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Is there any danger in hooking up one regulator to two sets of track with two
of the wires that clip to the track. I tried it out and I know that it works
but wasn't sure if this was a "legal" thing to do or am I going to end up
blowing up the system? How many clips can you attach to the regulator before
the resistance start to slow down the trains? (physics wasn't my thing) Can
you attach anything else like motors (non train ones) to the regulator? I just
don't want to repeat anyone's bad experiments.
thanks
-eben
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Once upon a time, "Eben Hill" <ehill.s@nyls.edu> wrote:
> Is there any danger in hooking up one regulator to two sets of track with two
> of the wires that clip to the track. I tried it out and I know that it works
> but wasn't sure if this was a "legal" thing to do or am I going to end up
> blowing up the system? How many clips can you attach to the regulator before
> the resistance start to slow down the trains? (physics wasn't my thing) Can
> you attach anything else like motors (non train ones) to the regulator? I just
> don't want to repeat anyone's bad experiments.
I don't know if it is 'safe' or not, but my kids often use the speed
regulator to run the various (non-train) LEGO 9V electric items.
Steve
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Eben Hill writes:
> Is there any danger in hooking up one regulator to two sets of track with two
> of the wires that clip to the track. I tried it out and I know that it works
> but wasn't sure if this was a "legal" thing to do or am I going to end up
> blowing up the system? How many clips can you attach to the regulator before
> the resistance start to slow down the trains? (physics wasn't my thing) Can
> you attach anything else like motors (non train ones) to the regulator? I • just
> don't want to repeat anyone's bad experiments.
I think it's pretty much impossible to damage the train controller no matter
what you do to it [1]. Lego expect people to 'experiment', that's the whole
point of Lego so you can be sure that if you can build it, it will be safe. [2]
To answer your 2nd question, you can attach many trains to a train controller,
I think I've had 4 running without any noticeable decrease in speed.
Yes, you can attach non-train motors to the train controller.
Matt
[1] Of course I mean within the Lego universe, if you start doing non-Lego
things like attaching the output of the controller to a 110V outlet by jamming
some bare wires in, then yes, it will explode.
[2] The train controller has a voltage regulator in it that has built in
overload protection. So if you overload it, it just shuts off. [3]
[3] If you attach 20 trains to your train controller and it bursts into flames
don't blame me, I didn't design it or manufacturer it.
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Not an expert in electronics....I think the regulator adjust to the amount
of current that is drawn by the motors so two regulators would share the
workload on the same system and if you add more motors on the same regulator
it would just feed more current without slowing things down???????
Hey I could be wrong here
Any ways using commen sense tells you everything has its limits, you may at
one point add to many motors lights etc and than it would be ouside its
designed limits which may cause an overload,( Matt Bates already said that
there is an overload protection, allowing you to overload the darn thing) so
have fun. I'm sure Lego has tested this thing and would probably not sell it
if it had only a slight chance of blowing up.(don't think they would want to
get sued)
regards
Dave
PS where are those electronic hobbyist among us that understand this and can
explain this thing.
wrote in message ...
> Is there any danger in hooking up one regulator to two sets of track with • two
> of the wires that clip to the track. I tried it out and I know that it • works
> but wasn't sure if this was a "legal" thing to do or am I going to end up
> blowing up the system? How many clips can you attach to the regulator • before
> the resistance start to slow down the trains? (physics wasn't my thing) • Can
> you attach anything else like motors (non train ones) to the regulator? I • just
> don't want to repeat anyone's bad experiments.
>
> thanks
>
> -eben
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On Sat, 5 Dec 1998 23:17:22 GMT, "Dave Jost" <djost@cybertrails.com>
wrote:
> Not an expert in electronics....I think the regulator adjust to the amount
> of current that is drawn by the motors so two regulators would share the
> workload on the same system and if you add more motors on the same regulator
> it would just feed more current without slowing things down???????
>
> Hey I could be wrong here
>
> Any ways using commen sense tells you everything has its limits, you may at
> one point add to many motors lights etc and than it would be ouside its
> designed limits which may cause an overload,( Matt Bates already said that
> there is an overload protection, allowing you to overload the darn thing) so
> have fun. I'm sure Lego has tested this thing and would probably not sell it
> if it had only a slight chance of blowing up.(don't think they would want to
> get sued)
>
> regards
>
> Dave
>
> PS where are those electronic hobbyist among us that understand this and can
> explain this thing.
Well, if you draw too much current thru your regulator, You'll most
likely run into the limits of the wall-brick trafo thingy. Whgen that
starts to get hot at prolonged use, beware :)
Jasper
Jasper
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Jasper Janssen wrote:
>
> On Sat, 5 Dec 1998 23:17:22 GMT, "Dave Jost" <djost@cybertrails.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Not an expert in electronics....I think the regulator adjust to the amount
> > of current that is drawn by the motors so two regulators would share the
> > workload on the same system and if you add more motors on the same regulator
> > it would just feed more current without slowing things down???????
