# Transformer



## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I bought a 30b 300 watt dual trans former over a year ago it works fine my question is when trains are running the needels r about full power. Most of use has seen parts of my layout. Know the shorter tract has the talking sation loogger cattle yard. Bigger track nothing all lights and towers have smaller transformers . why are the needels always all most at full power. Any help would be great . thanks Al.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

alaft61ri said:


> I bought a 30b 300 watt dual trans former over a year ago it works fine my question is when trains are running the needels r about full power. Most of use has seen parts of my layout. Know the shorter tract has the talking sation loogger cattle yard. Bigger track nothing all lights and towers have smaller transformers . why are the needels always all most at full power. Any help would be great . thanks Al.


I would start by checking the voltages coming out of the transformer. I also have a 30B, and I don't dare run anything at full throttle, or even a bit less.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The 30B has only volt meters, no ammeters, so only voltage is displayed. If the meters are reading full scale and the corresponding handle is not at the full voltage position then the meters are out of calibration. it is a common problem. To check the transformer meters you need a separate volt meter known to be good. Since the 30B outputs a pure sine wave any inexpensive multimeter will suffice.
If the transformer handles are at the full output position to run the trains then there may be bad rollers in the transformer. As flyernut says, no way can trains normally be run at anywhere near full throttle with a 30B.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Thankyou guys that helps alot i will ckeck everything but i will replace the rollers. To be on safe side once again thanks al


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Might sound like a silly question but when the trains r running can i use a meter to check how much of a drop. When trains r running. Thanks al. Going to a small show sunday hopefully find something good.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Any cheap multimeter will suffice for measuring the voltage.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Thanks i have onecheked it out has some issue. But i will check it again. Can ck it when trains r running to see how much of a drop. In power i know one carbon roller is chipped all around. The gauges r off when turning handle on bench around 30 rpm gauge needle is at full.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Hi guys hopefully i can explain this about the transformer. I checked it out this is what happened onleft side with meter slowly turned handle. Volts went to what it supposed to be but around 50 or 60 mph gauge wad pined all the way. Know brought back to zero left handle turn all the way meter wenter to 18. Know right side pretty much the same except when move handle from 0 to 30 no volts rise after 30 it was fine . any advice would be grateful thanks al.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

It sounds like you need to take the turrets off the transformer and see what is happening when the handles are rotated. Possibly the handles are not locked into the clip that rotates the roller that contacts the coil. Take a look at the diagrams for the 30B in the factory repair manual on myflyertrains.org.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks i will the handles r warn on the sides. So mabe i will look for handles to. Once again thankyou


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