Controller And Short Circuits - Lionel Zenith Express Owner's Manual

Controller and short circuits

Y
our Lionel power pack is listed by
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. and
has been carefully designed and tested
to ensure peak performance. The con-
troller is equipped with a built-in elec-
tronic circuit breaker that alternately
cuts off and restores the flow of power
to the track whenever a short circuit
exists—for example, when the train
derails. The circuit breaker's action con-
tinues until the cause of the short circuit
is eliminated. This circuit breaker is
incorporated into the controller to pro-
tect 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 power pack must be
unplugged from the wall
Note!
socket when a short circuit
is noticed, and the short cir-
cuit must be corrected.
A short circuit is caused by a direct
connection between the center rail and
one of the outside rails or by a direct
connection between bare wires. The
axles of a derailed car or locomotive are
the most frequent cause of short circuits,
so make sure that all wheels are proper-
ly set on the rails. Some other causes of
short circuits might be staples, nails,
paper clips, or other metallic objects
lying across the rails, or two bare wires
touching each other.
If too many cars or accessories are
used, your controller will exceed its
power limit and begin to cycle on and
off. To correct this problem, cars or
accessories must be removed before
normal operation can resume. For more
power, see the line of Lionel high-out-
put transformers at your Authorized
Lionel Value Added Dealer.
The same condition can occur if the
power is turned up too quickly. This
also could cause your train to move too
fast and derail.
After your power pack has been oper-
ating for a while, you will find it warm
to the touch. It is the nature of all electri-
cal power equipment to become warm
when in use. If your controller is loaded
to capacity, it is a good idea to let it cool
down after an hour or two of continu-
ous use. Unplug the power pack from
the wall when the controller is not in
use.
9
9