What track voltage do Z and Nn3 modelers use?

[peteski]

I usually run mine at 10 to 12 volts and have no problems.Even my MTL locos run just fine on 12 volts,there is no excessive heat build up.I don't have any Marklin and do not intend to ever have any.

You actually run your trains at full throttle (12V)?!  The kids must love the spectacle of the high-speed trains! 
Or do you mean that you use a throttle capable of supplying 12V but you don't run the trains that fast?

Or are your Z scale models DCC and the booster sends 12V to the track?

 

[narrowminded]

For those who don't know what this is about, here's a link to a poorly done video, never meant for public consumption, of the second prototype of the engine I've been developing.  And that's the big one!  Finishing some new gear tooling this week and hoping to have gears successfully run by next week, proving out the tooling and final gear design.  What's happening now is the final design for a group of fifteen to twenty-five or so pre-production prototypes for final detail development, refinement, and final testing of the design.  There are still a few details that I want some quantity and parallel tests on to be sure of the materials and especially the  manufacturing processes, making sure the details are right and afford reliable and consistent good performance.  Things like the question posed here.  

[nkalanaga]

I use the same MRC walkaround throttle that my standard gauge uses, as I haven't gotten around to installing the block wiring yet.  As others have said, full throttle is too fast anyway, so somewhere between 6 and 12.

A DC motor, under light load, can usually handle more than its rated voltage.  The main problems of overvoltage are
excess heat, usually under heavy loads, melting the wires or insulation,
excess speed, damaging the coils through centrifugal force,
or arcing, if the insulation can't handle the voltage.

I doubt that ours, even with a few extra volts, will spin so fast that they fly apart.  Insulation is usually good for several times the motor voltage, so arcing shouldn't be a problem.  The main issue is heat, so if you have any doubts about or power supply, try running the train with the body off and feel the motor regularly.  If it doesn't get hot, it should be safe.

[160pennsy]

Yep.

Also have the Rokuhan controller, but found that the speed I run at is also 1.5 volts.

Like Chris, I'm using the Rokuhan controller (output = DC 10V 800mA) for Nn3. My narrow gauge locomotives are the RTR Micro Trains 2-6-0 and the Marklin Bumblebee along with RLW & Gold Rush kits, which all use the same basic Marklin chassis w/5 pole motors (most run well around 3-6 volts depending on how clean the wheels & track are ). Also have a few Searails PowerMax chassis (for use in the Showcase Miniatures Shay kits and future SeaRails projects) that run in the same voltage range but their gearing is much lower.

[Catt]

You actually run your trains at full throttle (12V)?!  The kids must love the spectacle of the high-speed trains! 

Pete,
 at 24 volts a AZL SD70 would be going about 30 MPH. Most Z locos (in my experience anyway) are geared for slow heavy drag type railroading.The AZL F-59 might be flying at that voltage (12 v.) but not the freight units.

[peteski]

Pete,
 at 24 volts a AZL SD70 would be going about 30 MPH. Most Z locos (in my experience anyway) are geared for slow heavy drag type railroading.The AZL F-59 might be flying at that voltage (12 v.) but not the freight units.

24 Volts?  Really? That would be interesting to see.    Thanks for the info - I never owned any AZL items.  But my experience with Marklin is that at 9V ther run rather fast and all the tiny critter-type Nn3 models use motors rater at 3-6V.  That is why I was surprised that you regularly run your Z scale trains at 12V.  I'm pretty sure that Marklin models would have greatly reduced motor life if ran at 12V (plus they would be little speed-demons).

[VonRyan]

The power supply I currently plug into my layout puts out 13v and runs through a cheap Chinese PWM throttle. I have a 6v supply as well, but I have yet to add a Cinch-Jones plug to it so that I can run my PowerMax chassis.

How small is this chassis that you're building in comparison to the PowerMax?

[narrowminded]

How small is this chassis that you're building in comparison to the PowerMax?

I'm still holding on to the final numbers just in case but the loco in the video, which is the BIG one, when measured from the top to the rails, INCLUDING the body, is about 10% shorter than a BARE PowerMax chassis.  And the one in the video is measurably taller than the one that's being finished now.  I think when we're done with this iteration the PowerMax bare chassis will be over 40% taller, maybe over 45% taller, than my bare chassis.  Mine will be just a little bit wider in the mine loco but that won't be true for all power chassis configurations that will follow.  But even more importantly, an unheard of feature in something even close to this size, is the axle compensation.  That means the front and rear axles are free to pivot vertically, independent of each other, to maintain electrical contact. That's especially useful on bad track but also through switches and crossings.

Meanwhile , one of the biggest challenges in this venture has been keeping sufficient weight for good performance.  And the one I'm working on, while measurably shorter in height, is still multiple times HEAVIER than a bare PowerMax.  That combo defined the challenge. The final tests coming up will prove out with multiple units being parallel tested, just how far I have to go with some of the details while still maintaining outstanding performance.  Some of these options come with a real cost so I'm testing to find out just how far I really have to go.  It's been a challenge from the start and every step and detail along the way but it's coming together NICELY.  The good news is, once this is done the knowledge base will be there to fill in the blanks, building other chassis configurations that shouldn't be nearly as demanding. It's been fun.  And that's as much as I should say at this point. 

[nkalanaga]

Catt:  I noticed that my MT Z SD40-2s were noticeably slower than the Marklin 103 electrics I'd been using for diesel mechanisms.  They will run together, but don't like it, so I usually don't.

[Catt]

I've noticed my SD40-2 runs slower than my GP35s too.One of these day I think Iwill do some speed tests with one of my SD70's and the SD40-2 to see if they can be run together or not.

I'd like to re gear my SD70s but I wouldn't know where to start finding gears to do it.

[narrowminded]

So far it seems that a nine to twelve volt range would be a good standard.  That was my inkling but there is so much out there by the specialty modelers that I just wasn't sure.  Part of my goal in building this was to make available something tiny and unique to the industry but also painless to use and performance that doesn't require huge compromises.  Something that could be added in the regular course of building a layout.  Hook up something conventional, do the magic that modelers do with scenes, and then run it just like the rest of the layout, or at least reasonably so.  Not some finicky, high maintenance, PIA.  

It was my own interest in having an operating coal mine loco that started this and during that search, finding nothing, it occurred to me that I might not be the only one interested.  Not when a mine is such a common scene on many railroads but not an operating, low profile, mine style loco in sight.  And when there was one it was a static model.  Seemed like a natural for a model train board.  Very early in the effort it also demonstrated why there wasn't one.   It ain't as easy as a glance would lead you to believe.  At least not me as one recently returned to the hobby after decades away.  But those same decades is when I was learning the things that have let this happen so it's been good, very challenging, and really fun as each hurdle was overcome.  And it's finally coming together, finishing off the last million or two details.

Thanks to all for the replies and feel free to add anything more.  I was already leaning in the direction that the poll seems to confirm but nothing like seeing it in black and white.   ... or is that chartreuse and mauve?