 | | Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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Hey all, I have been looking for new ways to help out the community much like I do with my custom track and I was wondering if there may be some interest in high amp train controllers much like the ones some train clubs all ready use. A stock Lego (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) As someone who has built some heavy locomotives I would be interested. What are the main advantages of uping the amps? Cale (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) Hi Ondrew, More power sounds nice, but I'd be even more interested in a controller than can run high-load trains all day (such as at a show) without running hot. It sounds like you're advertising this benefit as well, so I might be interested. (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) One of the big modifications I do is install a fan pointed directly at the source of the heat but the neat thing is the speed of that fan adjusts to the power setting of the controller while always spinning the correct way. I am also going to (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) The main component that is limiting current in a standard train controller is the transformer (wall wart). The supplied transformer form LEGO has varied between 500ma to 850ma .5Amp and .85Amp respectively. That's continuous duty. You can pull (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) I am not sure if it would work, but it may be possible to use a power transistor to increase the amps. The heat sink will need to be upgraded to a larger size, and a fan will definitely need to be installed to compensate for not just the (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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I was poking around looking at LM317 specs and can't seem to find the Max Vin. What's the max Vin we can plug into the controller... I see old laptop "wall warts" and inline "bricks" getting tossed all the time here at work. If this alone helps the (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) I haven't worked with one in a while, but I know it'll take at least 36v in, and the limit on power is basically whatever you can handle as far as heat dissipation. So if you get the one in the big transistor-body package (TO-3, I think?) and (...) (17 years ago, 4-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) The LM317 is made by a bunch of different manufacturers, so there's some variation. But the original maximum suggested input is 35V or 32V between input and output. But as I mentioned before, the difference between input voltage and output (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) True, but you still have to upgrade the diodes, capacitor and the power supply. As well as adding more heat sinking ability. And the 3 amp version of a LM350 can swap right into the original socket of the LM317, and still provide full (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) Here's a couple of useful power supplies. They work on US line voltage or from 100V AC up to 240V AC. For unmodified train controllers: (URL) You should get close to the maximum amount out of you controller, but the controller well overheat if (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) [snip] Hah, and here was me using a 12V Lego train transformer to run my 9V trains ;-) Using a suitable adapter wire of course. But that was 220V, so I left it in the UK. I'm not sure of the rating of those transformers, but I think it was a (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade, lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) Ondrew- About 5 years ago, a member of SLCTC setup shop selling modified LEGO train voltage regulators running on 3A and he sold them on BrickLink. We have 4 of them. They allow us to run multiple motors on the same track or lots of (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) Steve- National gives the Absolute Maximum Value for Vin for the LM317 at 40V, but why would you want to run that high for a load that's supposed to be limited to 9V? You would waste of the extra power dissipation of the bigger device and get (...) (17 years ago, 5-Mar-08, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: Any interest in high amp. Train controllers?
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(...) I would be interested is seeing the schematic of this, or something similar. (17 years ago, 7-Mar-08, to lugnet.market.buy-sell-trade)
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