I bought a used PM off of Ebay, apparently the cable for use with a non-Powerhouse is not included.

I have female pins of that diameter, and I don't want to buy and even less want to wait for the special cable -- can somebody tell me the pinout?

I like TMCC and I like neat wiring, but they should have put posts on here, too. Why does my accessory need an accessory?

It is a 3-pin molex connector - the pin closest to the point is empty.

Just break down and buy the cable. It has inline fuse, for using with older transformer. I never blew that fuse with my PM, the PM always caught the short first and shut down track power.

Some time ago I gave away two of the cables free for the price of shipping, unfortunately I don't have any more. Long story.

Sniff around on eBay, somebody on there sells a bundle of TMCC cables, just make sure you get the one you need.

Or - do this: Buy a 135W or 180W brick. It comes with that connector on it.

Or - do this: Search for "IC" on eBay, or maybe "IC Controls". This company merged into Lionel. The Lionel TPC 300 is rated at 300 Watts, the TPC 400 is rated at 400W. As far as I can tell the IC Controls TPC 3000 is the Lionel TPC 400, and there is another unit that became the TPC 300. One if 15A, the other is 20A. The manual for my IC Controls TPC 3000 says it is 20A @ 20V or 400W. Also, there are at least two versions, 1.2 and 1.3. Version 1.3 added help in running MTH Proto 1 and Proto 2 locos in conventional mode. A seller on eBay will probably not be able to tell you which version.

But why, do you ask? For some reason, they go for dirt cheap. Even when the Version 1.3 is the same as a Lionel TPC 400 (MSRP $199). Don't believe me? Click here.

These units has clamp down screw terminals that you can wire directly to your conventional transformer. But not only that, if you ever decide to write your own computer programs to interface with TMCC, you will not be able to include the PM in the loop. Or, if you ever go to Legacy, you will have to buy an extra box to talk to the PM. Or, if you ever get DCS, it cannot control the PM. The reason is the PM listens directly to the CAB-1, unlike most everything else that listens to signals eminating from the Command Base.

Clear as mud? Maybe somebody else can describe it better, this is not my forte.

But no, you don't HAVE to use the special cable, if you can figure out how to get a tight connection onto the pins. I did that when I first got into TMCC and discovered I needed that cable.

quote:

Originally posted by illinoiscentral:
As far as I can tell the IC Controls TPC 3000 is the Lionel TPC 400, and there is another unit that became the TPC 300. One if 15A, the other is 20A. The manual for my IC Controls TPC 3000 says it is 20A @ 20V or 400W. Also, there are at least two versions, 1.2 and 1.3. Version 1.3 added help in running MTH Proto 1 and Proto 2 locos in conventional mode. A seller on eBay will probably not be able to tell you which version.

Re-read what you read and now do you still wonder why they are dirt cheap?

PM's are <$40 on Ebay, I have a million good postwar transformers, so buying anything else (or a brick) was always a non-starter. We have the correct Molex connectors at work.

In fact, I should have been "up" last night, but my daughter interrupted me for a game of Halo as I was heading for the basement.

She slaughtered me, if you feel compelled to ask.

So tonight maybe I'll get to play with it, as my avatar recovers from his beating. Good information about the inline fuse, even though you didn't see it "in action" maybe I'll slip one in there anyway.

It just made me wonder why Lionel went to all the trouble to make a simple remote control kit - by designing the PM to work directly from the Cab-1 - but made a lot of people with up and running layouts buy a cable.

Not only does that make people mad (hey I gotta come up with another $10?) but it makes hobby store owners mad, as they have to try to figure out the proper ratio of cables-to-PM's on hand. Obviously you want less cables than Powermasters, but man you don't want to lose a sale because your last cable just went out the door yesterday.

Especially now that I find out that only one PM connector means anything (the pin and the "U" lug are electrically identical), so they could have just put one simple screw terminal.

Ok I'm done complaining, for now!

Ah - but I do not own any MTH engines, so it does not matter which version I have.

I use the TPC not to control conventional locos but rather so that I have a way to cut track power remotely. Press Halt and all engines stop, all TPCs or PMs cut power to the track. And it can handle 20 Amps. When you have three engines and a string of MTH passenger cars in one block you will find out the advantage.

There may be another device that can cut track power.

The PMs cannot be computer controlled, and will require a special box if you ever go to Legacy, and cannot be controlled by DCS.

I was "out of the hobby" when TMCC was released, I have been told that the CAB-1 and PM were made first, then the Command Base came later. The combination of CAB-1 and PM allow you to have remote control over your conventional layout.

Yes I think it was a goof too, they should have used posts or screw terminals on the PM. It would be nice to have posts on the 180W bricks instead of the Molex so that only the required length of wire would be used.

Q:

quote:

It would be nice to have posts on the 180W bricks instead of the Molex so that only the required length of wire would be used.

A: Wire Cutters

cap,

So, God forbid, I was cleaning up the train room/work room and I came across the box for a TPC I recently bought and low and behold the eBay seller also thru in the connectors.

Now, this is NOT the cable intended to go with the PM. It does not have a fuse, and it does not have ring terminals on the other end, and the wire is 12 or 14 gauge, so it could annoying to connect up. Its the one in the right (or middle) in this picture:



Anyway, I can send you free one of these connectors, just contact me thru the forum email. Click on my name, and look in public profile or something like that, and get my email address.

I agree with Illinoiscentral. Just buy the cable. They are only 9 bucks each and easy to find.
STEVE