Quote from: Yampa Bob on December 18, 2008, 03:11:20 PM
Matt,
I would be interested in hearing how many locomotives it takes to shut down the controller.  I have never pushed my controller to its limit as I'm not an advocate of destructive testing. Some have reported that it takes 1.5 amps of current draw before the overload protection shuts the controller down.  Due to my small single main layout, I have only tried 4 locomotives at the most.

In theory, the overload should protect the controller regardless of power input, but my concern would be in the case of a short that might pull a large current surge through the controller and cause damage, before the overload "breaker" activates.

The statement on page 4 of the EZ Command manual is perhaps misleading. The part that reads...... "May require additional power input", should probably read: ".......additional power input TO THE TRACK" , not to the controller. In other words, using a booster.

I won't commit to saying the way you operate is right or wrong, I can only say the manufacturer determined that a 1 amp power supply is appropriate for the EZ Command circuitry.  Other modelers should be aware there is an element of risk if the manufacturer's specs are exceeded.

I have a small layout right now, so I can only run 10 locos, but it did not shut the system down (with only one transformer), they just ran at less than half normal speed. I actually do not even remember reading "may require additional power input."

                                                   Matt

Quote from: Jim Banner on December 17, 2008, 07:04:16 PM
Connecting the outputs of two transformers together will give you a 50% chance of getting the two outputs in parallel.  Then your E-Z Command will have twice as much current available to it.  Hopefully the protective circuitry inside your E-Z Command can protect it from a current overload of this magnitude.

The other 50% chance is that you will get the two transformer outputs in series.  This will render one or both transformers inoperative in a very short time.

Yup, I know (that is why I said it MUST be done right). The E-Z Command did not even get warm.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on December 18, 2008, 01:21:39 AM
Most modelers understand the mechanics of a locomotive, the motor shaft turns and the worm gear on the motor shaft turns the drive gears.

What happens inside the motor to make the shaft rotate might be a mystery to many. Here is one of many sites that explains the theory of DC Brushed (DCB) motors.

http://www.solarbotics.net/starting/200111_dcmotor/200111_dcmotor2.html

There are three principles that should be understood, the first is that the rotational speed of the motor is proportional to the voltage applied, the second is that the torgue is proportional to the current.

Since a standard DC power pack has low current output, the motors are designed for minimum current draw, at the expense of torque.

The third is that multiple motors are connected in parallel to the power source, if you have 10 motors hooked up in parallel to the source, the available current is divided among the 10 parallel paths.  If the power pack is rated at 1 amp output, then theoretically each motor will only receive .1 amp of current. (assuming similar motors)

http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/mastascu/elessonshtml/Basic/Basic4Ki.html

Right, and with two transformers, they can each have 200 ma instead of 100 ma.

                                                 Matt

Using the EZ-command, I can run more than 10 locos at once, but they go a lot slower, and even though it MUST be done right, I have used TWO bachmann transformers is parallel to get twice the amps, the result was SWEET (no booster necessary ) and trains do not bog down as much.
                                                 

                                                    Matt

I have that set and am very happy with it.

Quote from: Santa Fe buff on December 04, 2008, 08:31:40 PM
"Hobby Lobby" has an incredible percentage of Bachmann products, including several copies of my wanted set. Unfortunately, due to the price, I won't have it on my Christmas wish-list. Well, better earned yourself anyway- makes you feel better about it.

Josh

one more thing, I too bought mine at hobby lobby. Sign up for hobby lobby email ads, and about every other week there is a cupon that you can bring to the store to get ANY one item 40% off!!!!!! so if the set is regularly $200(plus tax), you can get it for $120 (plus tax)!!!!!!!!

                                       Matt

Quote from: Jim Banner on December 03, 2008, 11:06:16 PM
Sorry, Matt, but it is 1/2 watt.  Let's look at it this way.  We take two 1000 ohm, 1/4 watt resistors and put them in series.  Then we connect a 31.6 volt power supply across the two of them.  What is the voltage across the first resistor?
31.6 / 2 = 15.8 volts
What power is the first resistor dissipating?  Power = voltage squared / resistance.  In this case, that would be
15.8 x 15.8 / 1000 = 1/4 watts
Likewise, the voltage across the second resistor is also 15.8 volts and the power it dissipates is 1/4 watts.
Now we both agree that the two resistors in series make 2000 ohms.  So how much power does that dissipate at 31.6 volts?
31.6 x 31.6 / 2000 = 1/2 watts

From this we can conclude that two equal resistors working at full power can be connected in series to form a resistor with double the resistance and capable of working at double the power of each single resistor.

That seems logical, but, if you get the power from the middle of them (making a voltage divider) then essentually they are not in series. what i was talking about, is when they are in series (without center tap). for example if you have a water hoses that has X resistance (at one cubic foot per minute max speed) then you would be able to put one cubic foot of water through in one minute with X resistance. Next, suppose you have another hose exactally the same, if you put the two in parallel, you could get two cubic feet of water per minute max, at .5X resistance. Or, if you put the two hoses is series, you could only get one cubic foot of water through it (excluding(because it does not apply to the electrical resistors) the fact that the first hose would have more pressure than the second, thus reducing the amount even further) and it would have a resistance of 2x. Or what if you have a transformer, that is 10:1 CT (12v) rated 1 amp, if you ran one amp off the center tap, it would be maxed out at 1 amp 6 volt, but, if you ran one amp off it at 12 volts, it would still be maxed out, even though it can output twice as much power. I am still learning, so if I am wrong, please correct me. My uncle is a computer/robot builder/programer, so i'll call him to see what he says.

                                                Matt

Quote from: Jim Banner on December 02, 2008, 10:51:16 AM
Neither.  In series, the resistances add.  So it would be 2000 ohms.  Each resistor could safely dissipate 1/4 watt so between them they could dissipate 1/2 watt.  Correct answer - 2000 ohms, 1/2 watt.

I think it would be 1/4 watt 2000 ohms, not 1/2 watt 2000.

                                            Matt

O and the reason the wheels will not turn, is because there is a worm gear. but if you need to turn them, turn the motor shaft by hand(finger or scrwedriver).

                                            Matt

Because the light worked, that means one of the wires to the motor probably broke and is NOT a pickup problem. I have the exact set, and that happened to one of my locos as well, so I just soldered it, and now it runs great.
                                                        Matt

all spectruns are supposed to be dcc or dcc ready.

                                                         Matt

It comes in a plastic (not styrofoam), in a cardboard box. And my handrails were (and still are) not bent in at all. This is one of my favorite locos.

                                                         Matt

Hi, I have one, and it is very detailed and I am very pleased with it.

                                                        Matt

Quote from: Rangerover on October 31, 2008, 09:36:48 AM
Climatologist's say we're in a cool down cycle and for the next 10 years.

        The entire cycle takes eighty years. And all the global warming is called summer, no matter what the media tells us. And last winter there were record lows in more than one state. As far as the ozone layer being destroyed, I'v herd, that in one year, one cow does more damage to it than a large city does in one year. Just thought I'd share this. And I know that trains do not do much at all (to the ozone), so run your trains the way they work (AC or no AC) and most of all, have fun.

                                                       Matt

Thanks, Matt

Could someone who has operated both systems please tell me their opinion of what you do and do not like about the two systems? Thanks.

                                                         Matt

Quote from: jmg0807 on September 02, 2008, 09:05:51 PM
Matt,

The capacitor is a 330 uf.

thanks