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Transformer question
12 years 11 months ago #10771
by stonysmith
You should only use a car battery if you are trying to put your train into orbit.
Or.... if you are trying to turn your precious $1500 Challenger into a lump of molten slag metal!
The last time you jumped a car.. did you feel your jumper cables get warm, or even hot? That's because there's too much current flowing. (fyi.. if that does happen, you need thicker jumper cables) Apply that amount of current to your train layout (even without a short) and you'll likely get the rails to the point where they'll glow this nice bright orange color, right before your plastic roadbed track melts into oblivion.
Transformers and batteries do NOT work together. At best, you'd have to build a circuit to convert the DC to AC, then go thru the transformer and re-convert from AC to DC. It's just not worth the troule.
Even using a potentiometer or a voltage regulator will not improve things in this case. There's just TOO MUCH CURRENT. If you applied the car battery to a standard 7809 voltage regulator, you're going to hear a crisp little "pop", see a tiny cloud of smoke.. and then you'd be buying a new one.
Use the 9v. Buy rechargables if you're worried about the planet or running for a long time inexpensively.
Replied by stonysmith on topic Re: Transformer question
You should only use a car battery if you are trying to put your train into orbit. Or.... if you are trying to turn your precious $1500 Challenger into a lump of molten slag metal!
The last time you jumped a car.. did you feel your jumper cables get warm, or even hot? That's because there's too much current flowing. (fyi.. if that does happen, you need thicker jumper cables) Apply that amount of current to your train layout (even without a short) and you'll likely get the rails to the point where they'll glow this nice bright orange color, right before your plastic roadbed track melts into oblivion.
Transformers and batteries do NOT work together. At best, you'd have to build a circuit to convert the DC to AC, then go thru the transformer and re-convert from AC to DC. It's just not worth the troule.
Even using a potentiometer or a voltage regulator will not improve things in this case. There's just TOO MUCH CURRENT. If you applied the car battery to a standard 7809 voltage regulator, you're going to hear a crisp little "pop", see a tiny cloud of smoke.. and then you'd be buying a new one.
Use the 9v. Buy rechargables if you're worried about the planet or running for a long time inexpensively.
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12 years 11 months ago #10773
by xj700
Replied by xj700 on topic Re: Transformer question
Well, I thought about the inverter idea, but in terms of discharge, I think that having the inverter, along with, the Marklin transformer (which I do have), discharge time on the car battery would be quicker than just having a 12 volt transformer only. I might go with the snail setup, depending if it will take the 12-14 volts off the battery. If worse come to worse though, I just will prolly stick to the original idea of using an inverter & Marklin setup. 
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11 years 10 months ago - 11 years 10 months ago #13810
by xj700
Replied by xj700 on topic Re: Transformer question
I got it figured out.
I took an unused cell phone charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter & clipped off the plug.
I stripped the positive & negative wires on the charger.
I then bought from off of eBay the following LM2596 DC-DC Step Down CC-CV Adjustable Power Supply Module (usable from 1.5 volts all the way to 35 volts-if you want it-
You can get them here: www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/560349330-LM2596-DC-DC-Step-Down-CC-CV-Adjustable-Power-Supply-Module-Output-DC-1-5V-35V-wholesalers.html
The output voltage is adjusted by turning the small brass screw (you'll need an eyeglasses screwdriver to adjust).
I took an unused cell phone charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter & clipped off the plug.
I stripped the positive & negative wires on the charger.
I then bought from off of eBay the following LM2596 DC-DC Step Down CC-CV Adjustable Power Supply Module (usable from 1.5 volts all the way to 35 volts-if you want it-
You can get them here: www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/560349330-LM2596-DC-DC-Step-Down-CC-CV-Adjustable-Power-Supply-Module-Output-DC-1-5V-35V-wholesalers.html
The output voltage is adjusted by turning the small brass screw (you'll need an eyeglasses screwdriver to adjust).
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