power cord Archives - The Silicon Underground

The Lionel KW transformer

Dave Farquhar — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 11:00:26 +0000

The Lionel KW transformer was the second largest transformer Lionel made in the postwar era. It delivered 190 watts of power and provided two handles to control two trains. Internally, the design is very similar to the ZW. If the

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All about the Lionel RW transformer

Dave Farquhar — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 12:00:15 +0000

The Lionel Multi-control Trainmaster RW is a sturdy tin box of a transformer from early in the postwar era. The presence of a whistle controller is the only thing that really distinguishes it from a prewar transformer. Lionel made it

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How to fix a garbage disposal

Dave Farquhar — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 11:00:20 +0000

If your garbage disposal quit suddenly, don’t fret. We’ve all been there. There are three common ways to fix a garbage disposal and none of them require any special tools. Reset it You should always try the simplest fix first.

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Putting a 3-prong grounded plug on a transformer

Dave Farquhar — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 11:00:23 +0000

I’ve talked before about replacing a power cord on a transformer, but for whatever reason, I forgot to mention a cheap source of replacement power cords that also provide a safety improvement. Use a 3-prong computer power cord. Start by

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What to look for in a monitor

Dave Farquhar — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 11:00:50 +0000

Most buying guides for monitors assume you’re buying a really expensive monitor for gaming. But there’s a lot more to look for than refresh rate and response time. A good monitor can last 10 years and multiple computers, so it

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Repair a Marx 1209 transformer

Dave Farquhar — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:00:07 +0000

Want to repair a Marx 1209 transformer? There are two schools of thought. One is that small, sub-75 watt transformers from starter sets aren’t worth fixing because they are so cheap. The other is that since they are so cheap,

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Replace the plug on a Lionel transformer

Dave Farquhar — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 12:00:21 +0000

Lionel transformers were built to last. Perhaps the most frequent issue with them is a messed-up power cord. But sometimes the cord is OK but it needs a new plug. Replacing a power cord is easier than it sounds, but

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All about the Lionel LW transformer

Dave Farquhar — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:00:14 +0000

The Lionel LW Trainmaster is a 125 watt transformer that Lionel produced from 1955 to 1966. They are reasonably durable and Lionel made them for a long time. That means you can find them easily on the secondary market. They can be

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All about the Lionel 1033

Dave Farquhar — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:00:12 +0000

The Lionel Multi-control 1033 is a 90 watt transformer produced from 1948 to 1956. They are reasonably durable and were popular in their day, which means there are still a lot of them floating around so they tend to be

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How to replace an AC power cord

Dave Farquhar — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 11:00:05 +0000

A damaged power cord doesn’t have to mean the end of life for a tool or appliance. Power cords are usually replaceable with simple tools and minimal expense. Here’s how to replace an AC power cord. If you can open

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