Well, yes I was seriously attempting to answer your need, but it is also possible that I am all wet, too!

 

As I type this I am monitoring the area at the bottom of the edit text area, thinking that I could point out something that would help you, but I am confused as to what the text means to the right of the "Preview" link. I "thought" (and I gotta be careful doing that thinking stuff) that it was the last "Code" associated with the text where the insert cursor is in the block of text. At first, it was "div.NTForums_Quote" which I thought was an indicator that the cursor was within the Quoted text, but the indicator didn't go a way until after I had typed a full line of text, which left me wondering if I was clear of the quoted area yet. (and, yes, it takes a while for the software to update that area when it should change and I had waited for that to occur).  Presently it shows "div" which is typical computer speak for something nobody can understand (and I am a computer programmer!). So much for pointing out something useful!

 

I have seen lots worse forum software but there are few forums that have the ability to host small photos or that have some of the other features available here. Yet, I too, wish that there were some changes to this software to make it much plainer as to what goes where and when and why and how and... and, and, and....

 

Except for the fact that one can delete portions of the quoted text, which allows one to shorten it to indicate that the answer is for what remains, I don't like it that quoted text can be altered and I wish it was demarked somehow in the text entry box so the user would know if they are encroaching upon it while typing their reply.

 

I wish it did NOT allow the text size or color to be altered... judicious use of size and color can be helpful, but too many folk make a habit of making the text real large and of an odd color and both make it just as hard to read as the small text they are so upset about and are trying to overcome.

 

It is also very slow to load the smelly's (err, smileys) window to select a smiley... well, maybe that is a good thing as it will reduce the number of smellys that people put in.

 

Aside from those pet peeve's of mine, the software is pretty good, from my viewpoint, which I recognize is different from EVERYBODY else's! Give it a little time for you to become accustomed to its idiosyncracies and when something goes awry again (expect it) don't hesitate to ask "whut happened?", somebody will attempt to answer, even if it is only to commiserate with you.

 

 

Could you be more specific about point 6?

 

I'm looking for high current banana plugs but can't find any that handle 25 amps or even anything close to that.

 

A manufacturer name and a part number would be appreciated.

 

 

 

As to point 5 maybe someone else can comment. There is just too much to comment on for the time I have right now.

 

Let me just say that pretty much all computer supplies are switching supplies. I said "pretty much" because there is probably some under powered cheap one around somewhere with a linear supply.

So I take it everyone who uses a computer uses a "harmful" supply. I better stop typing..........oh.no.....I don't have to..........I don't use just any computer, I use a Mac, a Mac couldn't possibly use a harmful switching supply.

Actually, thinking about it again - maybe I'm lucky and they do - that way I can sue Apple - they have lots of money.......but seriously.

 

Let me just pick one thing - ripple.

The 10 amp 24 volt switching supply that I use has worst case ripple at 10 amps specified at 180mv. Measurements I took on a couple of units came in at half or less than half of that.

Looking at the Bridgewerks chart, I'm guessing that the ripple curve at 8 amps is also around 150 to 180mv - hard to pin down an actual value. But there is no indication if that is a worst case since there is no spec or if this is just an typical measurement comparable to my 80 - 90 mv. There is no Bridgewerks spec on that I could find.

Since I'm still up, I thought I'd post another tidbit

 

The gentleman from Bridgewerks wrote:

 

 

A switching power supply doesn't generate a square wave form, a function generator does that, a switching power supply uses a high frequency waveform internally instead of the 60 Hz line frequency so that smaller components can be used for the power transformation. The switching supply is shielded and any high frequency component is filtered so that the output is as pure DC as the Brudgewerks supply, probably purer.

 

However, anyone running trains using DCC  (or MTS) is putting a squarewave on the rails that swings roughly between +20 and -20 volts. If you want to worry about  "a wide range of harmonics; these can generate electromagnetic radiation or pulses of current that interfere with other nearby circuits, causing noise or errors" - that's the place to look.

 

Actually, before any "DCC or MTS people" get nervous - those product have to meet regulatory EMI radiation etc. requirements as well so there is no problem with DCC either.

 

 

Like Chuck, i use a bridgewerks tdr 25 amp for my trains including MTH DCS locos and have found this power pack to be worth what i paid in that the power and reliabilty has been dead on....

