What is best to power a new MTH DCS System

I use Lionel's 180 bricks.  Plenty of power and very good protection of any shorts. 

Dave

Ive been using dcs with a kw and zw for probably 10 years. Put automotive fuses between dcs base and transformer and zero issues even with derailments etc.

I would buy a MTH Z 4000,can't Beat them for the price,$250 less than a new Lionel Z.

Mikey

mikey posted:

I would buy a MTH Z 4000,can't Beat them for the price,$250 less than a new Lionel Z.

Mikey

ditto 

I've been relying in z4000 I bought new for over 10 years, bullet proof, as is z1000.  Even bought a preowned z4000 on Ebay for $250.00 also bullet proof.  I like the volt/amp display for each throttle.

The Lionel 180W brick is a good choice if you are running command only and do not want a handle to vary voltage.  Otherwise the Z4K is probably the best option for a DCS layout.  How many loops do you have?

Just to power the tiu only I use a completely separate bottom of the line cheap MTH Transformer. It cost me about 25 bucks. It has worked perfectly for the past 3 or 4 years.

JEM,

If you are asking about powering just the TIU, I use either Z-500 or Z-750 bricks. You can find them cheap on the web or train shows.

For powering the track, do what NYCBuffalo said: add fuses because the CBs in those old transformers are too slow for modern electronics.

I use 2 Z1000 bricks..at any given time running 2 MU's one 6 engine and one 5 engine pulling 68 cars combined plus several other locomotives idling. The Z's barely get warm.

Edit: Each Z1000 gets a 7.5 amp glass fast blow fuse. Set up is passive mode.

Dave, thank you for your answer to my question about powering up my DCS system.  NYCBuffalo and Ron, thank you for the answers about using a ZW and for putting an inline fuse on one leg of the power to the TIU.  Do you happen to know what size fuse to use?  I'll also have to check into the Z-500 and 750 bricks you spoke about also.  Mikey and JHFun, I appreciate the information about the other transformer options from MTH, I'll have to keep an eye out for some of them and maybe I can find a good deal on one.  John Coy, I like your suggestion but I'm also hoping to be able to run a couple of my conventional engines as well.  Marty, to answer your question, to start with, I'll have about an 8' piece of straight track that I will use to move the engines back and forth, just to get used to hooking the system up, then as I try and figure out how I'm going to do some benchwork in my room, I'll have about a 9' length of loop on the floor for a Carpet Central run.  I'm planning on trying to get this done over the weekend as I'm really hoping to be able run some trains.  Its not what I really want but it will have to do for the time being.

Anybody out there have a Z-4000 they want to part with? 

Thanks again guys for the help.  I really appreciate it.  Have a wonderful upcoming weekend.

MartyE posted:

The Lionel 180W brick is a good choice if you are running command only and do not want a handle to vary voltage.  Otherwise the Z4K is probably the best option for a DCS layout.  How many loops do you have?

I use these on each channel to power track thru the TIU. I also use a Z500 to power the TIU ... started having issues last year but this solved it. 

If you want to run conventional using 180W or Z1000 bricks, you can be hooking the track up to to variable output on the TIU instead of fixed. This will allow you to control the voltage with thumb-wheel.

Another vote for the Lionel PH180 bricks.  Top quality circuit electronic breaker and 180 watts of power in a compact package.  Two of these will be about half the price of the Z4000, so you can buy some rolling stock with the change.

"$250 less than a new Lionel Z."

Just to be accurate and fair, the Lionel ZW-L has the ability to handle almost twice the watts of the Z4000.  An apples to 2 apples comparison .  If you are mainly using PS1, PS2 and/or PS3 locos, the Z4000 makes a lot of sense.  For Lionel command locos and conventional, I would suggest the ZW-L is a potentially more appropriate choice, but only if you need the extra power.  The ZW-L, with its built in Powermasters has some nice features for conventional locos.

I use the Powerhouse 180 watt bricks. If you shop fleabay, you can find them for under $100. Also, there's a chap there that make a Powerhouse to MTH TIU power cable adapter that plugs in.

J. Motts posted:

Good Evening Everyone,  I have a new DCS System (well.... that's what the dealer I bought it from said it was brand new system but I kind of think he may have stretched the truth a wee bit but that's another story for a rainy day), that I need help determining what would be the best thing to power it up with.  I have 3 ZW's and a KW and 2 1033's.  However, I was reading in the manual and it stated that they didn't really recommend using an early model ZW.  The manual said to use either the MTH Z-4000 or a brick, neither of which I currently own.  What type of Brick and how big should I get to run my system?

Your responses are most appreciated and I look forward to reading them.

Have a good rest of the week.

I just use my old transformer.  

I'll vote for the PH180 bricks as well. They make your system very modular, add power bricks as you need them. The TIU already has conventional control built right in on two of the four ports. I removed (but still have) my Z4000 from my layout as it took a sizable chunk table area, that space has since been converted to extra scenery.

The Legacy Base, TIU, transformers, and all of the other things that operate your trains and accessories really standout against your layout scenery.  I like to mount all of that stuff under the table, and out of sight.

The Z4000 & ZW-L are both very good units but they are huge and take up layout space. They look nice, and provide good power, but don't really get (hands-on) use in command environments.

My layout is only 13x7 feet so I use a DCS Commander, no need for a remote. I also use my older AF transformer because I have 2 loops and I throw switches to go between AC and digital on either loop. I have Gargraves dual gauge track and usually run digital on 1 loop and DCS on the other. I run both old and new trains. The transformer puts out a steady 16 volts to the DCS commander and it has run fine for 2 years.

The PH180 bricks are excellent.  But you have received bad advice.  The postwar ZWs are great IF you insert Circuit breaker in feeds to each tiu input.  I have been using then on DCS since it came out.  I have also used a KW, with external breaker in feed.

I had bought a PH180 to use on a grandson's layout I was building, but went to a different scheme, and would up replacing a ZW with a PH180 to save space.  It easily handles two TIU channels. 

Another recommendation I'd strongly advise doing is powering the TIU with the AUX power port. It can be powered with FIXED INPUT 1, but the aux power will guarantee that your TIU will keep functioning on the other three outputs if the power to FIXED INPUT 1 is tripped or turned off for some reason. 

Powering this port is easy. The barrel connector from any of the MTH Z-series transformer will work and it doesn't need much power. I'm using a leftover laptop power supply with is 3 amps @ 15 volts and even that is overkill for the power needs.

I want to thank the following guys, MartyE, GRJohn, Landsteiner, SXE60, Evan Chilar, H1000, Bude and RJR, you along with the guys mentioned above have given me a ton in terrific information for me to ponder and think about before making a final decision as to how to set up my DCS system and what to use with it to power it with.  Thank you one and all for all of your thoughtful answers.

And to the moderators, I apologize if I should have posed this question on the DCS list.

Thank you again, I really appreciate it.   Have a terrific rest of the weekend.