Flashing lights after a short

4469 Views 13 Replies 7 Participants Last post by zmil, Jun 17, 2008

Geoff Booth

Discussion Starter · Jun 14, 2008

Having got my N scale layout up and running with a Lenz Set 100 in control, if I get a short then any loco fitted with a Lenz mini-gold decoder (via a NEM651 socket) sits there with the lights flashing once the short is reset. The locos with TCS M1s don't seem bothered! I cannot find a simple way of resetting them but assume there must be one. If I lift the loco off the track and replace it, it's fine but not ideal to say the least.

Anyone able to give me a simple pointer as to what is happening here please and a better way of resolving the reset?

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SPROGman

· #10 · Jun 16, 2008

QUOTE (zmil @ 16 Jun 2008, 05:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>G'day
One thing to remember , The Control/Power station may regulate the voltage from your Power supply (or transformer in older terminology) But it is better to have a power supply that supplies very close to the required track voltage.
the reason for this is that any voltage regulation (or lowering from 16v down to 12v) uses energy , which is dissipated as heat . Consequentially that will lower the amount of current that you can utilize on your track.
Regards Zmil

You are correct about minimising power dissipation in the booster being a good thing, but using a lower input voltage will not limit the current available to the track.

Andrew Crosland

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SPROGman

· #13 · Jun 16, 2008

QUOTE (zmil @ 16 Jun 2008, 13:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What I should have said is:
The greater the input voltage , the more regulation required and the less current available to the track
The closer the input voltage is to the track voltage - the maximum current is available to the track
I hope thats a bit clearer
Regards Zmil

OK, I think I see what you are trying to say...

The only case where you would be correct is if you are already at the limit of the regulator's specification for power dissipation and incrreasing the input voltage, and thus the voltage across the regulator, would dissipate too much power in the regulator. In this case reducing the current would solve the problem.

In the general case, using a higher input voltage does not reduce the current available, if the thermal management of the system is adequate.

Andrew

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