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Author Topic: Limited power from LW transformer  (Read 3864 times)

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Limited power from LW transformer
« on: December 27, 2023, 02:27:00 pm »
I am trying to resurrect my train set from my childhood. It probably has not been set up for at least 30 years. It is an O gauge that my father bought in the early '60's. I hooked up the LW transformer and you can hear the engine gets some power when turning on the transformer and the light in the bumper at the end of a siding fluctuates depending on the controller position. If I put a multimeter on the variable output or the constant 18V or 14V posts I get no reading. Again I can hook the constant voltages to the track and the bumper lights up but the train engine just hums a little. Any idea what could be wrong with the transformer? It must be putting out some current but not enough for the multimeter to read. I did put the meter on a battery and it read 1.5V so it is not the meter.

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Re: Limited power from LW transformer
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2023, 09:56:51 am »
I thought for sure these trains ran on DC. Switched the multimeter to AC and all of a sudden I have voltage. Nothing seems to be wrong with the transformer. Now need to see why the engines won't run. They may need some more TLC.

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Re: Limited power from LW transformer
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2023, 11:48:52 am »
Also found a switch that was shorting the track. After 30+ years it is running once again.

 

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