Amps/current draw on 00 scale locomotives?

[Islineclear3_1]

There used to be a thread on questions you were afraid to ask - but did - but that thread has been shut down

Serious question: does anyone know the average amperage/current draw on a non-DCC locomotive hauling a load, say 10 coaches?

 

[John Webb]

The old Triang X03 motors drew around 0.5 to 0.75A with about five coaches, I recall once measuring on the layout my father and I had in our loft in the late 1950s-early 60s.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Thanks John. I need a new shed to be wired so trying to account for everything...

 

[D365]

Thanks John. I need a new shed to be wired so trying to account for everything...

It depends on what kind of an electric spur you are having installed from the house (outdoor extension lead or fixed spur) and how the cable will be routed.

 

[John Webb]

Thanks John. I need a new shed to be wired so trying to account for everything...

You are talking about 5 watts per loco at most. A single 13A socket would supply the power for most layouts. A standard ring main in the shed should be ample if separate from any ring main in the house and would cover heating and lighting as well.

 

[Dougal2345]

I recall the Triang-Hornby 1970 catalogue had the current requirements of each loco specified in a natty little graphic - in the 300mA range for plastic locos, 500mA for the Wrenns.

However unless you are building a layout the size of the one in Hamburg, as mentioned above it's microscopic compared to a fan heater say...

 

[jupiter]

While the current draw is important, what's more relevant here is the power consumed.

 

[08221]

If you have DCC and an NCE Powercab controller, it can display the amps in real time.

 

[dgl]

Also a multimeter in the positive line of the supply to the track (in series) set to the amps range will give you current draw in real time. You'll want one with a 10A range but it needn't be an expensive one for 12V.

 

[4COR]

If it's being powered by mains, then you can discount any power going into the trains. Heating (or power tools) would be the thing to account for.

 

[Nym]

You are talking about 5 watts per loco at most. A single 13A socket would supply the power for most layouts. A standard ring main in the shed should be ample if separate from any ring main in the house and would cover heating and lighting as well.

You’d never put a “ring main” to a shed. Most likely a 20A or 16A radial.
The copper benifit of a ring is lost when you’re supplying a single point

 

[D365]

A certain saying about a sledgehammer and a walnut springs to mind. In comparison to, say, an electric heater, the power consumption of a typical model railway layout is peanuts.

As per my previous comment, more important than anything is how the electrical supply to the shed will be routed and interfaced from the house.

 

[dosxuk]

At the very high end, it could potentially pull 1A - which works out to 12W. When fed from the mains that would be a current draw of around 0.05A - i.e. don't even factor it into your calculations for running the wiring. Even the most energy efficient lightbulb will be higher powered.