For my About.com site I try to give impartial treatment to all scales. I own N, TT, HO, and O scale trains and enough track to at least put up an oval in each scale. Within the next few months I hope to get a few Z scale items. I have read that Z scale motors run on 9 volts. And a while back I saw a page on how to build a circuit to limit the voltage output of your DCC system to 9 volts to prevent damage to your locomotives when running Z scale. It used some kind of rectifier chip you can pick up at Radio Shack, but not to rectify, just so you can wire the diodes in series for voltage drops on each phase of the signal. I thought I bookmarked the page, but I can't find it now. Does anyone know where I can find it? Also, if anyone knows where I can pick up a Z scale decoder equipped loco or two cheap, please send me a PM.
Hi Randall, Marklin Z products run with 8 volts as maximum. Micro Trains Line locos run up to 10 volts. Personally I never run any of my locos more than 8 volts. Don't need to. Marklin steamers are notorius for 100+ mph scale speeds at 8 volts. MTL offering will give you around 80+ mph at 10 volts. So most of us run our stuff at about 5-6 volts just to get more realistic speeds. I searched for that rectifier and couldn't find it. You may want to head over to Z Central Station and post your query there. Or search through the Forums there. Over 1200 Z scalers there. Did you see the photo I posted here last week? Cheers, Jim CCRR
Randall, sometimes I see GP35s for around $100 in ebay, but you have to have patience. A drop in decoder is $28. The normal price with decoder is around $160.
Randall, You may have 2 questions. Motors have a "maximum" limit but that is primarily related to 100% rating ('full' voltage, full load, all day). You won't be doing that. As Jim says, most Märklin locos run a rocket speed at just 6-8 volts, really, really fast. MTL and AZL use Faulhaber quality motors and use different gearing to run at much more prototypical speed using 6-8 V. For DCC, most systems supply the NMRA standard 14volts (most are adjustable). Starter systems usually supply lower voltage, like 12V. NONE of these will damage your locos, please trust me as you will never be using them at maximum Speed Step (maximum duty cycle or 100%). They'll obviously run too fast !! Internally, the decoder rectifies the 'AC' DCC voltage and loses a volt or so, depending on actual rectifiers and load. Then this voltage is fed to the motor through transistor switches which loose just a bit more. If you really must drop the voltage, you can either reduce it in most boosters or use a different power source to get it down to the 'standard' 12 v. Or, use back-to-back diodes in a series string. Each diode will loose about 0.7V.+/-. Parallel two diodes with opposite polarity (the banded end of one to the unbanded end of the other). repeat. You can use any of the 1N4000 series (4000-4007) or any diode other than a glass signal type. 1N5400 is the next highest amperage common diode. .
Thanks for the input everyone. Perhaps I'm paranoid, but I think I'd like a few diodes to drop the peak voltages on my Digitrax Zephyr before running any Z scale. Best!
