gunrunnerjohn posted:Even with polarized plugs, you have to be mindful of polarity. First off, for both the 135W and 180W Powerhouse models, some were shipped with the polarity wrong. Lionel even had a "reversal cable" to "fix" the issue.
I took them apart and corrected it inside the transformer. I believe at least one of the MTH Z-xxxx bricks also had a polarity issue at one point. Another thing that can bite you is the fact that different outlets in the same room can be wired from opposite legs of the incoming 230V power. This creates a situation where those outlets have reversed phase from each other. If you plug those polarized transformers into each of these outlets, they will be out of phase.
Bottom line is it's always good to be aware of transformer phasing and how to verify it.
As is normally the case, you have more insight than the "Average Bear" as one of my favorite cartoon characters would say. Thanks for the clarification.
