TT Scale. The Ideal Scale.

I just got a Lenz compact commander from a friend who had no use for it. It's this model here: http://www.eurotrainhobby.com/product_i ... ucts_id/92

From everything I can find, I need a Lenz TR100 transformer to go with it.

Do any of you have this TR100 you don't need? Or if you have experience with the commander, is there some other transformer I can use?

You could ask your local electronics shop if they have a 15V 3A transformer. Take the thing in with you to show them and any competent shop keep should be able to help out. Skip Radio Shack. Take it to a real store.

Well, the commander comes with a power supply. If the transformer is just a beefed up version then it's not a big deal. I though maybe I need both pieces. I've downloaded the manual and nowhere does it say I can just use just the small power supply that comes with it. This is my first foray into DCC.

I think the TR100 is supposed to be the power supply for the unit. But, I think (maybe) that the TR100 power supply might be for european voltages. All the english instructions seem to come out of England. The one you have may be a substitution. Information on this unit is pretty crappy. Even the Lenz site is pretty useless. Do you have any decoders in your locomotives?

Yup, I have one loco with a decoder. The power supply it came with is Euro standard. I guess I'll go to Radio Shack this weekend and find a 15V power supply and see if I can make it work.

CSD wrote:You could ask your local electronics shop if they have a 15V 3A transformer. Take the thing in with you to show them and any competent shop keep should be able to help out. Skip Radio Shack. Take it to a real store.

Radio Shack can really suck, but if you know what you are doing, you can really have fun with those that work there and do not know a thing about electronics. I have gotten the local Radio Shack to call around other stores, or in one case, regional headquarters, trying to find the stock number and price for a Flux Capacitor, 1.21 Gigawatt rating.

HAHA!!!! Radio Shack used to have all kinds of good stuff. Now it's just an average electronics store with the usual sales people behind the counter giving you the usual sales spiel.

I need to find a decent electronics place around here......

back to the future marty!

I believe the Lenz Compact unit marketed by Atlas under their name (but also called "Commander") in the USA a few years ago is the same as the Tillig unit in the picture, although the Atlas one is a different color (black). The Lenz branded version of the compact was never officially sold in the US nor was it ever supported by Lenz USA. Unfortunately, Lenz discontinued all versions of the Compact a few years ago and Atlas announced they would no longer be marketing the unit a month or so after the Lenz announcement.

Any 15 volt AC - 3 amp or better power supply should work with your unit. You could probably get away with lower amperage, but since one of the main features of DCC is it's ability to operate multiple trains on the same track, and lower amps will limit the number of trains.

Did you get a manual with your unit? If not, you may be able to find a downloadable one on the web. The Atlas manual will be in English, and it probably is the same, although I'm not absolutely certain. Atlas also offered an upgrade for their unit in the form of a new IC chip loaded with the final version of the software for the unit, which may fit the Tillig version as well. Atlas may possibly still have the upgrade chip available direct, if you call them, I think it was $10-$15. They may also still have the walk around throttle too, but the list price was pretty high, though they probably have a closeout price if any are left in stock.

A local shop here in Ft. Lauderdale blew out all the Atlas DCC components about two years ago, and I picked up one of the power supplies for $10, thinking it was a cheap price for a 3 amp power supply, even if it was AC and not DC. If you still need one, you could have it for $10 plus whatever the shipping comes to (it weighs about 3 lbs.).

Regards,
Bill

Bill, thanks for the info! I'm still trying to find a suitable power supply for it I don't have the manual but found it online - not the greatest manual ever....