Garden Railway Forum

I wonder if there is a video somewhere showing how to convert track-powered locomotives to batter-powered?

Which particulr loco are you thinking of? LGB ones will need more batteries than some other locos.....................

MDLR:105459 wrote:Which particulr loco are you thinking of? LGB ones will need more batteries than some other locos.....................

Right, I have LGB locomotives. I just need a very basic battery-powered, I don't need sound.

try stikealite
http://www.strikalite.co.uk/
They have a wide range of battery packs and chargers for locos etc, and they can build one to your requirements.
Basically all you need is a battery and a DPDT switch for forwards and reverse.

Are you wanting radio control or just basic manual control?

I've used LGB, USAt and Piko motor blocks for my locos and power them with 12v - mostly Li-ion but also NiMh batteries.

You can leave the track pick-ups in place but would be better to remove them - to reduce the drag and also to avoid conflicts with current running from locos to track.

Rik

BTW - a flexible way of providing battery power with the minimum of effort is to put the batteries in a trail car (eg a box van) and run wires to the loco. The Stainz loco has a socket at the rear which can be used to power the loco - so all you'd need would be a plug, some wires and a battery pack.

There's a thread on GSC showing a slightly more complex conversion with a Stainz loco

https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... ure-guide/

Rik

Edit: And another using the Stainz socket and a tender containing all the gubbins - https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... onversion/

ge_rik:105465 wrote:BTW - a flexible way of providing battery power with the minimum of effort is to put the batteries in a trail car (eg a box van) and run wires to the loco. The Stainz loco has a socket at the rear which can be used to power the loco - so all you'd need would be a plug, some wires and a battery pack.

There's a thread on GSC showing a slightly more complex conversion with a Stainz loco

https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... ure-guide/

Rik

Edit: And another using the Stainz socket and a tender



containing all the gubbins - https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... onversion/

Thanks for the information. I just need manual control. I will look into learning how to do this since I feel cleaning track is too much time-consuming.

mymodeltrain:105480 wrote: Thanks for the information. I just need manual control. I will look into learning how to do this since I feel cleaning track is too much time-consuming.

Yes - that's what prompted me to go down the battery power route and I've not regretted it. In fact, just sold off all my LGB DCC gear so am now totally committed. With battery technology now a lot more advanced and r/c so cheap, it seems like the logical way to go.

Give me a shout if you need any help, though I'm sure there are others on here with as much or even more experience.

Rik

ge_rik:105481 wrote:

mymodeltrain:105480 wrote: Thanks for the information. I just need manual control. I will look into learning how to do this since I feel cleaning track is too much time-consuming.

Yes - that's what prompted me to go down the battery power route and I've not regretted it. In fact, just sold off all my LGB DCC gear so am now totally committed. With battery technology now a lot more advanced and r/c so cheap, it seems like the logical way to go.

Give me a shout if you need any help, though I'm sure there are others on here with as much or even more experience.

Rik

Rik
I am a frequent reader of your blogs. And I have many of your articles saved in my bookmarks. Now, if I want to go R/C, may you let me know what types of components I need to buy like speed control system, R/c controller, receiver, on/off switch, battery. I have some knowledge gained from your blogs but I need a little bit more guidance before I commit to do this job,hopefully the coming holidays is the best time to play around with the design.

Hello,

I hope it is ok when I hijack these thread.
Can anybody here show me a wiring diagram for
a R/C operated battery loco.?

Thank you for your efforts.

Markus

McRuss:105490 wrote:Hello,

I hope it is ok when I hijack these thread.
Can anybody here show me a wiring diagram for
a R/C operated battery loco.?

Thank you for your efforts.

Markus

Hi Markus
There's one on my blog - if that's any use


Rik

mymodeltrain:105480 wrote:

ge_rik:105465 wrote:BTW - a flexible way of providing battery power with the minimum of effort is to put the batteries in a trail car (eg a box van) and run wires to the loco. The Stainz loco has a socket at the rear which can be used to power the loco - so all you'd need would be a plug, some wires and a battery pack.

There's a thread on GSC showing a slightly more complex conversion with a Stainz loco

https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... ure-guide/

Rik

Edit: And another using the Stainz socket and a tender



containing all the gubbins - https://www.gscalecentral.net/battery-p ... onversion/

Thanks for the information. I just need manual control. I will look into learning how to do this since I feel cleaning track is too much time-consuming.

In my humble opinion if you go over to battery then R/C is a natural way of controlling the train unless of course you are happy to chase the train around to alter speed.

I started with a set and forget loco and quickly changed to R/C because of lack of speed control, once you have done your first loco and it is working then the rest are a walk in the park.

Plus there are heaps of people who have done the conversion and are only to willing to help.

Thanks for the diagram Rik. Does the black lead to charger need to connect to speed controller as indicated or could I run a separate wire from battery to charger?
Need to convert my Danny as a first attempt.

bazzer42:105547 wrote:Thanks for the diagram Rik. Does the black lead to charger need to connect to speed controller as indicated or could I run a separate wire from battery to charger?
Need to convert my Danny as a first attempt.

No, they can be wired separately - as long as the charge socket and controller are connected in some way to the neg terminal of the battery pack. Some argue that the fuse or circuit breaker (eg a polyswitch) should go in the negative lead to the battery as well. As long as there is some form of fuse as near to the battery as possible, I don't think it's important which lead it's on. Rechargeables are prone to rapid overheating/explosion if short circuited so the fuse is essential.

If you don't fancy wiring up a charge socket, you could run the leads to a couple of brass pegs and then charge using croc clips - as suggested by Greg Hunter.



Rik

Thanks Rik, we could do with a like button! I think the pegs could be a good option.

ge_rik:105548 wrote: Some argue that the fuse or circuit breaker (eg a polyswitch) should go in the negative lead to the battery as well.

Sorry - just realised the above statement is ambiguous. What I meant was that the fuse could be placed in the neg lead instead of the pos lead. I was getting hassled to go out to the shops when I wrote that ..... you know how it is.....

Rik

Hello Rik,

thank you for the picture.

Markus

ge_rik:105493 wrote:

McRuss:105490 wrote:Hello,

I hope it is ok when I hijack these thread.
Can anybody here show me a wiring diagram for
a R/C operated battery loco.?

Thank you for your efforts.

Markus

Hi Markus
There's one on my blog - if that's any use


Rik

I use a double pole double throw "Centre Off" (DPDT)switch as an On/Off/Charge switch on all my locos.

It doubles as an On/Off switch as well as a battery isolating switch.

Thrown one way the loco R/C gear is powered by the battery and when thrown the other way the battery terminals are connected to the charging points and the R/C gear is isolated.

I use the same pin idea as Greg and Rik and the only time they are live is when the switch is in charge position.

I do it this way to protect my R/C gear in case of a battery or charger failure.

I also use a polyswitch to protect the R/C gear from battery failure.

I tend to overkill on protection but its an old habit from my electronics workshop days that just won't die.