Need a breaker to use with Lionel 6-32923 transformer

What about just a 2 amp fuse and fuse holder from Radio Shack? Easy and fairly inexpensive. And with it powering lighting only I wouldn't think it would blow very often like a track fuse might with derailments etc.?

It is only a 1.8 amp transformer - a 2 amp fuse won't work any faster than the internal electronic breaker.

Only said 2 because I didn't know if you could get a 1.8 amp one? Also didn't know the transformer had an internal breaker (that's bad because I have one of those somewhere around here too). In that case what would be wrong with the transformers internal breaker?

Looking to install a breaker because the Lionel manual says the internal breaker will not protect anything hooked to the transformer. "The circuit breaker’s action continues until the cause of the short circuit is eliminated. This circuit breaker is incorporated into the Transformer to protect it from possible damage. It will not protect the locomotive or electrically operated accessories, so it’s important to eliminate short circuits as soon as possible. The transformer must be unplugged from the wall socket when a short circuit is noticed, and the short circuit must be corrected." Worried it may fry the lights, etc. in the event of an unforseen mishap.

Would a poly-fuse work for this application?

I'd bet money and give you odds that a 2A fast blowing fuse will go far faster than the circuit breaker in that transformer!

Would that be available in the new plastic mini fuses or only the old style glass tube?

Sort of what I was thinking in my previous post, didn't seem like .2 amps would make that much difference?  But, I am by no means an expert on any of this stuff.

Lima,

Glass is what I was thinking of, and that's also the fuse holders they have at Radio Shack. Not exactly sure what the new plastic mini fuses are?

Unless it's an electronic breaker, the fuse will go before the breaker.

 Originally Posted by ADCX Rob:

Rob, we'll have to agree to disagree on this point. 

If I had one, I'd run the test.  I will tell you that the Z1000 with a 6A circuit breaker will pop a 10A fuse in a heartbeat and never even tax the circuit breaker. There have been multiple folks using the Z1000 brick with their MTH TIU and they're taking out the 20A fuse in the TIU and not tripping the breaker on the Z1000 brick.

A 1.8A transformer will deliver considerably more for a short period on a short circuit, which is what we're talking about here.

It depends on the architecture. If it is like other small Lionel transformers, the electronic breaker will not allow any output over 1.8 amps, not even momentarily. The CW-80 will absolutely hit the wall at exactly 5 amps no matter how hard or fast you try to load it.

I agree with the CW-80, I guess the type of breaker is certainly key.  I have never even seen this transformer, I assumed the usual thermal breaker, but that may be in error.

The manual says electronic.

OK, I yield the point.

This is Lionel and only a $35-$40 transformer if that makes a difference. Wouldn't think they spent a whole lot on a breaker? I will try to find mine and test this out this weekend if I have a 2 amp fuse.

I presume the best test will be to install the fuse in the + wire, turn it up all the way and short the wires. If I still have power feeding the fuse, then the fuse blew first. If not the breaker blew first.  Is that a good enough test? Anything else I should check? Hopefully the transformer will still work after the test.

I will post the results if I am able to test it.

If the transformer can't take a short, it's not much of a hobby transformer!

Sounds good!

fractional value fuses certainly are made, but they can be very expensive, depending on the value desired. I have some test equipment that requires odd ball fuses that were rather costly, and I had some speaker systems that used fractional fuses.

I got curious: Newark has fractional fuses at what I consider a reasonable price.

Test results are in and the good news is the transformer still works! Didn't realize it had a breaker before because it's internal. Being male, I probably never read the manual.   Tests were done as I described above.

The 2 amp fuse won 3 times in a row. It blew almost instantly by just dragging the common wire across the down stream terminal of the fuse block. Had a meter on the transformer terminals before the fuse and never lost voltage there, just after the fuse.

You could also see the fuse light up slightly when it blew.

To short the internal transformer I had to touch the two wires together for a second or two, pretty fast, but still took a bit to trip it. It also reset almost as fast after un-shorting the wires. Personally I don't like auto reset fuses like that, I want them to remain off until I reset it.

It looks like the 2 amp fast blow fuse would be just fine in this application. I was using the 1/4" glass fuses from Radio Shack along with one of their fuse holders.

I rest my case.   I was pretty sure that the fuse would be the winner (or actually loser).

Thanks guys,

Is there a way to tell which terminal is plus?

OR do we have to do the voltmeter between the center rails trick?

Will try and pick up fuses and holder today, they have closed 2 Radio Shacks around here in the past month...

Which terminal is plus?  It's an AC transformer, right?  There is no plus or minus terminal.  Typically, the black connector is common, that's mostly important for phasing and use of the whistle and bell buttons.

Wording error on my part, just need to make sure it is in phase with the track power.

It just seems to have two studs, not marked,

In that case, it should be the black terminal to common, though at various times, some Lionel transformers have had phasing issues, so it's best to check phasing anyway.