Any Experience with a DC step up module?

FatherMcD

FatherMcD

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Hi, I'm putting a MyLocoSound card into a PIKO 25t switcher. It all works fine if I use AAA 1.5v Alkaline batteries, but if I use the AAA 1.2V NiMh, I get sound, but the headlights just turn on briefly and the engine doesn't move. I found a build thread where a single 18650 Lithium Battery was used with a Pololu 12V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S18V20F12 tucked into the boiler of an LGB Feldbahn loco. I'm looking at a this DC-DC SX1308 Step-UP Power Module 2-24V to 2-28V Adjustable Boost Converter US | eBay to boost the NiMh voltage. Does anyone have experience with this type of DC-DC voltage convertor?

Thanks in advance,
 
Lots of people have used them with success. What voltage are you looking to provide to the MLS card? Do you know the current drain on the MLS card?

It will work, just checking how long it will run. You did not state how many cells you want to use, if it's two, then fully charged you will get 2.4 volt input to the boost converter, and you might want to calculate how long it can last (you can look up the amp hours on the battery). A single 18650 is significantly more energy than the two AAA rechargeables.

so:

1. voltage requirement of MLS
2. current requirement of MLS
3. how many AAA batteries?
4. what is the amp-hour rating of these batteries

Then you can get some pretty firm answers.

Greg
 
FatherMcD said:
Hi, I'm putting a MyLocoSound card into a PIKO 25t switcher. It all works fine if I use AAA 1.5v Alkaline batteries, but if I use the AAA 1.2V NiMh, I get sound, but the headlights just turn on briefly and the engine doesn't move. I found a build thread where a single 18650 Lithium Battery was used with a Pololu 12V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S18V20F12 tucked into the boiler of an LGB Feldbahn loco. I'm looking at a this DC-DC SX1308 Step-UP Power Module 2-24V to 2-28V Adjustable Boost Converter US | eBay to boost the NiMh voltage. Does anyone have experience with this type of DC-DC voltage convertor?

Thanks in advance,
Click to expand...
Have a look at my 25tonner conversion where I stuffed 10 AAA NiMh batteries in to mine. Ok so I put a box on the rear of the cab for the MLS but fitted Fosworks RC as well.
www.gscalecentral.net

Modifying a Piko 25 Tonner to Battery Power.

Now I imagine that some on here will be wondering why he is doing that when there exists a Battery Powered one already? Well the answer is that I have no need for a Track Cleaning Loco, I want one that is controllable (the Track Cleaner to the best of my knowledge can only be made to go...
www.gscalecentral.net www.gscalecentral.net
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Lots of people have used them with success. What voltage are you looking to provide to the MLS card? Do you know the current drain on the MLS card?

It will work, just checking how long it will run. You did not state how many cells you want to use, if it's two, then fully charged you will get 2.4 volt input to the boost converter, and you might want to calculate how long it can last (you can look up the amp hours on the battery). A single 18650 is significantly more energy than the two AAA rechargeables.

so:

1. voltage requirement of MLS
2. current requirement of MLS
3. how many AAA batteries?
4. what is the amp-hour rating of these batteries

Then you can get some pretty firm answers.

Greg
Click to expand...
Greg, the Op was NOT asking about the MLS but the:

FatherMcD said:
I'm looking at a this DC-DC SX1308 Step-UP Power Module 2-24V to 2-28V Adjustable Boost Converter US | eBay to boost the NiMh voltage. Does anyone have experience with this type of DC-DC voltage convertor?

Thanks in advance,
Click to expand...
You complain when answers provided are not for the OP's question.

Not knowing the Piko loco and how many or types of batteries it takes, but an MLS nominally requires 6v, but I understand 7.5v is preferred, which is why the MLS istruction suggest a 9v PP3 when using track voltage to get sound at slow running or stopped.

But back to the question asked, sorry not used that device so cannot help.
 
Take issue with you, on this one Jimmy..

Unless you know the minimum working voltage, the MLS card will work at, and the current it will take, then you can't make an informed decision.

The Piko 25 Tonner (clean machine, or remote control) take 6 x AAA cells.
To the OP, I would suggest using LSD (Low Self Discharge) or Eneloop cells, as these have a higher cell-potential, than standard NiMH cells. - I have installed MLS (6-cell) and these have been fine.

An alternative, would be a small 2S Lipo pack (7.4V) but you would have to arrange a way to connect into the loco, and for safe charging.

You do not get anything for nothing. So, ignoring losses, if you needed 1Amp for the loco and sound, and set your step-up to 12V.
Then (to keep the maths simple) if your battery is 6V, you would be drawing 2Amps. - This will severely reduce your runtime, from 6 x AAA cells.

You can mitigate this a little, by only powering the MLS card with the booster.

PhilP
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Lots of people have used them with success. What voltage are you looking to provide to the MLS card? Do you know the current drain on the MLS card?

It will work, just checking how long it will run. You did not state how many cells you want to use, if it's two, then fully charged you will get 2.4 volt input to the boost converter, and you might want to calculate how long it can last (you can look up the amp hours on the battery). A single 18650 is significantly more energy than the two AAA rechargeables.

so:

1. voltage requirement of MLS
2. current requirement of MLS
3. how many AAA batteries?
4. what is the amp-hour rating of these batteries

Then you can get some pretty firm answers.

