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My question is a simple one but I can not find an answer. How much voltage is required to run MTH 30-11038 dwarf signals. I have several and have them hooked up to Atlas 21st Century switches, which took a long time to get them to work. Now I am ready to supply voltage to them and need to know is it AC or DC and how much voltage. Am using DCS on layout. Have 1 Z4000 and 2 Z1000's wired to TIU that goes to 3 AIU's. Have all Atlas switches thru AIU but power supplied by an old Tyco 18VDC / 20VAC transformer from the AC side. Can I use another old Tyco transformer to supply voltage to the dwarf signals or run them off the MTH Transformers accessory side? Am powering the TIU with a MTH Z500 (no accessory terminals). Have several old transformer's from my HO days.

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The signals run on AC, but if you run them for any length of time from 18VAC, they seem to die. We had seven or eight of them on our modular club layout, all but one or two are in a bag on my workbench with busted electronics.

Of course, MTH says between 10 and 18 volts, but don't you believe them!   These were all running from a PH180 brick, and I know they're not getting more than 18 VAC.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The signals run on AC, but if you run them for any length of time from 18VAC, they seem to die. We had seven or eight of them on our modular club layout, all but one or two are in a bag on my workbench with busted electronics.

Of course, MTH says between 10 and 18 volts, but don't you believe them!   These were all running from a PH180 brick, and I know they're not getting more than 18 VAC.

And don't forget there is a filter cap which ups the DC voltage, unless there is a heat producing ballast resistor and zener to knock voltage down to what the 555 likes.

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