt brick.  Currently I have the PowerHouse connected to a KW .  It works OK for just one train but when I run a second train the speed  draws down for both trains.  Hopefully upgrading to a 180 watt will correct this issue.  Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to damage anything using 180 watts.  From Vernon Barry's post things should be OK just won't have the full 180 watts which really I shouldn't need as I have a small layout and 2 trains is the most I run at one time.

Tom

Tom,

The KW is rated for 190 watts.  And should easily run two trains.  I do not think replacing the KW with a 180 watt brick will address what you are seeing.

Take a look at the voltages using a voltmeter during operation if you can.  I suspect you will see the voltage drop through the connection and layout wiring along with the track it self.  This may lead to installing heavier lead wire and more drops/connections to the track.  Just something to check.

One big advantage of the 180 brick is its fast circuit breaker which the KW does not have.

Let us know what you find.

@TomNe, you should probably edit the title of this thread, as it asks a completely different question.

The KW is input rated at 190 watts for a total continuous output rating of 140 watts, the PowerHouse 180 is rated at 180 watts output.

For best utilization of the KW output, I use the D-U posts to power the 135 PowerMasters. The PowerMaster will deliver its full 7 amps using this method.

There is no ill consequence to using a 180 PowerHouse with a 135 PowerMaster... the output will be limited to 7 amps.  You could use a 2000 watt supply as well, the PowerMaster will only use what it needs to deliver up to 7 amps.

DaveGG and ADCX Rob, thanks very much for your insight and guidance.  I will be crawling over and under my layout  with a volt meter to determine where I might have connection issues.  OBTW, was hopping the new PowerHouse would take care of the two train issue so I would not have to get down under the board. It's not the getting down it's the getting back up that is the problem.  🤕 Will also look at my drops and buss wire with the possibility of adding more.

My intention for making the post was to answer the question of connecting the 180 watt  brick to a PowerMaster .  I had searched OGF and google with no  luck answering the question.  Maby I just didn't word the search question right, anyway no luck so I asked the direct question that I knew the experts on OGF would be able to answer and did.

My intention is to have two PowerMasters, one connected to the 180 watt  PowerHouse and the second connected to the KW, although now the KW connection will be to terminals D-U not A-U like I have it.  I had no idea the KW was capable of suppling that much power.

I have two separate track power blocks on my layout.  One with TMCC and the other conventional.  With the addition of the second Powermaster I will be able to operate both via TMCC .

I will be connecting TVI's to the track and a fast acting circuit breaker to the KW outputs.  Yes, one of the reasons I bought the 180 was the fast acting circuit breaker it had.

@TomNe posted:

I have two separate track power blocks on my layout.  One with TMCC and the other conventional.  With the addition of the second Powermaster I will be able to operate both via TMCC .

The PowerMasters are not required for TMCC operation with the CAB-1 remote.

The PowerMasters are required for conventional operation with the CAB-1 remote.

Rob

Thanks,  Right now I only have one PowerMaster in use, connected to the main layout.  I run TMCC and conventional on that track .  The second PowerMaster will be an additional PowerMaster that will give me both TMCC and conventional options on the second power block.  FYI, the two tracks are isolated from each other .  The additional PowerMaster will  allow TMCC trains to run on the second track.

Thanks for your help.

Tom

@TomNe posted:

The additional PowerMaster will  allow TMCC trains to run on the second track.

Bob,

Don't you need the additional PowerMaster to control power for each power area ?

Tom

@TomNe posted:

Don't you need the additional PowerMaster to control power for each power area ?

No, TMCC only requires fixed/steady 18-19 volts to the track. PowerMasters or TPCs can be used, but are optional.