Wiring 022 Switches with Fixed Voltage Plugs on Postwar Layout

@Jimbo1952 posted:

I am about to install Switches for a Lionel Postwar 0-Gauge layout.  I am installing 29 switches in total.  There will be 26 022 switches and three 072 switches.  I have a couple of questions.  Similar questions have been asked about other kinds of switches and track and transformers, but I could not find the answers for my particular situation.

As background, I am using Lionel tubular track.  The layout will be powered with four ZW transformers all of which have been refurbished.  All switches have also been thoroughly cleaned, re-soldered where necessary, and refurbished and all are working very well with quick precision (including, of course, the non-derailing feature).  I will be using the Fixed Voltage Plugs to wire the switches.  I am using the 022C Controllers to operate the switches and all of these have been re-wired.

The light bulbs installed in the Controllers are the red/green bulbs No. 432 which are 18 volts.  The bulbs on the switches in the lanterns are No. 1445 which are also 18 volts.  These were the specs for the original bulbs.  I do have a quantity of No. 2445 bulbs which are 24 volts which I may use in the lanterns since I am told these are a cooler alternative to the No. 1445 bulbs.  I mention the bulbs since they may be important to my questions.

I intend to run 18-gauge stranded wire to all the Fixed Voltage Plugs to be powered from either the “B” or “C” terminal on the ZW transformer and set the voltage with the corresponding inner Dial Control.  I am still in the process of constructing the layout.  Right now I have 12 switches wired to one terminal—temporarily in a daisy-chain fashion to first be sure everything is working before I install the permanent wiring.

Is there a limit to the number of 022 switches that should be attached to one terminal on the ZW transformer—and still operate smoothly?  The 12 switches so far are doing fine.  But as I add more and more switches, am I going to run into problems and should I therefore utilize more than one terminal on the transformer?

Considering the many bulbs that I am using on both the switches and the controllers, does this impact the decision?  At least one of the bulbs on each controller will be lit at all times, and the lantern bulb on each switch will also be lit at all times.  That’s 58 bulbs at once.

I had planned to run 18-gauge wire from the transformer as a bus wire and then connect this power bus to each Fixed Voltage Plug with a separate individual 18-gauge “feeder” wire.  Because of the number of switches, should I instead run a 14-gauge bus wire?

With that many bulbs I would consider using Led bulbs to reduce the current draw on your transformers, I use them in my 022 switches and they work well.

You will need 180-200 watts for the 29 switches alone. You may want to try powering them through a TPC-300 with 2 PH-1 135 PowerHouse bricks, and use the ZWs for train control.

@charles mcdaniel posted:

With that many bulbs I would consider using Led bulbs to reduce the current draw on your transformers, I use them in my 022 switches and they work well.

In addition to the current draw, incandescent bulbs get very hot - can melt the lanterns.

Well, unless you plan to activate all 29 switches at the same time, your ZW's should handle that load fine.  But the lamps are another issue, as advised by ADCX Rob,  since they burn all the time, the one in the turnout, and the one in the control.  You might consider a totally separate fixed AC source such as this:

https://www.amazon.com/Seco-La...-16VAC/dp/B004HN23F6

which would take the load off the ZW's and the assigned rheostat part of the ZW you use to set the turnout voltage.  There are other transformers of this type form other sources with larger current ratings. Consider surplus units from epay.

For the switches, use LED 1445 18V bulbs and for the controllers, LED 1447 WW 18V.  My controllers have plastic lenses and using the “WW” bulbs keeps the lenses showing their natural colors.  The  regular 1447 made the red lenses look pink.

I got my bulbs from www.TownCountryHobbies.com, 973-942-5176.

If your controllers just have the bulbs exposed without any lense, they have the colored bulbs.  There should be no problem powering your switches from your ZW.

Side Rod

For the switches I would run a fixed power loop of at least 16 gauge wire solid or stranded (personally I prefer 14).  I might even run an extra wire from the transformer to the farthest point of the loop.  With 29 switches this is going to be a large layout or a lot of switches very close together.  You can drop your 18 gauge wire from the switches to the loop.  I probably would pick up another transformer and run the switches and accessories off of it.   If this is a postwar layout the other problem is that you need to supply adequate power to the entire track.  If your track has tight connections you still will need to run a loop around the layout to connect the track at multiple points so there is no voltage drop.  A ground loop would not hurt either.  This overkill is a lot easier to do when you are building rather than when you are sorry you did not.  Light bulbs, LED. Why use extra power for no benefit.