Powering EZ Command Station

[Burto]

Based on reading, I believe I might be able to operate my EZ command with a good DC regulated power supply.Any help on this would be appreciated.I have a stepdown transformer for use in Australia but a quality DC supply may be superior to the 16V AC plug pack included. Looking forward to any advice.
  Burto   au
' Keep smiling and be thankful for small mercies,for lots of small ones make up a big one.'

[Jim Banner]

In general, electronic devices that can run off both dc and ac have rectifiers twice as big as devices that run off ac only.  This is because with ac, the power is drawn through all four rectifiers but with dc, all the power is drawn through only two of the rectifiers.  Without knowing how Lenz sized the rectifiers in the E-Z Command, I would hesitate to run it off dc.

Jim

[Burto]

Hi Jim,
Thanks very much for your learned reply.I picked this possibility up through reading from  experienced and professional modellers.I need a tech expert to have a look inside the EZ Command unless the Bach- Man can tell me within his/her professional limitations.I do appreciate the need for businesses to be profitable.I might use it for a while with the supplied plug pack and have a 'geek' inside.The 'Model Geeks' can probably tell me.
Thanks again for your valuable contributions.
Burto (au)

[Jim Banner]

I would be quite willing to have a look in my own E-Z Command for the answer except that it and I are a thousand miles apart.  However, it and I should be together again in a few days - let me check the rectifier ratings then.

Jim

[Burto]

Have approached service about the overheating without shutdown, and failing to work the next evening.My stepdown transformer has produced no load voltages of 133V and 135V AC.Maybe the plugpack is not tolerant of an a extra 1
or 13 volts AC.Australian power supply is apparently known to spike at as much as 260VAC.One would think they might carry overvoltage protection and thermal protection.However,I think a lot of AC/AC plug packs are unregulated
and fall into the cheaper category.And in most cases, one gets what is payed for.
The US line voltage might be more sympathetic with these aptly named'warts'.
Regards
Burto                                                                                                     

[Jim Banner]

133 to 135 volts is quite high.  The normal limits in Canada (I believe the US limits are a bit laxer) are 115 to 125 volts.  The wall warts in North America are simple transformers with a fuse.  I suspect part of the heat limiting scheme in the E-Z Command is the reduction of voltage from the wall wart as the current rises.  This drop in voltage as current rises may be the reason your step down transformer is running high.  With only the wall wart plugged in, it is probably very lightly loaded.

Jim

[Joe Satnik]

Burto,

Not sure why you have the North American version of the wall wart.  It's pretty heavy, so it's shipping costs across the pacific must have been high.   

Does Bachmann make anything compatable with Australian power and wall sockets?

(Here is Branchline-UK's analog power pack.)

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/36-560.jpg&cat_no=36-560&info=0&width=317&height=278

Power plugs and sockets (to compare UK and Australia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets

I suppose you could load the adapter's 120 volt output bus with light bulbs til the voltage drops to an acceptable level.

(220 volt bulbs would work for that.)

If you were able to adapt from AU power socket to UK power socket, you could use the branchline-UK analog supply shown above to power the EZ-Command.

http://www.bachmann.co.uk/pdfs/ez_man.pdf

(scroll to page 3)

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[captain1313]

Don't forget the European and probably Aussie is 50 cycle and North American is 60 cycle.

[poliss]

Burto, I suggest you contact Richard Johnson of DCC Concepts in WA. He will be able to advise you on a suitable power supply. http://www.dccconcepts.com/index.htm

[Doneldon]

Burto-

Here's an Aussie source for electronic materials and expertise. One of their interests is model railroading so they should know what you need to know.
                                                               -- D

[Burto]

Thanks Guys for your great replies.An email to service yesterday received an immediate response.Laura is sending a new power supply at no cost to me.I give Bachmann 200/100 for such a rapid and thoughtful response.They certainly know how to promote their business and receive customer recommendations.
Fortunately I spoke to Richard in Western Australia on Friday and he is an invaluable Australian source of modelrailroading information.They also have many international customers.I purchased the US supplied EZ Command station because of the huge price advantage,despite the postage cost.Having programmed only 3 locomotives I'm ready to move up a step.My 5yo grandson is very capable with the controllers and delights in running them very slowly.He also delights even more as he sends one of my Model Power trains at break neck speed around a loop.He has only dropped a couple to date so I have a nice Airfix steam engine needing an inventive repair.Meanwhile,I'll keep reading about rectifiers,smoothing and regulating etc.How can I ever get bored?
On postage costs I had a friend bring used items from the UK last year for zilch.I have 22lbs coming from the US at present for $143 and 21 items came from the US last year for $146.The original charge was $200 from a store, and when I bucked and kicked a bit  I received an immediate refund of $40.I still do not know how much handling I payed as they did online postage and no costs were revealed.
Regards,
BURTO