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 Trains / 1972
1971  |  1973
Subject: 
Eliminate high-speed derailments forever! (and possibly void your warranty)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Mon, 23 Aug 1999 01:09:53 GMT
Viewed: 
705 times
  
Okay, how's this for an idea:

Most electronic stores stock a kind of universal power converter. These have
several output settings, including 9v and 7.5 volt. If you use the 7.5 volt
setting, the train never gets enough power to derail on curves. This has
obvious
advantages at shows, and also anytime kids are given the controls (my 2 1/2
year
old loves my trains, but sometimes he runs them a bit fast!)

This reduces the number of different speeds available to only two (instead of
6). Specifically, it seems to simply eliminate the 4 highest speeds. But that's
perfect for little ones who seem to have only two speeds anyway: full-forward,
and full-reverse.

So the obvious question is: Am I damaging/shortening the life of my transformer
by feeding 1.5 volts less than it expects into it?

And another question that someone with more electronics knowledge than I have
can answer: The universal converter has removable male jacks, which are
designed
to fit many different devices. They are also reversible, which means that the
tip can be either positive or negative. So does it matter which way it goes
into
the transformer?

I leave the answers to these questions as an exercise for the reader.

Rick Clark
jrclark@nospam.aol.com
http://members.xoom.com/jrickclark



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Eliminate high-speed derailments forever! (and possibly void your warranty)
 
In lugnet.trains, John R. Clark writes: <snipped interesting idea> (...) transformer (...) The transformer in the wall socket adapter probably won't be bothered too terribly, as it's only a 17% reduction in voltage. The motors don't try and suck (...) (25 years ago, 23-Aug-99, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Eliminate high-speed derailments forever! (and possibly void your warranty)
 
(...) that's (...) transformer (...) transformer (...) by transformer do you mean the lego speed controller? If it's a yes there is no problem feeding it with 7.5V DC. The input will accept 9V to 12V AC or DC for full performance (0V to 9V at the (...) (25 years ago, 23-Aug-99, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Eliminate high-speed derailments forever! (and possibly void your warranty)
 
(...) that's (...) transformer (...) I just opened a LEGO TRAIN SPEED REGULATOR and drawn a shematic of it. I did this once before but lost the paper. Now to the point: The INPUT of the regulator may be an AC or a DC signal. Even reversing the (...) (25 years ago, 23-Aug-99, to lugnet.trains)

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