> >
> > Hey I could be wrong here
> >
> > Any ways using commen sense tells you everything has its limits, you may at
> > one point add to many motors lights etc and than it would be ouside its
> > designed limits which may cause an overload,( Matt Bates already said that
> > there is an overload protection, allowing you to overload the darn thing) so
> > have fun. I'm sure Lego has tested this thing and would probably not sell it
> > if it had only a slight chance of blowing up.(don't think they would want to
> > get sued)
> >
> > regards
> >
> > Dave
> >
> > PS where are those electronic hobbyist among us that understand this and can
> > explain this thing.
>
> Well, if you draw too much current thru your regulator, You'll most
> likely run into the limits of the wall-brick trafo thingy. Whgen that
> starts to get hot at prolonged use, beware :)
This comes up a fair bit on a regular basis. Someone needs to write up
all that is known and get Matt to add it to his excellent site.
Anyway here's what I know. I probably have a 1/2 dozen regulators at
this point of various histories (most used, actually, I sold off all the
new ones I had when first getting started that I got from a store
unloading theirs) I have run 4 train motors all the time. At that level
there is a noticable loading down (top speed is not as fast as with just
1 or two) and any stall can send the controller into overload (like if I
am powering a compressor and the pressure switch is maladjusted).
I ran 6 train motors once on a single regulator. It worked for about 5
min. The regulator got detectably warm, then shut down. I let it sit for
about 1/2 hour and it worked. I never did that again.
Hope that helps.
--
Larry Pieniazek http://my.voyager.net/lar
For me: No voyager e-mail please. All snail-mail to Ada, please.
- Posting Binaries to RTL causes flamage... Don't do it, please.
- Stick to the facts when posting about others, please.
- This is a family newsgroup, thanks.
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On Sun, 6 Dec 1998 04:30:54 GMT, Larry Pieniazek
<lpien@ctp.IWANTNOSPAM.com> wrote:
> I ran 6 train motors once on a single regulator. It worked for about 5
> min. The regulator got detectably warm, then shut down. I let it sit for
> about 1/2 hour and it worked. I never did that again.
Sounds like a fairly intricate scheme - especially if it automatically
goes back to work again, instead of requiring you to replace the fuse,
which is the usual option. Good work by Lego, I guess. I'll open mine
up one time and check :)
BTW: You didn't mention this, but someone else way out there in the
thread did, so: be careful with putting _two_ regulators on the same
track - especially if you're not careful about turning the knobs at
exactly the same time, one will be feeding current into the other.
Could be rather - unwanted side effects. So to speak.
Jasper
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Jasper Janssen wrote:
snip
> BTW: You didn't mention this, but someone else way out there in the
> thread did, so: be careful with putting _two_ regulators on the same
> track - especially if you're not careful about turning the knobs at
> exactly the same time, one will be feeding current into the other.
> Could be rather - unwanted side effects. So to speak.
Hi All,
To add to the complexity, with the introduction of 4519 crossover, will
it be possible to have to separate train systems powered by separate
controllers which crossover one another, once, twice etc.
Mark H.
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On Mon, 7 Dec 1998 08:23:51 GMT, Mark Harrison <harro1@one.net.au>
wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> To add to the complexity, with the introduction of 4519 crossover, will
> it be possible to have to separate train systems powered by separate
> controllers which crossover one another, once, twice etc.
Unless they have foolishly connected the two sets of crossing tracks.
Now wouldn't that really suck :)
Jasper
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1) The location you clip wires onto the regulator contains two
terminals. One of these terminals sources current to a load
(e.g., a motor). The other of these terminals provides the
return path for current (remember, an electrical circuit forms
a current loop).
2) By attaching wires and tracks to a regulator, you are simply
extending these terminals. Ironically enough, we call these
"rails". As long as you don't apply a load, such as a motor,
across these rails, you can hang as many off the regulator as
you can build.
3) As soon as you apply a load to any rail hanging off a common
regulator, current is being drawn from the regulator. The
current drawn from a regulator depends on the resistance of
the load.
4) A regulator of this nature does NOT control current, but rather
controls voltage. It allows applied loads to draw whatever
current they demand. However, note that a regulator typically
has a limit on the amount of current it can source before its
ability to regulate voltage begins to breakdown. Typically,
a regulator sourcing current at or beyond its rating will not
be able to maintain the voltage output and it will fall off
with demand.
5) I never really fully understood the characteristics of a motor.
However, you must note that they are dynamic in nature. I
believe a free running motor will continue to draw a constant
current, independent of voltage. As the voltage across a motor
increases, so doesn't its speed. The motor will draw more
current if a mechanical load is applied to it (e.g., the
friction of running on the track, the weight of the train
and its payload, and inclination).
I hope this helps--I know it is pretty intense stuff. However, you
can think of electricity flowing through a circuit like you would
think of water flowing through the plumbing of your house. Voltage
translates into pressure. Current translates into the rate at which
the water flows. A load is something like a sink. The drainage
system provides the return.
Eben Hill wrote in message ...
> Is there any danger in hooking up one regulator to two sets of track with two
> of the wires that clip to the track. I tried it out and I know that it works
> but wasn't sure if this was a "legal" thing to do or am I going to end up
> blowing up the system? How many clips can you attach to the regulator before
> the resistance start to slow down the trains? (physics wasn't my thing) Can
> you attach anything else like motors (non train ones) to the regulator? I just
> don't want to repeat anyone's bad experiments.
>
> thanks
>
> -eben
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