Excuse my multiple posts. I seem to be fixating on several subjects at the same time. (And as an aside, I'm not even doing any electrical work at all on my layout at this time. I'm up to my elbows, literally, in plaster working on scenery. )
This question though is about what seems to be conflicting information about circuit protection. I know there have been many, many threads on this subject and I've read most of them, but not being very savvy on electronics I'm confused, so I have two questions:
- I've read in past threads that a TVS protects the trains and a circuit breaker protects the transformer. Is that correct?
- From what I've also read, a pair of TVS diodes, such as a 576-1.5KE36CA across the A & U and D & U terminals on a ZW will protect the trains. Correct?
- If the answers to both #1 & 2 above are YES then why would Hennings trains, as an example, sell what they call a self-resetting 2.5 amp circuit breaker that goes between the A terminal (as their example shows) and the track and in the description say it will “protect the new electronic circuit in locomotives?” I assume, on a ZW, I'd need two.
So do you seem my confusion? If the purpose of a TVS is to protect the trains and the circuit breaker protects the transformer, how can a circuit breaker protect the trains too? Do I need both? I should mention I don't have command control. I operate conventionally with postwar equipment and several new LC+ engines.
