adding lights

[rabbibgr]

Many thanks for the help I've gotten on this forum. My trains are running well, the turnouts are operating and derailments seem to have gone away.
I use a Bachmann DCC controller to operate the trains, and a Bachmann power pak from a non DCC train set to provide the power for lights and turnouts. I recently added additional lighting and created problems, when operating a turnout the lights would go out, the lights would also go out after remaining on for several minutes, turning the power pak off then on would work as a reset. I gradually disconnected one light at a time till things worked right. It seems that there is a limit as to how much you can draw from the power pak. I would like to add additional working accessories and lights, what would I use to power them and where would I get it.
Thanks again,
Don

[Doneldon]

rabbi-

Your power pack has both a variable DC output and a fixed AC output. Both can be used to power accessories. Your switch machines are apparently drawing too much current with the lights also on. I suggest that you use one power source on the power pack for your turnouts and the other for lights. You can probably keep some lights on the turnout circuit but you'll have to determine how many by trial and error.

                                                                                                                                                                                   -- D

[richg]

Use the AC terminals for the turnouts.
Use the variable DC for lighting.
If you have a voltmeter, keep the voltage around maybe 10 volts max.

Rich

[jonathan]

My favorite power source, for lights, is a 6-9V wall wart, leftover from an old phone charger, or kid's toy, or whatever.  I have become a collector of these things.  I never realized how many of these things we throw out over the years. 

I do have one string of lights that are powered by the DC side of a power pack, but 80% of my lights are wall warts:





Regards,

Jonathan

[jbrock27]

Jonathan, are most of your lights LEDs or incandescents?

[rabbibgr]

Many thanks. You guys are great. I ran a test on the DC side and it seems to work fine. with the additional benefit of acting as a dimmer. I did not know that the bulbs would work on either AC or DC

[richg]

Many thanks. You guys are great. I ran a test on the DC side and it seems to work fine. with the additional benefit of acting as a dimmer. I did not know that the bulbs would work on either AC or DC

They will work on DCC as well but that is not the preferred method.

Rich