Given that my layout is only 6 x 4.5' and I would dare to get more than 4-5 engines running at once, do I even need a amp and/or volt meter? The one from Tony's is nice, as well as just the plain panel meter ones, and it's not really a matter of the money.... but is it really needed? [ 21. January 2005, 23:51: Message edited by: nscale_lover ]
THe RRAmpmeter is always helpful Mike, especially when you start to run more equipment. Stay cool and run steam.....
Funny you should bring this subject up. I'll be swapping out my 30 Ampmeter for a 5 ampmeter tommorrow at U Do it which is conveiently on the way home from my mothers. I reallize that the Ampmeter tells me how much is being drawn by the engines on the layout. Am I crorrect in answering Mike's question by saying that if the draw spikes while running trains that it indicates: 1) A problem with a motor 2) Physical resistance such as something on the track or something out of guage 3) Something jamming gears 4) Um, what else would it help with? In particular would it help detecting an issue with a new locomotives motor
...and isn't it too late to correct anything when the ampmeter swings sharply to the right and pegs?? with my size layout, unless I ran a consist of locos, I physically can't run any more
I think an ammeter is important especially when trouble shooting engines. I have had three identical engines with two pulling .10 amp and one pulling .18 amp, almost twice as much as the other two. It was some lint jammed in the gears. It would have probably run just fine for a long time, but the ammeter identified a problem I would not have other wise have known about. I agree that it is not so important for a smaller layout, but it can still be important for other reasons.
Need? No. Useful? Possibly. You have to build up some knowledge of what is 'normal', or have other references like Flash's identical units, before it can help much. Often you will see or hear a problem first anyway (what do you spend most time looking at when running your trains? ), so a meter will usually just be confirming the problem, or helping (or hindering) troubleshooting.
