Credit goes all to Gunrunnerjohn who in the past provided me on the path to using the molex connectors. Very inexpensive and easy. For what it cost, I didn’t want to be cutting the Powerhouse cord off.
The ‘snow blanket’ my wife purchased from a fabric store, she gets the widest one available. She then uses smaller strips to cover the cords and as a final touch liberally sprinkles ‘snow’ to cover all the seams. It looks like small snow drifts and gives it more of a three dimensional terrain look. The best looking snow for this is Buffalo Snow Niege. Hiding all the cords really makes it nice and the grandkids love it.
@Zildjianmeister68 posted:@Aaron G. Check out this thread. May be of some help.
I was asking about direct connection to the fastrack with a PH180. Looks to be an adapter cable that Lionel sells or one can make their own as mentioned above. If I'm correct the molex connector on adapter connects to the molex on the PH180. The spade connectors on the adapter connect to the fastrack.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...nnection-to-fastrack
Z
Thanks!
I do have some barrel jack connectors that would probably be easier since I already have the fastrack for it.
@NoviceBen posted:The ‘snow blanket’ my wife purchased from a fabric store, she gets the widest one available. She then uses smaller strips to cover the cords and as a final touch liberally sprinkles ‘snow’ to cover all the seams. It looks like small snow drifts and gives it more of a three dimensional terrain look. The best looking snow for this is Buffalo Snow Niege. Hiding all the cords really makes it nice and the grandkids love it.
Thanks for that.
On the power did you just go directly from the PH180 to a track or did you have to go through a transformer of some kind first?
The PH180 (PowerHouse) is a fixed 18Volt AC, 10 Amp transformer. If you're only running LionChief or other Command Control locomotives, 18Volts is fine. Conventional locomotives require a variable AC voltage source. Note also that 10 amps would be pushing the design limits of the barrel connectors and 14 Gauge or larger wire is recommended for this amperage.
@SteveH posted:The PH180 (PowerHouse) is a fixed 18Volt AC, 10 Amp transformer. If you're only running LionChief or other Command Control locomotives, 18Volts is fine. Conventional locomotives require a variable AC voltage source. Note also that 10 amps would be pushing the design limits of the barrel connectors and 14 Gauge or larger wire is recommended for this amperage.
Based on this info, what would you do? Cut the wires since it has some sort of connector at the end designed to go to a board?
@Aaron G. posted:Based on this info, what would you do? Cut the wires since it has some sort of connector at the end designed to go to a board?
Well...
@bmoran4 posted:Most of us use either the 6-12016 Lionel FasTrack terminal track or make our own FasTrack terminal tracks.
When needing to connect to or from a Molex power connector (say on the PH180), we either cut it off or make our own adapter using the requisite components:
Molex Female housing 538-03-09-2032
Molex Male housing 538-03-09-1032
Molex Male pins 538-02-09-2103
Molex Female pins 538-02-09-1104You may also see use of Banana Plugs with various equipment, like on a CW-80.
Edit: One last option which I forgot to mention is that you can cut the cord off your cost reduced and less capable LC power supply and connect it to your more capable transformer and continue to use the barrel connector on the FasTrack or make your own barrel connector wire with a standard 2.5mm x 5.5mm male connector.
Does the PH180 come with a molex connector so that the only thing is needed is to create a molex connector at the track?
I was told in this or another thread that the PH180 might "push the limits" of a barrel jack connector. My thought was to strip PH180 wires and simply connect to a barrel jack (which are easily obtained on Amazon).
Yes, the PH180 comes with a male Molex connector with female pins. So you would need to build a female Molex connector with male pins. (part numbers referenced in prior posts). You can then connect the other end of your adapter to any FasTack section using the .110 spade connectors as detailed in the making your own FasTrack terminal track link previously provided.
There is nothing physically prevents you from cutting the Molex connector off the PH180 and add a 2.5mm x 5.5mm male connector to it, and yes, one should be cautioned that the PH180 delivers 10 amps of power thus the singular barrel connector and FasTrack section may not survive repeated abuse with such power levels. As such, you may want to actually have two or three barrel connectors stem from a single PH180 splitting the current across multiple FasTrack Barrel Terminal tracks and consider individual 5 or so amp circuit breakers for each and well you begin to see that a Molex adapter makes more sense.
@bmoran4 posted:I am perplexed by those who limit themselves with DC. 3 rail O gauge has been on AC to the rails for over a century and essentially everything will run on AC just fine. The opposite can not be said of running DC to those things, which can ultimately be detrimental. Unlock the freedom to use anything and everything and more of it via AC and loose the worry of "XYZ doesn't state DC compatibility, is it?" nonsense and the potentially costly mistakes that can follow. Additionally, operating on AC doesn't limit your command control options - it expands upon them.
So after several replies on this thread, I think the answer to why people would want to use DC should be startingly apparent. You've got somebody like me who is new to the game (I had HO trains when I was a kid). I started with a Mickey Mouse starter set. I've slowly become more extravagant but nonetheless, is a Christmas time only setup.
With DC power, I can simply pug my 72 Watt DC power plug into the wall and run over 60 feet of track, including 4 switches, Christmas LED track, 6 light rolling stock, and 3 locomotives with ease. For me to switch to AC power I've got to have a multi comment thread and I'm told the best thing to do is to jig up an AC power supply and possibly a piece of track so I can get it to work. And while that might allow me to run more items, more track, and more accessories, I have to tell you that it's not appealing.
