Wife decides to run trains while I'm away on business

Hard to say but the transformer could be done for. Better check the engines too maybe the electronics could also be fried. The post war ZW is not quick enough to catch short circuits with the newer engines. Running new trains you might better invest in the newer transformers. Either a Z4000 or the Lionel ZW..........Paul

That's a bad day for everyone involved!

Luckily all these things can be repaired or replaced. Good thing that she unplugged the transformer before anything worse happenend. 

When you get home and plan your repairs, be sure to include some overload protection and an auto-off timer for all your transformers. 

sounds like wifey is going to be treating you to a trip to the train store.

I'll bet when you get back from your trip there'll be more romance in your relationship than there has been in years. You'll get a new transformer out of it too.

Your postwar ZW is probably repairable.  It most definitely needs a new circuit breaker.  That breaker just protects the ZW, Not the trains, access, or track.  When that breaker is replaced the ZW should be serviced.

See Circuit Protection for Toy Trains for basic short circuit and overheating protection for children (all ages).    With the 3A Panel Mount Circuit Breaker your children can see when power is cut and reset the breaker.  The new transformer's built in protection don't protect the new trains because the transformer breaker ratings are too high.

For maximum electronics protection for the engines, add TVS protection.  Search "TVS protection" here on the forum.

When all is repaired/ replaced while you're maintaining your cool, encourage your wife to play with the trains and learn how to clear faults and reset the power.

The PW ZW can output 20v at max. Too high for LC engines. The breaker in a PW ZW is to protect it from a house short. There is no track protection.

So, it output 8-10 amps until it smoked.

O well, lesson learned by everyone. The good news is all are safe and nothing caught on fire.

You won't know the damage until you get home.

Did the wife tell you, or did a child tell you?  How did you respond?  You can use 'expletive' if the language is not suitable for this venue.  

What, me worry?       

If my wife/significant other was interested enough to want to run trains while I was away, I would be ecstatic, period.

The damage can be repaired.  She learned something just as we all have along the way.  Next time, she'll be quicker to turn everything off.  

Your job is to make sure there's a next time.

Have fun and enjoy.

Steven J. Serenska

Damage aside, it's awesome to read that your wife sees value in the excitement trains create.  She's a keeper for sure!

Good luck with the repairs. 

Moonman posted:

The breaker in a PW ZW is to protect it from a house short. There is no track protection...

I can assure you there is no breaker in a ZW on the primary side. The only breaker on the ZW is on the output side, and all 4 "U" posts(connected internally - common) come through the breaker.  Any current, up to about 10-14 amps(depending on the condition of the breaker), will continue until the breaker trips. & then it will cycle on & off until power is cut.

There is also nothing in a ZW to protect it from a "house short".

Susan Deats posted:

It most definitely needs a new circuit breaker.  That breaker just protects the ZW, Not the trains, access, or track...

If the current never exceeded the designed trip point, then there was no malfunction.

You didn't take the layout keys with you? 

D500 posted:

You didn't take the layout keys with you? 

lol

I can assure you that it will be the hubby's fault. Women have a twisted logic about such things !!  Good luck.

Time to take action.

Just my opinion, but I think you are lucky to have a wife that was willing to run the trains with your kids. Hopefully she will not be afraid to run them with the kids in the future.
I don't think I'd care to speculate on what caused the transformer to smoke, and what, if any damage was caused. Transformers are replaceable. Wives and children, not so much.
When you return home, you can address the transformer.

You mentioned that your wife finally unplugged the transformer. I suggest plugging the transformer into a power strip that has a pilot light, and explaining to everybody, even the little one, that the transformer must not be left turned on when nobody is at the controls.

I would also suggest external circuit breakers to supplement the ZW transformer's internal breaker. But depending upon what caused the smoke, an external breaker may not have prevented the issue.

It's no secret that I like Postwar Lionel #91 adjustable electromagnetic circuit breakers. IMHO, the manual reset is a big advantage when kids are running the trains.

even an auto blade type fuse inline between the Transformer and what it's attached to would be ideal. They even sell them at Walmart! It won't protect from pushing the handle too high. It will protect against shorts at the output which could lead to transformer damage.

Coming home to "the trains aren't working" would be better than "I think I smoked something of yours?"

CWB:  What does a #91 resettable circuit breaker look like?

I use a home theatre grade spike protector on my Z-4000 input side and a QSI Power Guard on the output side. Scotts Odds and Ends also makes a transformer output spike protector that works well. The home theatre spike protector (Monster) also has an input circuit breaker that can be reset.

For COMPLETE protection, internal loco and tender electronics need their OWN resettable circuit breakers in case of an across-the-rail direct short! An idea the manufacturers have not yet implemented.

Be glad the place didn't burn down. The stuff can be replaced, the wife and kids not. Buy her a nice valentine and tell her you forgive her.

Simon

CWB:  What does a #91 resettable circuit breaker look like?

Here is a photo I found on EBay, and a page from the Lionel Service Manual is attached.

Simon has it right-take the high road and be thankful it wasn't worse. Put in extra electrical protection.  We lost our house and almost everything in it-not fun. no lives were lost including our cat.

yes...forgive and forget.....until you break something of hers......"hey honey, remember when you fried my ZW and my tow locomotives? and how forgiving I was....

wild mary posted:

Time to take action.

 

That's great!  ROFL

CWB:

THANKS for the photo!  I never knew such a "critter" existed!  Is this device more effective than the PW ZW internal breakers?

Well, thanks for all of the replies guys. 

I am glad that nobody got burned and that the house didn't catch fire!

I will have the transformer serviced when I get home from my business trip. 

I handled it fairly well since I had to get back to work right after she called me! The worst part is that the kids can't play with the trains now for the next couple weeks!

Our club is using high speed circuit breakers at the Trans output, coupled with TVS diodes placed strategically around the track loops.

I really like the idea and plan on using it on my home layout.  

If you are away weeks at a time on business you should be earning lots of money.Buy a new transformer and good fire insurance.Don't complain to your wife.