# Mean Well power supply



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Well, its time to add some dedicated power to my other loops. Up 'til now, I've been running everything with a single Aristocraft Ultima 10 amp power supply. But, with the constant addition (or addiction!) of more engines, more rolling stock, and thus longer trains- it's time to invest in more power. I've heard about people using the Mean Well power supplies with some success. TRC Electronics has some pretty good prices on them. Since, I already own a couple of extra Aristocraft CRE-55460 10 amp controllers, I figured the Mean Well supplies might work out good. Naturally, I've got some questions (and I know you have answers!!!). Here goes.......

1- Is anyone using the Mean Well with the Aristocraft 10 amp controller? Hows it working out- any issues?

2- I'm guessing that I'd want to buy the 10 Amp, 24 Volt Mean Well (TRC Electronics #SP-240-24). I'll probably buy 2 of them- One for each separate loop of track. Then, I'd have more than enough power on each loop to run whatever I want (double headed freight trains, long heavyweight passenger trains, etc).

3- Does anyone sell the mate to the modular plug that is already on the Aristocraft controller? I know its not necessary, but it I don't want to cut it off the controller and hardwire it to the power supply. I'd rather make a pigtail on the power supply and be able to just plug in the controller- just like on the Ultima (I know, I know, call me picky........).

4- _*IF......*_ some day I decided to buy an Aristocraft Train Engineer (probably the old system CRE-55470), would I run into any compatibility issues?

5- Any other thoughts, ideas, recommendations, etc. are always welcomed.

As always- Thanks for the help.


-Kevin.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I have 2 friends that use the Aristto 13 amp 22.5 volt supply with the 27mhz trackside train engineer. They have had no problems. 

Just one thing to remember, the train engineer receiver must be 3 feet from a power source for consistant programming. Really 3 feet from any electronics such as power supplies or even telephone/blu-ray equipment. 

I use a 8 amp 24 volt supply outdoors in New England with my trackside 27mhz TE and it has been in use for 8 years with no issues. 

I do run a small loop with the Ultima and this powers my accessroy receivers as they have a 22 volt DC limit. 

I also support a club that uses 2 potran 6.5 amp 24 volt power supplies with 2 trackside TE's with no problems to date. 

So, I do not have a mean well, but do use other supplies with 24 volt regulated supply ratings.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I use the meanwell, (have several) and have recommended it as a reliable, low cost regulated switching supply. 

Many of my friends have bought them. 

Recommended. 

Greg 

p.s. you have to add your own power cord and power switch.


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

I use to use a Meanwell when I ran track power with a A/C trackside train engineer. It worked great.


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## jaanth (Feb 22, 2008)

I use a Mean Well 15A/24V supply split between two controllers. Have happily powered trains with for the past couple of years. 

The only problem I have experienced is with a DCC locomotive that is supposed to be able to run on DC. According to the locomotive manufacturer, at what appears to be 9V on the track to a normal locomotive, has pulses in the power to which exceed 21V, and the DCC card shuts down. Whether that is true, or they are just pointing at that so not to fix there locomotive. I don't know. 

Hope this helps.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Many large scale decoders are derived from HO decoders, and do not have the proper voltage handling for LS, which is a max of 27 volts DC. (22 volts DCC)

So Tsunami (found in Bachmann), some Digitrax, and some other brands are not tolerant. 

If you go to the DCC standards, you will find the max DC voltage should be 27 volts on decoders over "N" scale. look in section "C", line 71 states this.. 

Here's the document: 

*http://www.nmra.org/standards/DCC/s...004-07.pdf* 


They may still tell you to shove it, but they cannot tell you that it meets the NMRA DCC standard. 


Regards, Greg


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By jaanth on 27 Jul 2011 02:44 PM 
According to the locomotive manufacturer, at what appears to be 9V on the track to a normal locomotive, has pulses in the power to which exceed 21V, and the DCC card shuts down.

Well, the DCC card is not supposed to shut down at 21 volts as Greg pointed out, but just for interest - how did the loco manufacturer decide that there were21 volt pulses in the output of the Meanwell (or am I misinterpreting what you wrote?).

