Wattage Draw of a Legacy AA-BB

I'd be surprised if they all draw 7 amps to trip the 135W breaker.  I have a Legacy ABBA with the superbass, three powered units, and all four units have sound.  I've run them with a bunch of cars and the Legacy C&O Mallet steamer on the same track with a 180W brick with no breaker tripping issues.

I don’t know exactly what the wattage draw is. But FWIW, I too, have run a new Legacy ABBA with 3 powered units and the Super Bass B. They pull 8 lighted aluminum passenger cars effortlessly also with no breaker-tripping issues using the 180 watt brick. I use the Base 1L and Cab 1L remotes.

Thanks guys.  Your clue was you were both using 180 watt bricks.  I'm using ZWs, I crawled under the layout and discovered the Legacy Powermaster switch was set on 135 not 180.  If I understand the device correctly the selection affects the calculation of an "overage".  I put it back to 180 and the ABBA (smoke on High) with 6 illuminated MPC UP passenger cars, now runs fine.

Thanks again!

Unless you plan on running conventional stuff, the PowerMaster is not needed.

I do run conventional sometimes and also like to adjust the voltage for milk car, log dump, and operating track stuff.  I have a traditional O gauge old-time post-war layout. (I just like the Legacy engines).

@SWM Trains posted:

Thanks guys.  Your clue was you were both using 180 watt bricks.  I'm using ZWs, I crawled under the layout and discovered the Legacy Powermaster switch was set on 135 not 180.  If I understand the device correctly the selection affects the calculation of an "overage".  I put it back to 180 and the ABBA (smoke on High) with 6 illuminated MPC UP passenger cars, now runs fine.

Thanks again!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Unless you plan on running conventional stuff, the PowerMaster is not needed.

If the ZW's in use are the Postwar type and not the ZWC with 180W bricks, doesn't the PowerMaster offer faster circuit breaker protection than the PW ZW?  Unless some other type of fast acting breaker is installed, I believe the PowerMaster would be better in the circuit, than just the PW ZW breaker by itself.

Perhaps some even better/faster circuit breaker options than what's in the Powermaster would be either the PSX-AC if only running Command Control, or if running both Command and Conventional, I recommend Sensata / Airpax Instant Breakers when powering Command Locomotives with postwar transformers.

Yes my experience shows the Powermaster trips quickly with no ill effects.  (I do use the cables with the 6 A fuses, but they never blow).