# Wall Wart



## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

Looking for a powerful Wall Wart to use with my Aurora AFX Slotless race track. Any thoughts of where to get one? Kind of a novice


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

consider a laptop charger.
they can be had cheap at most thrift type stores. 
look at the label for the voltage and amperage output


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## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

Can that be hooked up or into a terminal track pretty easy? I have a three pin I'm trying to get to work, as well as a two pin.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

I have found many laptop chargers ranging from 18 to 24 volts, and 2 to 4 amps, Goodwill stores generally have a ton of them and they were $.99 to 1.99. 

Easy as positive and negative to hook up, cut off your existing power plug and solder it onto the new supply

Boosted


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## tjetcar (Jul 7, 2009)

I've got a power passers transformer from lionel. 28 volt dc 2amps.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Boosted-Z71 said:


> I have found many laptop chargers ranging from 18 to 24 volts, and 2 to 4 amps, Goodwill stores generally have a ton of them and they were $.99 to 1.99.


You may need to do some shopping around. My experience is that some thrift stores have lots of power supplies of all different voltages, others don't seem to want to bother with them at all, and others have a few and think they're collector's items (to judge from the prices). You might try computer repair shops; tell them the voltage range you want, and make clear that you don't need a functioning plug on the low-voltage wire. 

Or ask anybody who has owned a Dell Latitude laptop. They probably have a small pile of power bricks with bad computer-end plugs in the corner of the garage.



> Easy as positive and negative to hook up, cut off your existing power plug and solder it onto the new supply


If you don't know how to solder, you can splice the wires together with inexpensive wire nuts (just get approximately the right size for the gauge of the wires).

-- D


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## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

*AC Output Power Pack*

Looking for resources to find a Power Pack with AC output. Would appreciate any help as I am trying to get an old slotless track running. Thanks


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

What voltage are you looking for? You could try a search for electrical transformer on ebay. Here is a variable transformer that is good for 5 amps: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Powerstat-v...tem4af892586e:g:7~cAAOSwFqJWnWDK#ht_90wt_1362


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## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

Prob 18-24, using for Aurora AFX slotless race track.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Oopers...
_AC_, eh?
Oh, yeah. Slotless. 
Well, that's a bit different.

You _*could*_ just buy an original, and you'd be _*sure*_ the voltage is correct for your equipment. (29 volts for XLerators, don't know what for SpeedSteer, maybe the same).

On eBay now:

Original Aurora XLerator wall wart. New in box. $15 Buy It Now + $8 shipping. (3 available, he'd probably combine shipping if you bought two)http://www.ebay.com/itm/AURORA-XLER...548176?hash=item1eaa61b210:g:knwAAOSw-jhUKuy9

Or make a bold stroke:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aurora-Xler...083261?hash=item4d3f09b7bd:g:o1EAAOSwa-dWsqoK
3 days left, and languishing with no bids at $10 + 20 for shipping. Buy it Now is $45+$20. No cheesy wall-wart here - instead you get a nice, substantial, original Aurora power brick of the proper voltage. AND as a bonus, you get a ton of extra track, accessories, two cars, and a nice original box. (Auction says untested, so there _is_ a chance you'll get a bum transformer, but it's a small chance. I have a gaggle of Aurora power bricks, and I can't recall ever getting one that didn't work.) If you win it for $20, you get the whole shebang for the same price as you'd pay for Rich's Powerstat. Much as I love powerstats/variacs, I'd much rather have the set. Besides, with the Powerstat, you'd have to safely attach a 110v cord, then buy or build a vented, safe enclosure (high-voltage terminals, remember) with a strain-relief, then panel-mount the Powerstat and buy or dummy up a knob. You'd end up spending close to the set's BIN price before you got it working. And it wouldn't even say "Aurora" on it.

Here's the old-school metal power brick by itself, new in box. 29V 1A.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AURORA-XLER...766933?hash=item1c5e745695:g:n8QAAOSwJcZWdIE7
Buy it now for $15 + 10 shipping.

You could futz around for a long time, haunting thrift shops, electronic surplus stores (if they still exist), paying $6 admission to trains shows in search of an $8 toy train transformer or whatever, that _*might*_ work. Why not just pay a few bucks extra, and get exactly what you need almost instantly? (Unless you just love "the thrill of the chase")

You can search Ebay's Speed Steer and XLerator and Ultra-5 _*COMPLETED*_ listings, to find out what these things actually sell (green prices) or don't sell (black prices) for.

Another possibility would be to put a WANT TO BUY ad in this forum's SWAP AND SELL or SWAP,SELL, BUY sections. Why there are two different ones, I have absolutely no idea :freak:. Put the ad in both of them with "WTB" in the title. Decent chance that someone has one that he'll sell you reasonably.

There are a couple of knowledgeable slotless guys here on Hobbytalk, *SlotcarDan* and *MrStumpy* come to mind immediately. You could PM them and say what you have and ask what the right power source for it is and where is the best place to find it. (Or repost your question from this thread in a new thread with the word "Slotless" in the title, and they'll probably find you.)

Good luck. :wave:

-- D


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## cwbam (Feb 8, 2010)

pretty sure they like AC 

some old alarm wal warts are AC

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G19198


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## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks for the information. I guess part of my frustration is getting both lanes of my track to work which I am going to work on making sure the track is clean. Also have issues with getting the proper connector to the piece of terminal track. If I would get on of your suggestions I guess I could splice the wire connecting the terminal track wire to the power pack. Thanks for info.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## CoachVtine (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks for the help and resources, yes that seems to be my biggest issue is the connection to the terminal track, which then if I understand you would just mean splicing wires together or using some kind of electrical connector. I have the Speed Steer terminal track but the connector is a different shape and the the Ultra 5 one is a three pin so causes more frustration. Thanks again.


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## aarothepharo (Feb 8, 2016)

I have powered one off of a benchtop power supply before.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

A door bell transformer should work if you need AC, most of those are low current, especially at lower voltages. At 24 volts most bell transformers are good for just under an amp. This one is good for more amps than most: http://www.newark.com/edwards-signa...ING-PRODUCTS&gclid=CNu__v2-6MoCFdJbhgod_IkAgA


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## [email protected] (Jan 31, 2010)

If a 24 VAC transformer is needed I might be able to get one from a dental light. They can be rated up to 6-10 amps.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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