Greg
Click to expand...
The minimum voltage for a MyLocoSound soundcard is 7.2v. It will not work on 6v.

The current varies depending on the volume and how many sounds are running at a time. However about half an amp is a good guess.

In a small loco I tend to use 5 x Eneloop NiMh AAA batteries. The Eneloop batteries deliver 1.5v for most of their charge range and have a good capacity.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
 
I've used a USB (5V output) power bank with a DC voltage stepup module to produce 12 volts to run a battery train with few issues.

Geoff
 
Thanks Peter, that answers the question on what the MLS needs.

Still would like confirmation on how many AAA batteries he is using, but the Piko does say 6 AAA batteries.

So now we want to pick a boost voltage that will keep the loco running the longest, and if you really wanted an estimate, you would look at the discharge curve of the batteries, which in this case is worse than nickel metal hydrides.

But the missing data is the amp hours of the batteries.
  • A standard alkaline AAA battery is: 0.86 to 1.1 amp hours.
  • But a NiMih AAA is about 0.4 to 0.6 amp hours...
So the rechargeables have about HALF the energy.

Now hopefully even Jimmy will understand my concern, you have half the run time if you do NOT boost the voltage (and it still not working).

To further support my engineering "view", the OP states that the thing only works briefly.

So, the assumption is that he is pulling so much current the voltage drops too much with fully charged batteries. (makes sense)

Therefore you would set the boost module to output 9 volts, and it would probably (under load) be getting about 6.6 or less volts....

this is really going to cut into the runtime, and this is where I was going, you are trying to boost the voltage roughly 50% so you could easily make the argument you will cut the run time about 50% using this setup. Since the batteries also have 50% of the capacity of the alkalines, that will further cut the run time.

So I would say that your runtime should significantly change if you add the boost module, to half or less the runtime you have with alkalines.

The bottom line:
  • Is cutting your current (alkaline) runtime in half or worse ok? If so try the boost module.
  • If not don't waste the money and time (although it is cheap)


(Jimmy, you need to read more carefully, he has 2 issues, the loco not moving and the MLS sound card not working, so to know if the booster will work, you really should know about the current draw, you do not get something for nothing, i.e. you boost the voltage of the batteries, it takes MORE current the batteries will not last near as long)

(you gotta work harder to take a shot and make it stick :*)
 
Greg Elmassian said:
(Jimmy, you need to read more carefully, he has 2 issues, the loco not moving and the MLS sound card not working, so to know if the booster will work, you really should know about the current draw, you do not get something for nothing, i.e. you boost the voltage of the batteries, it takes MORE current the batteries will not last near as long)

(you gotta work harder to take a shot and make it stick :*)
Click to expand...

FatherMcD said:
Hi, I'm putting a MyLocoSound card into a PIKO 25t switcher. It all works fine if I use AAA 1.5v Alkaline batteries, but if I use the AAA 1.2V NiMh, I get sound, but the headlights just turn on briefly and the engine doesn't move. I found a build thread where a single 18650 Lithium Battery was used with a Pololu 12V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S18V20F12 tucked into the boiler of an LGB Feldbahn loco. I'm looking at a this DC-DC SX1308 Step-UP Power Module 2-24V to 2-28V Adjustable Boost Converter US | eBay to boost the NiMh voltage. Does anyone have experience with this type of DC-DC voltage convertor?

Thanks in advance,
Click to expand...

Yes, he explains his situation, but is NOT the question, the OP thinks he has found a solution, and asking if anybody has experience with the voltage converter. You shoot people down for answering questions not asked, he did NOT ask about the MLS/loco not moving, but just provided background.
 
Did not shoot him down at all, asked for more information.

How is the following (my questions) shooting?


1. voltage requirement of MLS
2. current requirement of MLS
3. how many AAA batteries?
4. what is the amp-hour rating of these batteries


You are the person shooting Jimmy.... you clearly have an axe to grind. I don't see you helping at all.

Greg
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Did not shoot him down at all, asked for more information.

How is the following (my questions) shooting?


1. voltage requirement of MLS
2. current requirement of MLS
3. how many AAA batteries?
4. what is the amp-hour rating of these batteries


You are the person shooting Jimmy.... you clearly have an axe to grind. I don't see you helping at all.

Greg
Click to expand...
Greg I DID NOT say you shoot him down, all I said is you are NOT answering the question asked.
 
My main concern was that the DC to DC convertor might cause expensive smoke, but no one seems to have had that experience. Greg's and Geoff's answers were positive, so that question is pretty much answered and I am willing to experiment a bit.

All of the responses have been helpful, if only to point out that I need to clarify my question and situation. I do appreciate the time everyone takes to consider and answer. Even the battery type and voltage issues are relevant, but for the sake of clarity, I will open a new thread with the specifics of what I hope to accomplish. "Which sound board, PIKO or MLS?" That may sound totally off topic, but if you are interested, I think the relevance of the main question from this thread will eventually become clear.

Thank you all again for your responses.
 
I have experience, and set up at the right voltage, no expensive smoke.

connect to batteries, and then measure and set output voltage BEFORE using. I would set to maybe 9.5 volts. Put a 12v bulb on the output and re-measure the output. If all is well, THEN connect your electronics.

Greg
 
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