Nick

Greg, Not to argue but the many times that I've been on the phone with both USA Trains & Phoenix sound and mention the word Pulse Power I've been told that neither manufacturer will warranty any electronic failure and that they will find the reason why a electronic board failed. I've been told use only pure filtered DC power esp. with USAT. My USAT Hudson lights would flicker when using say the Crest 55465 and no light flicker using a DC power supply.

 

True a regulated power supply works great with DCC but not when using conventional track power...why run a expensive loco with a glorified battery charger??

 

My opinion is to buy the biggest Bridgewerks power supply that you can afford..ya can never have to much power in large scale..

 

 

I have been reading this topic with some interest but had intended to not make any comments - mainly because I am not qualified to discuss the technical issues involved.

 

I have had a recent experience I would like to comment on.

 

My office/shop layout has a variety of trains on it and over the past months I have experienced problems with locomotives that first made me think I had exceptionally dirty track. After cleaning the track (several times) I started to suspect the particular loco I was running (a very old and well used LGB Mogul).

 

I then bought another LGB Mogul (recent production but used) and was surprised to find I started having similar problems with it. Since it was used I started to suspect this loco too - especially when the headlight would even become bright but the loco would not move - the older Mogul headlight would flicker a bit.

 

It happened that I had also bought a new Aristo-Craft Doodlebug & Heavyweight set so I put that on the tracks and it (and another matching set) now have well over a dozen running hours with no sign of any problems.

 

I have a pretty wide assortment of both brands of locomotives and brands of power supplies and the only conclusion I have come up with has been that some locos seem to like some power supplies (usually those of the same brand as the loco) better than others.

 

What is strange is that the LGB locos run perfectly fine now under LGB power yet the first Mogul (and other LGB Moguls) had run for months with no problems and then gradually started having problems.

 

I'm not mentioning the power supply I am using because it is more complicated than that and I don't want to falsely blame a brand or product that might not be the real culprit.

 

About all I am saying is that some brands and models of locos seem to demonstrate a preference for some brands of power supplies but perhaps more important some sound systems seem to be more compatible with some brands and models of power supplies than with others.

 

I have had very good results with Bridgewerks (and love their warranty which even covered a discontinued power supply) and I have some locos/sound systems that seem to prefer the Bridgewerks power but I also have some other locos/sound systems that seem to prefer the power output of LGB power supplies and yet other locos/sound systems that seem to prefer Aristo power supplies (don't ask me to explain it - I could not).

 

One potential problem that I have (I think) discovered is that power supplies are potentially so complex that they could start giving us problems without actually failing leaving us who are not engineers and who do not have (or know how to use) an oscilloscope scratching our heads unless we have another power supply to help us identify where an electrical problem is originating at.

 

Regards,

 

Jerry

Hi Knut,

 

In my case I use brand as more indicative of various technologies that may vary from brand to brand (or technology that may vary within a brand). I don't know much about the technologies involved or the technological requirements of the various types of motors.

 

In my case I like the simplicity of Bridgewerks (not having the stuff you mentioned) yet I realize that there is no one choice is best for all situations. On the other hand I just bought Aristo's new 15 amp power supply and 15 amp throttle and new Train Engineer (don't ask me why - I'm not really sure).

 

Then again I would not want to even guess what happens when I start throwing in things like mixing brands of remote controls and throttles with the different power supplies such as when I connect a Train Engineer to a MAG-15 or even when I connect a UR-15 to a MAG-15.

 

Its funny that you mention the LGB Jumbo because they are my all time favorite power supplies and in my opinion they far exceed their rated capacity - as reflected in the many locos/trains I can run with them vs other similarly rated power supplies. Of course I would never attempt to explain or justify what I just said (I could not).

 

I tend to think of Bridgewerks as plain pure DC muscle power. Right or wrong they seem to just put out a lot of power that if anything seems to be at least equal to their rating but sometimes they can exceed their DC voltage rating (not always a good thing). Then too the reverse can happen with some sound systems that are perhaps designed for best performance with something other than pure DC power.

 

I'm not trying to explain anything or convince anyone of anything. I'm just saying that I have had a lot of strange experiences with different brands and models of power supplies. When we mix and match brands of stuff the results are not always predictable.

 

Regards,

 

Jerry