E-Z Command System input AC Voltage.

[Signalman]

My Dear friends. Can anyone tell me if a 17 volt AC supply can be used on the Bachmann E-Z Command System. I have a few 17 volt 30 Amp power supplies that i would like to use.

Many thanks

Col Paton 

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Colonel,

Congrats on your promotion to "Full Bird".   

Offhand, I'd say be careful.  You can't run 30 amps of current through a 1 amp controller. 

Smoke from burning electronics components can't be any good for your health, and smells terrible. 

Certainly you would void your warranty.  For more power to the track, you should use a DCC booster. 

The EZ-Command controller may rely on the naturally higher "internal resistance" of the wal-wart transformer for safety reasons.

You may be able to add resistance in series with your supply to match that of the wal-wart transformer.  I Measured about 2 Ohms. 

If you must, try adding a 2 Ohm, 5 watt resistor and a 2 amp circuit breaker in series with your AC supply.

Jim Banner might have some input on this, which I welcome. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

[Jim Banner]

As Joe has pointed out, a larger transformer is not the way to get more power to the track.  You will not get any additional power out of your E-Z Command by using a heavier transformer for its input.  You would get a more stable output, one that did not decrease in voltage as the load was increased.  However, that would require your E-Z Command to dissipate more heat as the load increased, reducing the amount of current it could deliver before thermal shutdown.

To put it another way, the E-Z Command is designed to give the NMRA recommended track voltage at full output.  At that point, the wall wart power transformer is producing about 15 volts ac.  It is only at light or no load that its output rises to about 17 volts ac.  (This two volt change divided by the 1 amp current that causes it gives 2 ohms, the same resistance Joe measured.)

Bottom line, a transformer producing a constant 15 volts would be ideal, but with 17 volts, a 2 ohm resistor is will help protect your E-Z Command and will increase its maximum continuous current output.

The only place where Joe and I differ is that I am a bit more conservative when it comes to overload protection.  I would have recommended a 1 amp fast blow fuse (if memory serves, that is what they use inside the wall wart transformer.)

Jim

[Signalman]

Hi again.  I think I worded my question incorrectly.  I was only concerned with the required input voltage of the Bachmann Controllers. It is marked on the output of the power supply and on the AC input to each of the controllers as 16 volts AC. Would a power supply of 17 volts AC be okay to use, with the one volt increase.

Thanks everyone. 

Col. Paton

[Joe Satnik]

Jim,

The different amperage fuse might be on the primary side of the transformer, something to do with UL listing and fire hazards.  Blow the fuse, throw away the transformer.   

Nyloncol,

If Jim and my discussions really didn't answer your question, then you need to learn a lot more about electronics, (Ohms law, current draw, e.g.) before you proceed. 

The EZ-Command controller and transformer are engineered to work together as a "system". 

A lot of thought went into it, including safety features.  Change the design, and you may (in this case, will) defeat a safety feature and more than likely void your warranty. 

Let me know if your old wall-wart transformer doesn't work.  I have replacements. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: grammar

     

[boomertom]

Joe, Jim and any other resident electronics/electrical wizard,

What the heck is a wall-wart transformer ?

I also have a question related to ac input voltage. A some of you may recall we have had on going electrical problems that have a master electrician and two journeymen scratching their heads. To shorten a very long story, the LPC has come up with a theory that our house may randomly received too much voltage and have decided to reduce the voltage supplied to the house.

What will this do to my E-Z Command or to my analog power pack?

Tom

[RAM]

What will this do to my E-Z Command or to my analog power pack?

Vary little.  Instead of having  16 volts you might only have 15.

[Jhanecker2]

To Boomertom : Though I am  not an electrical  wizard , a wall wart is a transformer that is integral  with the plug that inserts into the receptacle on the wall .  It is commonly  used for battery operated devices to power them , replacing the need for changing batteries. They look like a wart on the wall .   Hope  that helps .     John  II

[Jim Banner]

What will this do to my E-Z Command or to my analog power pack?

Prolong their lives.

Jim

[Joe Satnik]

Dear boomertom,

Line voltage varies with load throughout the system.  (Load management is a large concern for power companies.)

Most electrical equipment is designed to work with varying voltages.   

You'll notice a slight dimming in your lights when an appliance with a motor starts up, such as air conditioner, wash machine, or refrigerator.   

A spike up in voltage also occurs when a motor shuts off.   Your neighbors or a neighboring factory changing loads (turning various electrical equipment on and off) will affect the voltage that you get, especially if you are sharing the same (7KV to 220V) line transformer.   

What are the average, low and high voltages that the electricians are measuring? 

Does the average rise for long periods of time?  How much for how long? 

How does it compare to the voltages at your neighbors houses?

Have you or the electricians considered installing whole house surge protectors?

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik