Drummer3 posted:Here's a related question about connecting TVS diodes when running the newer electronic engines . . . . if these are so inexpensive and tiny in size, why don't the manufacturers (like MTH, Lionel, etc,) just go ahead and put these in their engines?
Ask your friendly neighborhood beancounter, even though a TVS would be trivial in cost (even at our level of price, at Lionel's, probably pennies), and isn't exactly hard to wire into the circuit (would go across the power leads), it is an 'extra cost' to them. Not to mention if a power surge blows out the unit, you then would be paying for new circuit boards at the very least. Beancounter will tell you every penny matters, and like with most things they do, it often means the consumer suffers. GM had a steering column to steering box joint that engineers specified 5 bolts, the beancounters made them cut it back to 3 (I think it was the late 60's Chevelle), and that is routine.
