Looking for inputs on which Power Supply.

Hi,

I'm new to Z scale, we have a ton of HO stuff for my son, and alot of N scale. So the next step would be some Z stuff for me. After a few days of reading, I can't really figure out what power supply to get. I don't want any of the trains that come with the Marklin starter kits so I would just be getting one of those for the supply and track. So if there is another better option I'm all ears.

I've read alot of conflicting options about using standard HO/N/Z power supplies with Z scale, some say its fine other say it will burn the engines out.

Any help would be great.

I recommend a MRC 1300 that has been modified to 10v like this one. www.zscalemonster.com/mrc/

I also recommend the Zthek snail speed controller.
www.ztrackcenter.com/electronics/

I use the MRC 1300 with 10dv markings on it. I also have the Zthek controller. Stories are correct about too much voltage and Z doesn't really respond well to 'pulse' power. So for a beginner the MRC 1300 will do you. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Thanks for the input, the links helped alot, I've looked over both of those sites and just missed connecting the dots.

This brings me to a second round of questions, would there be a use for both of those? Or would the Snail speed one work for mid/faster speeds also? Is this were the Marklin ones would be one power supply instead of two but at a much higher cost, since I've read they can already go pretty slow, or is the snail speed slower?

Sorry I like to make sure I line my ducks up before I shot them .

Randy, You may get a bunch of answers on this one. Even Lajos himself might answer. For me, someone who is primarily a runner of trains not a yard and switching person, the MRC modified powerpack is just fine. If you have a suitcase, a small shelf, or table top layout then the Zthek controller may be the way to go. Both? Why not, we're talking about a $75 investment and the knowledge that your locos will run as well tomorrow and they do today. I'm sure the members that are into DCC will climb on board shortly. I'm still DC, but for big layouts where you will have friends over for operating sessions or getting into modules for trainshow then DCC is the only way to go. Basically, it is radio controlling your locos individually with out regard to other locos or operators. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

There is lots of choice out there but the most important part is that they do not exceed 10vdc to the track for DC operation. DCC is a whole separate game with different conditons etc.

I use five different throttles
Joeger, Heathkit, Varipulse, Akia, Marklin, and Pro-Z

The Joeger throttle which was available from Ztrack but now only from Germany. It basically was kit which supplied the circuit board with terminals and variable speed knob control with and you have to put it in an enclosure with indicator lights etc. It has very nice momentum control it is fixed rate but there is a control to limit output to the track to a voltage lower than 10vdc. It also shows has an LED to indicate an open circuit and a short circuit conditions on the track. It needs a 9-12vdc input to power it at 1 amp. It has very good slow speed control right down to the crawl. I use either a wall transformer with an 12vdc output at 1 amp max as input. At shows whee I can not access 110vac outlet, I can use it with a battery pack of 4 x 9vdc batteries in parallel that plugs into the same socket as the wall transformer.

The Varipulse 851 from Stapleton Electronics which has PWM momentum and I found it did not cause any problems with Micro Trains Engines. The voltage is limited to 8vdc max and comes in a nice case. You need to supply an AC feed of 9 to 15 volts and 1 amp to power the unit for Z scale and you can adjust the momentum to a deceleration you like for your trains. Another controller that can make an engine crawl so slow it is hard to see it move without overheating your engine. I use a 9vac 1 amp wall transformer to power this unit. For the PWM it needs an AC input so I do not use it with battery power.

The Marklin controller is the battery box that came with the Play set in the plastic box with 0-6-0 and a car with an oval of track. I added the variable speed controller that was available from Ztrack to this 9vdc battery controller. Good portable power source and will run MTL pair of geeps all day at a train show with a good grade of 9vdc battery, like the copper top.

The Heathkit controller is a vary old throttle built from a kit in the 1970's and in its day was probably the most feature rich controller available. It is powered from the AC mains. I can control the max voltage to the track, the starting voltage to the track, the frequency of the PWM momentum control, It has two throttles and 12vac accessory power output terminals. Probably overkill for Z but it works fine. It was the first throttle I had that could make an engine crawl at a rate of 1 foot of track in a minute.

The Akia is a throttle made for the Japanese Z gauge market and is limited to 9vdc output. Has LED's in the throttle control pointer and at 3 points around the throttle which show when your track output has reached 3vdc 6vdc and 9vdc. The indicator at 0vdc shows an open or short circuit. There is a resetable circuit breaker for protection. Uses a wall transformer of 10vdc at .6 amps so good for a pair MTL F7 or a trio of Geeps. Good output smooth from 0 - 10vdc with minimum ripple. I have several and use them for show operating mostly. At shows whee I can not access 110vac outlet, I can use it with a battery pack of 4 x 9vdc batteries in parallel that plugs into the same socket as the wall transformer.

