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 Posted - April 30 2014 : 8:28:00 PM
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I was testing the slot cars today and to no surprise, the old Tyco Speedways transformer(s) loose power. About half way up the 20 foot straight is a noticeable slow down and as it crosses the 6 feet on the far end it slows a little more. I'm gonna need to up the power as expected. Any good info towards doing this would be appreciated..
Edited by - walt on April 30 2014 11:35:18 PM
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 Posted - April 30 2014 : 9:00:40 PM
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You are probably losing voltage to resistance in the track. Between the many connections and how narrow the metal power strips are, there is probably a lot of resistance.
If you have another terminal track section, you could put it at the end of the track farthest from the transformer and run a fairly heavy wire to it. That should get the juice to the other end with fewer ohms thus more volts.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - April 30 2014 : 11:56:01 PM
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| Thank You, Shaggy! I have several terminal tracks and quite a few transformers. I'd like to get as much power around the layout...
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 11:33:56 PM
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Clean the tracks where they connect.
Disconnect right behind power source. Run the car and where it stops or slows is the problem. May have to put a slight bend toward the connecting rail to get a solid connection.
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blaneo
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 07:33:26 AM
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Did you install extra feeders? I didn't use terminal tracks, instead I soldered wires to the underside of the track pieces. I added them about every three or four feet. I have no loss of power and I use the AFX transformers that have the adjustable voltage. They help with the little people (and a few of the older ones) that haven't quite learned how to keep their cars on the track. I also used the NoOxId on the contact tabs at each end of the track sections. That stuff seems to help clean and protect the tabs.
Blane is the name,
Trains are the game.
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 09:05:24 AM
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Jeep man, Thank You...
My track connections are as clean as they can get and the connections are good. What I have is common gradual slow down as the cars get farther away from the terminal. I have used the NoOxId one these also...
Blaneo,
Does the feeder wires come from the same transformer that you have hooked to your terminal? ( what I'm asking are you using one transformer for all your power and feeders?
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blaneo
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 12:19:18 PM
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I have them all color coded and use them as taps or drops on the sections that they are soldered to. They are then connected to a main buss line that connects to the transformer. Each lane has it's own transformer, just to make sure it gets all the power it wants. The taps or drop wires are a 24 gauge solid telephone wire, and the main buss wires are a stranded 16 gauge automotive type wire. The drops or taps are soldered to the track, and I used suitcase connectors to attach them to the main buss wire. Here's a couple of pictures that might help.
Blane is the name,
Trains are the game.
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 Posted - May 04 2014 : 12:46:26 PM
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sounds like a thing for train tracks too
Cause TOO long of tracks you will lose power too
Good advice on long tracks of any kind 
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 8:55:25 PM
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Thank you, Blane... I've got a lot drops to install at 3 or 4 feet. sounds painful... . I too, will be using 4 transformers, one per lane...
Edited by - walt on May 04 2014 8:58:07 PM
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blaneo
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 10:08:18 PM
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The solid wire helped quite a bit. I was able to tin the ends of the wire, and then bend and tape the wire so that it would hold itself against the rail on the underside. That left both hands free to work. Then I would quickly touch the iron (with just a bit of solder on the tip) to the wire and rail. I only messed up two track sections, I had extra sections planned in advance. I had figured I would mess up a lot more sections that. Oh, I also used a wet, cloth hand towel to lay the track upside down on, and act as a heat sink. It really did a great job, I could feel quite a bit of heat in the towel even after soldering one drop. Oh, another thing, I only added one wire drop per section at a time. Then I would let the section completely cool before soldering the second , third and fourth drop. With the amount of drops needed you can get a little assembly line going, and it will go quicker then you think. Just keep a bucket of cool water nearby and keep that towel refreshed between each soldering. It will build up heat quickly, and then loose it's effectiveness.
Blane is the name,
Trains are the game.
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