RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion
Shorting out
mecmt:
O scale, 2 rail. I have 3 engine, 2 Atlas and 1 Weaver. I also have 9 lighted passenger cars, 4 Weaver Bradley, and 5 zephyr cars. Recently when turning the power on to the track with a PWR-56 it goes into a short reset short cycle. If I take all the cars and engines off the track, turn the power on then add everything back to the track, no short. Turning on, with all the above mentioned on the track results in the short, reset, short cycle. I am hoping someone can help. This did not start doing this when I first hooked up the PWR-56. The engines all have LM-3S-G. The Weaver cars are 2 rail factory cars with some kind of keep alive, as the lights stay lighted without power for about 15 to 30 seconds after power off. The Atlas cars are also factory cars. The PWR-56 is plugged into a switched power strip. Any thoughts?
Alan:
Sounds like the surge power required at start-up is exceeding the PWR56 output limit. What happens if you leave the keep-alive equipped lighted cars off the track during start-up? Will the PWR56 start-up with just locos and unlit cars on the track?
mecmt:
That is what appears to be happening.
mecmt:
Any Ideas on how to deal with this. It did not do this at first, with 1 engine and 4 cars, now everything except for 1 engine will start the shorting cycle. The 4 cars where the Weaver.
Alan:
There are all sorts of start-up circuits called 'soft start' that slowly turn on the power to prevent the instant on surge. Rather than invest in a soft start circuit, a better solution would be to use a higher rated power supply as it sounds like you are pushing the limits of a PWR56. That is not at all surprising with O scale trains. Ring doesn't offer so you would need to go outside RailPro for one. There are many to pick from on eBay. Here is an example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC15V-3A-5A-10A-20A-30A-Switch-Power-Supply-Monitor-Centralized-Power-Supply-LED/362408881915?hash=item546140aefb:rk:5:pf:0&var
In the mean time you can use a switch and a resistor to make your own manual soft start. Turn the switch off, turn on the PWR56, wait 1 second, turn the switch on. When the switch is off (open) current will flow from the PWR56 through the resistor to the track. The resistor limits the amount of current that flows to a level below the PWR56 short circuit protection trip point. Once all the keep-alive circuits in the rolling stock finish charging the current demand drops to a level the PWR56 can handle. When the lights come on in the rolling stock the keep-alives have finished charging. Turning the switch on (closed) bypasses the resistor allowing normal operation. You will need to remember to turn the switch off before powering up the PWR56 each time.
Use virtually any single pole single throw (SPST) toggle switch rated at least 5 amps (will be marked on side). Use a 5 ohm 100 watt resistor.
Resistor: https://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-100W-0-01-50-Ohm-Shell-Power-Aluminum-Housed-Case-Wirewound-Resistor-New/162961019268?hash=item25f13bd184:m:mY-wkIfgcVQ8wv-unNLSrmg:rk:4:pf:0
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