The Pro-Z is a 12vdc output unit and has a constant lighting circuit included so it is not recommended except to run the trains from Pro-Z with interior lighting. It is worth commenting that the Pro-Z work fine on other power packs including the lighting but other none Pro-Z engines, particularly those with coreless motors and small can motor used in Z scale, find this power pack causes heating noise and could very well create a scrap heap engine for your layout if used for other than Pro-Z engines. This is like putting a DC only engine on a DCC track and trying to run it. Power source is a 13vac 1 amp wall tranformer. There is a control to vary the constant lighting output but it doesn't bring the AC down to 0volts. Basically you use it to adjust it to the point where with zero speed set on the controller the lights are on in the trains and the engine does not creep or run.

cheerz
Garth

Myself I stick to Passmann's controller and I'm very happy with it, even if for american modellers it can seem expensive due to €/$ currency. What I definitly appreciate with it is its ability to operate a loco at a steady less-than-scale-man walking speed.

www.passmann.com

Dom

Dom, I am a Oli fan, but I will stick with my NEC. If you ever have a yard with multiple engines on it, you will find out why I love dcc. If you only run one engine at a time, then dc makes sense, but with mutiple sidings, yards, and mainlines, dcc makes it simple. No more trying to move a block and not noticing theres another engine on it. Thats a recipe for derailment and accidents.

I am glad I did not use the Bachman z,n,ho power supply. Were can i buy a power supply for z scale at? The local hobby shop does not carry or will order z scale items.Does not even have a magazine on z-scale.
Thanks
John

The 2nd post here lists 2 links for some Z power supplys.

I went ahead and ordered one of the snail speed controllers I figured I would end up with one of them anyway so why not just start off with one and see what else I would want after that. They are currently out of stock but they said they should have some in soon, so I'm hoping they were right. It looks like Zthek is shut down right now.

I've been looking around at the DCC stuff but I think right now I would prefer to spend my time/money on my layout and not electronics. I don't see myself running multiple trains so I'm not sure its worth the money. But I'm still looking at it so who knows what I will end up doing. Now we might get it for my son's HO stuff and I could always "borrow" it

Thanks again for the inputs they helped a ton and probably saved an engine!

John and Randy, first if you can't find Ztrack at your local hobby, here is the link to our site:

www.ztrack.com/

We do sell individual issues and there are no shipping charges for magazines being sent to a US address.

Randy, Zthek has closed their retail store. We have been working closely with them and continue to carry the line of controllers they offer. The Snail 9 volt battery controllers are out of stock. We are now working directly with the supplier and should have these back in stock around the end of January. We are not taking orders at this moment, but plan to start taking reservations for the unit very soon.

As for the Universal controllers, we are taking orders for these. We are able to get these in. Here is the link to our online ship for the controllers:

www.ztrackcenter.com/electronics/

Rob

garthah wrote:

The Akia is a throttle made for the Japanese Z gauge market and is limited to 9vdc output. Has LED's in the throttle control pointer and at 3 points around the throttle which show when your track output has reached 3vdc 6vdc and 9vdc. The indicator at 0vdc shows an open or short circuit. There is a resetable circuit breaker for protection. Uses a wall transformer of 10vdc at .6 amps so good for a pair MTL F7 or a trio of Geeps. Good output smooth from 0 - 10vdc with minimum ripple. I have several and use them for show operating mostly. At shows whee I can not access 110vac outlet, I can use it with a battery pack of 4 x 9vdc batteries in parallel that plugs into the same socket as the wall transformer.

cheerz
Garth

Garth, Can you post a photo of this Akia throttle? Thank you,

Garth, Is this the same controller?

www.realzj.com/powerpack/index.html

Hi Alex;

Yup thats the one. I have two of them now and they are what I use on my layout and at shows. That and two Joeger handhelds are my show controllers. Hobby Search has them in stock plus I am sure there are other sources in Japan. They are to be released again soon from Crown in different colours but the same design. It also looks like Crown is going to be releasing the roadbed track that Akia RealZJ was producing. The plug on the pack is the same one as used by Kato for their Unitrack.

cheerz Garth

When I checked this AM both Hobby Search and Hobby World no longer had the Akia power supply in stock so I guess we have to wait for the release from Crown in the new year.

cheerz Garth

Garth, Thank you for the confirmation. I think I know of one or two hobby shops that might still have one or two of them.

Thank you all for the info on the power supplies. Have a good night.
John