That is not what the thread has told you - that is what you have heard and and focused on. If you want a complete beginner/intermediate stock AC system, you pick one of the two transformers - Lionel CW-80 or a Lionel GW-180 - and you connect it to a Lionel Fastrack Terminal section with the provided wires all of which have been mentioned in this thread. But those solutions can be further tailored and or customized and made ones own to meet individual needs and that is what was explored in the discussions here.
I'm not sure I understand why a Fastrack section would not be able to handle a barrel connector unless you believe the wiring underneath the track used to connect the barrel connector to the rails is inadequate. Because most barrel jacks themselves are capable of 16 AWG connections.
A CW-80 offers very little power above what I have now. 1 additional amp. For $149.99. Not to mention the new terminal track I'd have to buy.
The GW-180 is over $300. What exactly does that offer me that would convince me to do that over pulling a second 72 Watt DC and sliding in a couple power block tracks? (other than I have no idea what happens when the locomotive goes from one DC track to another---does it ruin my BT connection?).
You refuse to see how complicated this seems to an average user coming into the hobby compared to DC and why DC would be so much more attractive.
BTW here is my new Christmas layout. I know, I know, DC is weak.
its kinda hokey on one side. Powering the village was the most challenging. Most are battery powered and I bought adapters. It was either that or try to start soldering which would take wayyyy longer. (As it was, this took me forever).
the kids call the section without snow the sad side of town.
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It is no secret and we understand the costs far exceeds some of the roll your own options, hence all the wonderful advice given on how to meet your needs for far less investment. Leverage our experience and leanings to get the best bang and value - it just takes making up some cables and connectors.
I feel Lionel's recent move with supplying a less capable DC Wall Wart instead of a CW-80 or other AC supply is a disservice and source of confusion to those entering the hobby - they start you on the wrong foot. As for the attraction to the simplicity of a barrel jack physical connection, that has no bearing on the type of current flow.
i like that layout you have set up. You seem to be doing pretty well with just the one 72watt power supply. Maybe all you really need is one more.
Would you mind sharing with me your track layout for your inner and outer loops? Looks like you added a side track. I tried to private message you but I don't see an option for that. Was it one of the layouts on the Lionel site?
The barrel connector is easy to use as you mentioned. Regarding the PH180 I'm pretty sure you can just connect those spade connectors on the bottom of any fastrack. I'm not handy so for my first attempt I'd probably get the pre made adapter I shared in the link.
Z
At this point I'm running the 72W DC power supply and a 54 Watt "wall wart" power supply that came with my Disney starter set. The 54W is probably unnecessary as I'm using it solely for 3 plug n play items (in theory I could daisy chain a ton of plug n play to the same track). The thing about fasttrack is that you can use the DC to run all your plug n play items even if you're running your track on AC power. I wish Lionel made many more items and accessories plug n play. They'd have me buying more items if more stuff worked that way.
I've done a lot of research and from some of the sites I've read, the locos may take up about .5 amps which means that my 4 AMP power supply is way more than I need. So until I notice some drop, I'm not inclined to change. TMCC and all that sounds great but it's way too involved for a Christmas setup. In fact and IMO, Lionel needs to make everything available on TMCC available on its bluetooth app.
The one thing that does appeal to me, perhaps, is that some accessories that need to operate by remote (apparently an uncoupling track us used to activate some activities with some operating rolling stock) require AC. However, I've noticed that some things that used to run on AC (like warning lights) are now being controlled by plug n play. And while I do like the idea of being able to have more items to control for my kids, I don't know if my Christmas layout can handle that. And keep in mind that what happens now is the kids plug the power supply into the wall and they use the bluetooth app.
As for my layout, I've been using SCARM to plan them. This way I can think about and plan all year long. Plus once the tree is up, it's almost impossible to play around with the layout too much. I put the area around the tree up on foam that I purchase at Lowe's for garage door insulation. It's super cheap. Then I cut grooves for the cabling to be hidden. I use foam to try to ease the grade down onto the floor from there. It's taken me lots of time to get it right and I still don't like it. See my plan attached. I'm on #5 now. I forgot to buy more switches!!! (my kids love switches).
BTW, one advantage to running your plug n play from a separate power as opposed to from track power is that then the buildings can be on when the track is off. I have my Christmas village adapted to take DC adapters now. So they're plugged into a surge protector that is plugged into a wifi outlet. I have my Lionel plug n play items plugged into the same surge protector so everything turns on at the same time. So Christmas tree and all of the village turns on at one time.
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Thanks for the attachments! Gives me some good ideas. You may have to come up with a way to have the setup all year. 
The inner and outer loop portion from your layout on the first page of thread looks very similar to this example #4 near the bottom. Something similar to what I'd like to set up.
https://www.trainz.com/pages/t...e-to-lionel-fastrack
Z
@Zildjianmeister68 posted:Thanks for the attachments! Gives me some good ideas. You may have to come up with a way to have the setup all year.
The inner and outer loop portion from your layout on the first page of thread looks very similar to this example #4 near the bottom. Something similar to what I'd like to set up.
https://www.trainz.com/pages/t...e-to-lionel-fastrack
Z
Yes, my original layout was designed after that example. Later I used SCARM to create the extra distance around the room. I was going to keep the switches on the inside but I didn't have enough. So I need to buy another.
You mentioned that some accessories are now plug and play like warning lights. I was looking at the crossing lights and the manual didn't indicate D.C., however it's working on your layout so it definitely works. Seems like it's a YMMV situation when it comes to all the layouts. I'm still surprised that the 72 watt wall power supply works for both the loops.