First Meanwell supply I bought to run my trains was a 24 volt 6.5 amp unit - I measured it's output characteristics and every parameter including noise was well within specs.
There were no 21 volt spikes or any other spikes of any magnitude.

I later found a very detailed test report of those types of Meanwell power supplies on line - done by an independant lab - they tested every last specified parameter (which I hadn't done) and evry last one was well within the published specs. I was quite impressed with the quality of those supplies compared to the price they are sold for.


Knut


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Funny, the manufacturer is already trying to blame something else, and they have their facts wrong on the max DC voltage... unless they specify that they are not NMRA compliant, and cannot correctly call their decoder DCC... 

They are probably thinking that max DC voltage is the same as max DCC voltage... 

Just baloney... 

After all this, what is the manufacturer and model of the decoder? 

Greg


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## gregg k (Dec 27, 2007)

Could someone add a link to the Mean Well power unit and/or which one is the preferred one for model trains 10-15 AMPs.
Thanks


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Gregg try here. http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&pa=693581&productId=693581&keyCode=PDF Later RJD


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## Polaris1 (Jan 22, 2010)

Per Greg E....... I bought the Meanwell 11 Amp 27 Volt unit at JameCo for the $70 price..... + shipping. 

I had trouble snapping off the terminal plastic cover needed to protect the hot 110v contacts.... 
Plastic cover removes easily if you roll it from the top down...... Snaps on super quick. 

I plan to use the Meanwell with the RC (radio Control) mode setup with the Bridgewerks UR-15 DC track feed. 

Doing garden bulb/tuber work over the past 5 days & trains are both parked & blocked... in GBay, WI... (5-0 Country..)


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

or you build your own powerpack. 

http://www.wikihow.com/Image:ATX-to-Lab-PSU-6.JPG 

add a rheostat and you are ready to run. 

i just did that, and i am content with two new 24 Volt 15 Amp DC powerpacks.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Gregg - 

The "preferred" Meanwell supply depends a bit on the application, ie the voltage you want for the device that you're powering. 
The one linked to above has a nominal 27 volt output which is adjustable from 26 to 32 volts and it provides an output current of up to 11 amps. 
I tend to go for the 24 volt version where the output is adjustable from 20 to 26.4 volts and you get a bit more current - 12.5 amps. 
All depends what you are driving with that supply. 
I also tend to go for the PFC version of the Meanwell which is a bit more money but it saves a bit of money in the long run. Not sure it makes total financial sense from a payback perspective since we don't run our trains for long periods every day but it's definitely more environmentally frindly.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The reason I have recommended the 27 volt one is for DCC where 27 volts input normally yields 24 volts to the rails, helpful in many DCC situations. 

Also, the NCE system I use is a 10 amp system, so over 10 amps is basically wasted. 

Regards, Greg


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 22 Oct 2011 08:08 PM 
The reason I have recommended the 27 volt one is for DCC where 27 volts input normally yields 24 volts to the rails, helpful in many DCC situations. 
Also, the NCE system I use is a 10 amp system, so over 10 amps is basically wasted. 
Regards, Greg 
Yes - for your application (powering the NCE DCC system) the 27 volt version makes sense and is the correct one to chose.

I used my first Meanwells with a home-brew analogue throttle which had a fairly low voltage drop at maximum and for that application even the 24 volt unit provided more voltage than what I needed.

But since I'm going to use that supply in the future, I decided not to go with a lower voltage which I could have done for that initial analogue use.


Knut


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## alx19881 (Sep 23, 2017)

Is it safe to use a Mean Well power supply with an LGB throttle, such as the 51070, 51079, 52120 or 52121? Reason I ask is that I have read that using an LGB throttle with a non-LGB power supply may cause the short circuit protection to fail.

Also, with a Mean Well power supply and an LGB throttle, would you get pure DC or pulse power?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dude, you really need to make a new thread instead of jumping on an 8 year old one.


Next, you do not post the same question in several places, one place is enough.


I answered you on the slightly newer thread.


Greg


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