Operating Water Tower Voltage problem

I have found you need more than one accessory transformer with voltage control on a layout.  Too many differences in Voltage needs, which also can change over time as the accessory is used.  G

That's strange, the manual shows it connected to the 14v posts on a Z-4000. Have you measured the voltage at the accessory to see what it is actually receiving?

Regardless, you need to connect it to the variable side and adjust the voltage to determine what voltage it will operate at to your liking before you can determine what you need to reduce the input from your accessory voltage.

You can certainly put something in-line to do that. Perhaps in the controller switch housing if there is space or inside the tower base.

It may just be the chopped output of CW-80. A pure sine output may be needed.

Determine your voltage required and email Dale H.

Thanks guys... It appears as I lower the voltage on this item the arm does not swing down any slower.  The voltage does not seem to be the issue.  I was attempting to have the arm swing down "more realistically" in a "slower fashion".  It kind of "snaps" down until you release it, and then it "snaps" back up.  I am hoping someone in the forum has this water tower accessory and has been able to slow the process up and down. 

If it's like the Lionel No. 30 Water Tower the mechanism is a spring-loaded solenoid/coil that drops the spout via gravity when activated...so as you've confirmed, voltage does not affect spout speed.

I'd think one could modify it with a $5 DC gear-motor or some other mechanism to control speed so hopefully someone who has done it will come forward...

It has a DC motor if I remember correctly.  Had to replace a pinion gear once.  G

Usually MTH uses motors, but for this unit, it raises the spot with no power, so I suspect that they may have used a solenoid with this unit.  I've never seen one, so this is just speculation, but I don't see how it raises the spot with a motor drive with no power.  The poor video on the MTH site shows it dropping like a stone, not like I'd expect with a motor.

I agree that using a motor to "fix" this one would probably be a good mod.

In the following youtube video, some guy shows an MTH Operating Water Tower.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gEeCrKNdmI

I don't know if is the same version the OP has but the guy refers to changing the motor to fix the tower.  Apparently there are versions of the tower that use a motor to slowly move the water-level indicator up and down.  Would be nice to know if there is a version that indeed uses a motor to move the spout up and down.  If so that would make it easier to modify for slow speed operation as the mechanism would already be "rotary-ready" rather than linear (solenoid).

The FLASH file on the MTH site was pretty poor, but the spout sure moved fast in it, which made me think it wasn't a motor.  Note that I have never seen one of these operate, and I don't really know what's in it.

Thanks guys!  I will dissect and look at some of your suggestions.