Model Railway Forum

Will this be ok for powering LED's etc. I like the four way splitter. I know you can get them cheaper.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-DC-3A-UK ... SwwuNfDNMf

Check the spec carefully . Unless I've missed something, the seller says its a 12V 3A PSU, then says its a 12V 1A, then there are 4x 1A outputs. I gave up at that point.

Indeed double check with the seller.
But there are more 3Amp statements than 1Amp one and the heading is 3.0Amp, so if wrong they will have to refund or replace it.

Hi Barry, I would go for a higher output, say 8a, and fit a 1 amp self resetting fuse to each output from an 8 way splitter. That will give you multiple (spare) and safe circuits.

Steve M wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:43 am Hi Barry, I would go for a higher output, say 8a, and fit a 1 amp self resetting fuse to each output from an 8 way splitter. That will give you multiple (spare) and safe circuits.

But if you only need it for powering LEDs then 3A is more than adequate surely? I have all my LED colour-light signals powered from a 1A transformer.

Having read the advert - the PSU itself is 3amp and the cable supplied splits it into 4 outputs with a max of 1a each, but the overall supply is 3amp so each, if evenly distributed would be 0.75 amps for a total 3amps.

Clear as mud! Well, I'd look elsewhere at other adverts to see if it's a common way of describing the output with a splitter.

The splitter does not control current flow. It just provides up to four outputs from one input. I suspect the supplier is saying each output of the splitter has a maximum load which is recommended not to exceed 1.0Amp.
You don't have to use all four outputs either if wished.
Equally and just for an example, one of the four way outputs could have 1.0Amp loading, another 0.5Amp and two remaining 0.75Amp each (total loading equals 3.0Amp) Though it would be unwise to try and run any power supply at its maximum rating. Always best is to under run them by at least 10% and more is better.

RFS wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 12:00 pm

Steve M wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 10:43 am Hi Barry, I would go for a higher output, say 8a, and fit a 1 amp self resetting fuse to each output from an 8 way splitter. That will give you multiple (spare) and safe circuits.

But if you only need it for powering LEDs then 3A is more than adequate surely? I have all my LED colour-light signals powered from a 1A transformer.

A larger supply, split and suitably limited by the fuses as I have suggested would, to all intents and purposes, cost about the same as a smaller supply. The fuses keep it safe and provide capacity for potential future expansion of the layout.

I run an 8a psu (split into eight 1a circuits and separately fused) it provides separate lighting zones for different areas of the layout, a supply for ambient sounds, and powers the motor on the turntable and gives me a couple of spare circuits if the building urge takes me.

Many thanks for all of the answers - I'll now go away and think about it. BB