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Reply to "2 Lionchief questions!!"

Well guys the big capacitor is the number one failure in the LC and LC+.  The bridge rectifier is said to be number two.  What do they do? (yall know)  Convert AC to DC, and clean up the power input.  The DC after the rectifier is in no way as smooth and clean as the DC out of a power source.   Folks are changing the capacitors to gel filled higher grade and running them on DC. So the bridge rectifier is not being used, but is kept in case someone wants to use it.  Life expectancy on the factory capacitor is 3 to 5 years when used with converted AC and much longer if used with a DC power source. 

I don't pretend to understand the electronics.  But folks that do understand it have explained it to me in great detail.   I don't claim to know more than you folks about them either, but I do expect the techs at Lionel to know at least as much.   And that is where most of my information is coming from.  Along with many others that repair them. My local Lionel repair facility told me about it a year ago.   So I did a bit of study.  They also sell LC and LC+. They also say the capacitor is the number one failure and cause for sets to be returned during the warranty period.  And we know that's only a year!

What really got to me.      I was talking to a tech at Lionel about another issue.   Told them I was considering picking up one of the newer ZW transformers.   They asked if I would be running mostly LC and LC+ engines which I do.   Then I was told not to by the ZW to wait until a better DC power source was being offered.  And to run them on DC only if I could.  I see lots of other brand DC power sources, which I may try out.   For now I'm going to run mine on the Lionel 72 watt power sources.   One for each main.

Actually makes sense to run them on DC, everything in them is DC, even the electro-couplers on the newer stuff.  Mike Reagan says that they are quieter.   As far as what voltage Lionel runs their display trains at, this was told to me by someone that also runs a display at shows.   They run theirs the same as Lionel. Each set and consist dictates to voltage.   That's why its six to nine volts on LC.

I can see why Lionel and all other makers would change it all to DC.   And I can see why they don't, lots of lost sales on AC equipment. And some very upset customers!

Jim

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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