HiSpdTrainFan Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Guys, I have a Bachmann DC controller which came with the Acela Express set. I had switched over to the Bachmann DCC contoller for the Acela. However, i have other non DCC trains such as Kato Eurostar (bought in US), and Thalys (bought from AUS) . So, can I use this Bachmann DC controller with these trains? The info below is on the back of the transformer. It does not mention DC Voltage ... AC 1601000 Input AC 120V 60Hz Output AC 16V 1000 mA 16Va Should I just get the Kato controller which is 12V 1amp ? TIA guys, HSTfan Link to comment
cteno4 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Hispd, you can use any train dc power supply for your kato trains and it will work fine. both he bachmann and kato dc controllers put out the same thing. only difference in the two is the bachmann goes up to a bit higher voltage, but you wont be running trains up that high anyway as they would be flying off the tracks! i assume the bachmann dc output is like 16vdc. only real manufacturer differences in power supplies is tomix which has power supplies that also deliver a high frequency power to power their constant lighting systems. jeff Link to comment
brill27mcb Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 You listed an AC output on the Bachmann. You should use the DC output to run the trains. The AC is for AC-based accessories like Bachmann turnouts. Rich K. Link to comment
HiSpdTrainFan Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 You listed an AC output on the Bachmann. You should use the DC output to run the trains. The AC is for AC-based accessories like Bachmann turnouts. Rich K. I know DC to run trains, and AC for accessories. That is the exact info on the back of the Bachmann transformer where you would plug into the wall electrical jack...and not from the throttle controller. The trains run fine with it now. I just don't want to over heat the motors in the long run because it is 16V instead of the normal 12V... Link to comment
cteno4 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 you would only overheat the engines if you ran them at very high speeds and would be the same with either controller at the same voltages. if you get up above 10vdc most trains will be flying off the tracks, so really does not matter the bachmann power pack goes to a higher voltage. will mean though the useful range of the controller knob will be smaller than on the kato. jeff Link to comment
KenS Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 The info below is on the back of the transformer. It does not mention DC Voltage ... AC 1601000 Input AC 120V 60Hz Output AC 16V 100 mA 16Va Those numbers don't entirely make sense. 100mA is too low for a 16VA transformer (should be 1000mA or 1A with 16V to be 16VA). The model number (1601000) implies it's a 1000mA 16V transformer, although it's risky to read too much into it. My Kato power pack has a transformer rated for 15V AC and 1.5A (1500mA) and outputs 14.8V DC to the track at full throttle without a load (it's rated 12V, but outputs more than that). Note: actual amps to the track may be much less than the transformer provides, but the voltage tends to be close, and that's the one to be concerned about. Bachmann has made several different DC controllers, and they aren't well documented. The N/HO ones are sometimes described as having a track voltage of 12V, but I don't know how accurate that is, and there do not seem to be any manuals online for the non-DCC power packs. Those are typically described as having 700mA (0.7A) of track power, which is fine. If the power pack is putting out 16V AC as that info you gave describes, then the power pack can't be outputting more than about 15V, which is typical of most HO/N power packs (which are nominally 16V DC but with a lot of variation). Many modern N/HO power packs put out even more than 16V, and they're fine on N as long as you never turn the throttle all the way up. Many people use them. The Bachmann should be safe to use with N-scale trains, except perhaps small trams. However, one thing to be aware of is that some "DC" power packs put out a pulsed output much higher than expected. While it can't put out more voltage than what comes in from the transformer (and will lose a volt or so internally), I'd still be careful with older power packs. This is more true of older (1970s/80s) packs that did "pulsed" power without modern semiconductor control circuitry. A simple test to make, if you have a multimeter, is to set the power pack to half throttle and check the track output with the AC, not DC, setting. I have an old MRC pack with a pulsed output that reads 18V on the track ouputs when set to AC (and zero on DC actually) at half throttle. It doesn't get much higher on full. I've run N-scale trains with it, and they haven't spontaneously combusted. But I worry about long-term damage from heating due to the high-voltage pulses, and no longer use that power pack for N-scale trains. Link to comment
HiSpdTrainFan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Kens. You are correct. It is 1000mA. I set the throttle at(50) half speed, and the Votage shown 9.6V, and at (60) 11.2V. I ran the Eurostar at 9.6V setting for five minutes. Checked motor heat temp, and it shown 81.5F = 27.5C. Room temp was 70F=21.1C. Is 81.5 motor temp consider normal for N scale? Link to comment
HiSpdTrainFan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 you would only overheat the engines if you ran them at very high speeds and would be the same with either controller at the same voltages. if you get up above 10vdc most trains will be flying off the tracks, so really does not matter the bachmann power pack goes to a higher voltage. will mean though the useful range of the controller knob will be smaller than on the kato. jeff Jeff, i looked at your Japanese layout...very nice. I am doing a European four main lines layout with Kato double track.... I might endup buying the Kato double controllers http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Pack-Hyper-D-100-240V-Kato-22-013-/120654219081?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c178d4749 Link to comment
cteno4 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hispd, glad you liked the layout. start a thread on your layout and post picts as it comes along, we always love to watch a project come together! Ive not had any experience with the kato double controller. looks interesting. we have had great luck with the kato single controller on the club layout. it runs two motor car 16 car shinkansens with ease. i got mine at a fire sale price with a guy closing out a hobby shop, wish i had bought a few of them! jeff Link to comment
KenS Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Kens. You are correct. It is 1000mA. I set the throttle at(50) half speed, and the Votage shown 9.6V, and at (60) 11.2V. I ran the Eurostar at 9.6V setting for five minutes. Checked motor heat temp, and it shown 81.5F = 27.5C. Room temp was 70F=21.1C. Is 81.5 motor temp consider normal for N scale? Yes, that's a reasonable temperature. I presume those are DC voltage measurements. Those look typical for an HO pack that puts out 14-16V at max, and fine for typical N-scale (you may not ever need to turn it up beyond 50% unless you're running a Shinkansen or similar as most prototypical DMUs don't go 200 mph ). Link to comment
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