Hi everybody,
My layout under construction is analogue at present. I will probably convert it to digital and following recent advice on here I will likely go with the ECOS controller.

I did some experiments with an old CS1 and a couple of K83 units connected to some M track turnouts. I noticed that the lanterns lit up so must have been drawing their power through the K83 modules.
I know that some people isolate the lantern bulbs so that the lanterns can be powered separately.
My question is, would it damage the K83s if the lanterns were left as they are and took their power through the K83 (and the main controller)?

I will only be running three trains at any one time so the total current draw would not be excessive with all the lanterns lit but I wouldn't want to damage the modules.

I don't want to have to isolate the lantern bulbs as this would entail lifting all the turnouts and , since I have installed catenary over much of the layout, that would involve dismantling almost everything.

Any advice would be welcome please.

Thanks very much - and best wishes for the new year to all.

Paul

Edited by user 31 December 2012 00:08:16(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Just a worth of caution

While replacing a bulb from a M turnout (when power was on), with a small screw driver I managed to make a small shortcuts which fried the Viessmann 5211 decoder connected to the turnout So always power off if you have to play around with the turnouts

I fixed the K83 by locating the burned diode and installing a new one (there is post about this on this forum - see: https://www.marklin-user...x?g=posts&m=107187).

Brgds - Lasse

Thankyou all for your replies - very helpful.

Tom - yes silly of me, I should have thought that wiring them according to Marklin's instructions should be ok. For some reason though I wasn't expecting constant power to come out of the K83 yellow sockets.
It seems pretty obvious now.

Lasse - excellent point about always turning off the power before doing anything with a turnout. I hadn't thought of that. No doubt I will forget though

BigDaddy - Good idea regarding the LEDs. I will keep a note of the seller and get some but will probably only replace them as and when the bulbs require replacing anyway. I have measured the draw of all my turnout lanterns and it is just over 1 amp. Since I won't be running more than three or four trains at once and the ECOS can supply 4 amps (I think) I should be ok.

Excellent help as usual.

Paul