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UPDATE 1/31/20: If you care or want to see how fixing my ZW worked out, go to the end of this thread.....

 

 

Hi- I am relatively new to using an original, postwar,  ZW transformer. I purchased one on this forum from a member who said all of the functions are operating properly. When I went to hook it up today, I noticed the following:

1-One side powers the train just fine (terminals A and U hooked up). However, the power always seems to be "on" at the track, meaning, the lights in the passenger cars are always on, even when the ZW lever is pulled as far back as it can go. When I push the ZW lever forward, the train runs just fine.

2- The power on the other side (terminals D and U) does nothing when hooked up. I have replaced a good existing transformer on this line of track which works fine and still operates this track fine after the ZW is removed, so it is not the train, track, etc.

3- I have tried powering this known good track/train using terminals B and U and C and U and they do not work either.

4- The power light bulb works and always stays on as soon as the transformer is plugged in.

Am I doing something wrong or missing something obvious??

I am pretty familiar with electronics, so I am wondering what I should look for when I take the transformer apart and/or what I can do inside to make the non-functioning terminals work.

Any suggestions or ideas?? Thank you so much in advance. I appreciate it!!

Last edited by GZ
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Remove the lid and look at the common (U) post bus bar....the studs that are riveted to that bus bar are known to pop away from the brass strip. If they are, there are simple repair studs available with studs at both ends to spin a nut on the back side and lock it down to the bus bar strip......

as far as the throttle not turning off all the way, look at the arm for that particular throttle lever, and see if it’s coming all the way off the coil when set all the way back. .....hope all that helps........Pat

Rex K posted:

I would contact the seller and tell him your situation and get a partial refund.

I would rather fix it myself. I fully understand that when I am buying a 50-60 year old item, it is subject to not working, despite what the seller states. Also, it could have worked fine when he tested it but having been shipped half way across the country, something happened. I don't know.

I have been around old stuff my whole life and know that if its old, it needs work or will need work. 

Part of the fun of collecting old things is working on them and making them work right. Learning how to make an old item work is part of the fun and rewarding. If you don't want to work on old things, collect something new that you can return to the manufacturer. 

Last edited by GZ
harmonyards posted:

Remove the lid and look at the common (U) post bus bar....the studs that are riveted to that bus bar are known to pop away from the brass strip. If they are, there are simple repair studs available with studs at both ends to spin a nut on the back side and lock it down to the bus bar strip......

as far as the throttle not turning off all the way, look at the arm for that particular throttle lever, and see if it’s coming all the way off the coil when set all the way back. .....hope all that helps........Pat

Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it. When I get some time I'll open it up and see what's going on.

Any other tips??

Thanks!!!

GZ posted:
I would rather fix it myself. I fully understand that when I am buying a 50-60 year old item, it is subject to not working, despite what the seller states. Also, it could have worked fine when he tested it but having been shipped half way across the country, something happened. I don't know.

I have been around old stuff my whole life and know that if its old, it needs work or will need work. 

Part of the fun of collecting old things is working on them and making them work right. Learning how to make an old item work is part of the fun and rewarding. If you don't want to work on old things, collect something new that you can return to the manufacturer. 

I think you have a great attitude, GZ, and I bet, especially with input on this Forum, that you will fix your ZW so it works great.

There a couple of defects that could prove to be fatal to the ZW.  The transformer coil is tapped by running spring copper arms with carbon rollers across the windings. If the carbon rollers wore out and were not replaced, the copper arm would drag across the windings. In time this situation can result in the windings being cut with the copper arm being dragged across them.   I know on only one person to ever rewind the ZW transformer, and that was a long time ago.  

There is no over current protection for shorts between A, B, C, or D circuits.   I have seen where the control arms and windings have been annealed because of high current shorts that were not interrupted. There is really nothing that can be done once the windings are overheated like this.

Your description of the transformer not shutting off, could be caused by worn out rollers allowing the control arms hitting each other. A quick look in will provide a lot of information.  

I just gave away two ZWs because the newly manufactured ZWs are far superior to the postwar ones and better for the electronics in the newly produced engines.  When the 50 year old ZWs were the ONLY ones out there and you had no choice BUT to fix them, you did.  Consider that those old ZWs would never be UL approved, have slow circuit breakers, the output is inconsistent for modern electronics and are a potential fire hazard, well  I wanted them gone.

The recipient of the ZWs signed a waiver that explained the potential risks and his acceptance of those risks of using 50 year old transformers.

I know there are  are a lot of old ZWs still in use and the thrill of getting one fixed up but it's like using heliarc plasma weider to solder 22 ga wires instead of a 20 watt iron. Not the best choice.

Train Nut posted:
Judd posted:

Why would a pure 60hz sine wave be inconsistent with modern electronics?

It's not, you just need to add the proper protection.

Yeah - there are those on this forum that are unnecessarily alarmist (or dare I say religious) and try hard to justify spending hundreds on a shiny new transformer when common sense and a few bucks of TVS diodes and circuit breakers alleviate all reasonable concerns.

Judd posted:

I realize that. But I keep reading about not using the old ac transformers with the modern trains.

That sentiment is 100000000% false and perpetuated by those who do not (or choose not) to understand the electrical concepts at play. Let us not hijack this thread any further, but those in the "know" encourage all transformers (modern or not) add external TVS diodes and properly sized breakers, all which can be researched further on this forum, or you can start a new thread with your own questions.

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