ZW transformer

2 things.

-Your 6v bulb under the red lens is burned out.
-Your circuit breaker is worn & needs to be replaced.

I agree with the above however it never hurts to get an amp reading from each channel. You’d be amazed at the amperage draw. 

To expand on what has been said, the bulb under the red lens is supposed to come on when the circuit breaker is tripped and go off once it auto resets. If that bulb is burned out it will not give you and indication of the trip. You could test it in any bayonet socket accessory, but as it is 6V only test it at the very lowest setting of a variable control output. Also, does the pilot bulb under the green lens stay on when your street lights go out? Do B/U and C/U also go out at the same time?

The KW also has an circuit breaker indicator, but it's circuit breaker is adjustable, I don't think the ZW one is. Essentially it may have become oversensitive and would need replaced if that is the case.

I agree with what others have said - check your current load. It sounds like the breaker is operating and going through its thermal cycles. Your red lamp should illuminate when the street lights go off. Verify it is still good. Don't assume your ZW uses 6V #51 Lamps - later postwar versions use a 18V #1445 lamps.

@bmoran4 posted:

...Don't assume your ZW uses 6V #51 Lamps - later postwar versions use a 18V #1445 lamps.

The part number 20-45 60 ohm resistor is still used in the Model R, and all other versions of the ZW, VW, & KW for the red/left short indicator lamp, with a 6 volt rating.

Only the Model R ZW, and all of them, has/have the 18 volt green/right pilot lamp, which is actually the defining characteristic of a Model R, the final version.

@ADCX Rob, we are saying the same thing - you can't just assume the other pilot lamp is a 6V lamp.

@bmoran4 posted:

@ADCX Rob, we are saying the same thing - you can't just assume the other pilot lamp is a 6V lamp.

@bmoran4 posted:

Don't assume your ZW uses 6V #51 Lamps - later postwar versions use a 18V #1445 lamps.

Sorry, the pluralization was confusing. Model R ZWs use just one #51 & one #1445. His uses a #51 under the red lens. The green one, who knows, w/o further info.

I took out the bulb from under the red lens, it checks out good,  all I make out on the bulb is GE and a 5, so I guess its the circuit breaker. There is nothing on B/U or C/U. Does anyone know the part number on the circuit breaker?

Test the circuit breaker first, with the bulb installed, by making an intentional short, Use B-U or C-U so the whistle controls aren't involved. Listen for the click. and check for the red light illuminating, and see if this is the same behavior you are getting with your 26 street lamps.

Glad the bulb checks good. All indications are the breaker is likely tripping and not faulty. More likely, there is an issue with the internal wiring or resistor that the feeds to the red indicator, but lets prove things out methodically.

It would be great if you could come back to us with a measured or calculated current load. Even a cheap meter like this would be a great investment to make for anyone in this hobby: 

https://www.harborfreight.com/...amp-meter-96308.html

It can also be calculated if you know what bulbs and how many of each bulb you are using in your street lights.

Since you asked about the breaker part number, I'll provide that information, but I don't immediately suspect it being at fault without further understanding of the current involved (hence asking for that information).

Internally, a ZW will have one of these breakers ZW. To be within Lionel Spec, a 30 amp draw should trip these breakers between 11 and 40 seconds. You can disconnect your street lights (and everything else) and introduce a short to see if you hear it click off within the time limits (and note the red indicator as well). Here are the promised part numbers:

Z22: 

ZW-232:

You can replace with like kind, or use a modern Automotive Bussmann 19115 assembly: 

You should also know that Olsen's kindly hosts the service documents for the ZW transformer including wiring diagrams and disassembly hints:

http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=671

http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=672

Further still, regardless of power source, classic or modern, you will want to have appropriately sized circuit protection for each buss/channel you have - this is a discussion in of itself and has been discussed on the forum here many times.

Please, take our advice to help us help you, and ask more questions too!

@bmoran4 posted:

Further still, regardless of power source, classic or modern, you will want to have appropriately sized circuit protection for each buss/channel you have - this is a discussion in of itself and has been discussed on the forum here many times.

This is a nice convenience so a short on one handle doesn't shut down the whole transformer.

One thing that confuses me is that hoboJoe indicated that when the street lights turn off they stay off for a “few minutes”. Normally the thermal cycle time for a ZW circuit breaker to be off when it trips is a few seconds.  Jim

I just switched everything to another transformer, and all is working fine. I will just take this ZW and have it checked out.

Thanks for all the help.

David

@O Gauge Jim posted:

One thing that confuses me is that hoboJoe indicated that when the street lights turn off they stay off for a “few minutes”. Normally the thermal cycle time for a ZW circuit breaker to be off when it trips is a few seconds.  Jim

Faulty circuit breaker.

@ADCX Rob posted:

Faulty circuit breaker.

I agree, that’s about the only thing I can figure that would create the problems he’s having. Someone earlier mentioned external individual circuit breakers on each output being used. I also agree to this and just in case there are any electronics on these circuits, maybe he should include a TVS.   Jim