Powering Accessories

[dazedsteve]

Hello Everyone

I am seeking a little assistance in relation to power supply to my turnouts and some additional street and building lights which are bulb type. I plan to run a 12volt accessory bus under the layout.  I have tried to search the message boards and whilst very informative i could not find a direct answer to my question. I am sure i am not the first to ask these questions and i am sure that i will not be the last.

I have read on some threads that Bachman turnouts can be powered by ac or dc power.  However the packaging on my #6 turnout - left says " DO NOT CONNECT TO DC TERMINAL, AS THIS WILL OVERLOAD YOUR ACCESSORY ITEM.

Which is correct?

In addition how much power do the turnouts require?  Is it possible that the street lights will dim when i activate turnouts?  I was planning on purchasing a 12 volt ac transformer 1-2 amp.

Sorry if i am retreading old ground - any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dazedsteve

 

[jbrock27]

I have always read and operated under the idea that the switch motors can be run on AC or DC as long as the voltage is not above 19 volts.  I do not use the Bachmann turnouts so I can not offer you any first hand experience on them that goes against what you are reading on your packaging.  
However, I can tell you that yes, if the switch motors are hooked up to the same power source as your incandescent bulbs, the bulbs will momentarily dim when you activate a switch control.
Can I suggest this: buy a 2nd, cheapy power pack that has two screws for the AC  and use this to run your switch motors and hook the lights up to power source #1.

[richg]

use a Circuitron Snapper ro operate twin coil machine. No chance to burn them out. Power the Circuitron with 12 to 14 volts AC or DC. A wall wart would do this very nicely to power the Circuitron.

RIch

[Jerrys HO]

It also say's not to power the frog on DCC but I did. Murphy's law has not caught up with it yet.
I have used old DC power packs with out the AC accessory tabs and worked fine as long as I used one rated at 12-16 volts and 500 milliamps to 1 amp. Like Rich said a wall wart with these ratings will work fine.

Jerry

[jbrock27]

Rich is suggesting using the wall wart to power his suggested Circuitron Snapper as opposed to using a wall wart to power the switch motors directly.

I don't know how all these folks are accumulating spare wall warts or how they have ones on hand that supply at least 12 volts.  I guess I don't change my cell phones as often as some folks change their underwear.  I must be doing something wrong, bc the only spare wall wart I have on hand, only puts out 8.02 volts.  Cheapy power packs are a dime (well a little more, but cheaper than a new cell phone and plan) a dozen. 

[Jerrys HO]

Jim

It doesn't have to be only from a cell phone. I saved all my kids wall packs from a lot of their toys and from Tools that have crapped out on me.

[jbrock27]

I must buy better stuff.  The only one I have is from a recent change regarding my cell phone; replacing the one I bought in 1999-vintage!

*I should revise this somewhat.  About 3 years ago, I did replace my Craftsman cordless drill and missed the opportunity to see if the wall wart could be of use, bc this was before I found through here, that they could be useful.

[richg]

A wall wart voltage of 12 to 16 volts, AC or DC will operate a twin coil but some hold the button down too long and burn out the coil. I have seen this as far back as the 1950's.
A Snapper or DIY, CDU which is a resistor, large electrolytic capacitor and a full wave bridge rectifier will work. The rectifier converts AC to DC and also passes DC with a 1.4 volt drop so 14 to even 24 volts will work. The resistor keeps to much current from flowing. The cap dumps the power into the coil very quickly with no damage to the coil.
Only a DC power pack and all that needed is the resistor and cap.
i have built a couple.

Google twin coil CDU and Snapper. You will get many links to store in Favourites.
Google should be your best friend.

Rich

[jbrock27]

I did, after the first time you mentioned it, since I was curious about what you were talking about.  For $30+ I will pass for now, since I have never had any of my switch motors burn out from using an Atlas switch controller.  Maybe bc I don't hold the button down and I keep an eye on their operation.  I don't know.  Not like I have a layout of such size that I can't be aware of what's going on.  Of course, at the first sign of trouble, I will revisit the Circuitron Snapper. 

Maybe given their cost and the fact you have built several, you would like to share how to build one?

Thanks for the tip on GOOGLE and Favorites (Bookmarks), even though it was not needed as I have given this advice myself to people several times here.

[Joe323]

That 30+ if you choose to buy a CDU is for the entire layout since the CDU is wired between the power supply and your switch panel. If course if your a bit electronic savy you could build your own for less.

I have a Minatronics CDU that has served me well for severl years.

[jbrock27]

I get that Joe.  Thanks.

[richg]

I did, after the first time you mentioned it, since I was curious about what you were talking about.  For $30+ I will pass for now, since I have never had any of my switch motors burn out from using an Atlas switch controller.  Maybe bc I don't hold the button down and I keep an eye on their operation.  I don't know.  Not like I have a layout of such size that I can't be aware of what's going on.  Of course, at the first sign of trouble, I will revisit the Circuitron Snapper. 

Maybe given their cost and the fact you have built several, you would like to share how to build one?

Thanks for the tip on GOOGLE and Favorites (Bookmarks), even though it was not needed as I have given this advice myself to people several times here.

Good to know about how you operate the twin coil.
I know in the past, some would hold down the switch if the turnout hung up for some reason.
Some used momentary toggle switches and the contacts in the switch arc, eventually welding together which has burned out twin coils, even if you released the toggle.
With careful shopping, you can find the Snapper for less. I have seen it a few times for $25.00. List is $35.00. I just looked.

Rich

[jbrock27]

Thanks for the price info.   Since I am not in the market, I have not done extensive comparison shopping, but my number includes shipping costs, does your number reflect that?  

Want to share how to build one?

If I had to go to a "plan B", I may be more tempted to use 2 sets of momentary push button switches; 1 green and 1 red for each switch machine.

[richg]

Hello Everyone

I am seeking a little assistance in relation to power supply to my turnouts and some additional street and building lights which are bulb type. I plan to run a 12volt accessory bus under the layout.  I have tried to search the message boards and whilst very informative i could not find a direct answer to my question. I am sure i am not the first to ask these questions and i am sure that i will not be the last.

I have read on some threads that Bachman turnouts can be powered by ac or dc power.  However the packaging on my #6 turnout - left says " DO NOT CONNECT TO DC TERMINAL, AS THIS WILL OVERLOAD YOUR ACCESSORY ITEM.

Which is correct?

In addition how much power do the turnouts require?  Is it possible that the street lights will dim when i activate turnouts?  I was planning on purchasing a 12 volt ac transformer 1-2 amp.

Sorry if i am retreading old ground - any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dazedsteve

 

Forgot to mention before, yes it would dim the lights some. That is why the Bachmann and many other power packs have 16vac terminals.

You should always power twin coil machines separate from the rest of the accessory wiring. Those twin coil turnouts draw quite a lot of power for a short time.
An old power pack is good for layout lighting though since you can lower the voltage using the DC a little for longer light bulb life.

Rich

[jbrock27]

[/quote]

Forgot to mention before, yes it would dim the lights some. That is why the Bachmann and many other power packs have 16vac terminals.

You should always power twin coil machines separate from the rest of the accessory wiring. Those twin coil turnouts draw quite a lot of power for a short time.
An old power pack is good for layout lighting though since you can lower the voltage using the DC a little for longer light bulb life.

Rich
[/quote]

You must have missed the memo...