Changing Over To Battery Control ?

[Graham ASH]

Hi Tony and all,
Yes Ive looked at the P8 and it looks like a good decoder.

The phone set I saw yesterday was run via a NEC power cab and then to the rails. It seemed to me to be rather slow in the process of actually selecting a loco and then setting it to go, I think though that the operators will still learning the system, I believe I could use my Lenz system this way too, just need some particular type of phone

Almost bought a 2 Truck Shay yesterday, but it was one of the old types and he wanted £320 for it, and I thought it would probably take too much work to change it to DCC, would have had to strip all the electrics out and rewire it,
Graham

 

[Tony Walsham]

Be careful with two truck Shays.
The early versions had plastic trucks that tend to disintegrate on their own.
Bachmann offered replacement metal trucks and if they are fitted it is probably OK.
The best 2 truck shay was the run that came stock with metal trucks already fitted. Easy to convert to battery R/C. Can't comment about converting to DCC as I have never done one. In fact I have never installed DCC in anything.

 

[Ian_S]

Hi All,
I have been considering for some time the possibilities of changing over to Battery control from Lenz DCC.

Thanks
Graham

Graham - The one question thats on my mind after reading all this is - Why?

Whats "wrong" withe the DCC setup you use now? - What is it about it that you think moving to battery R/C will "make it better"?

Just coming at it from a different angle..........

 

[Graham ASH]

That Tony is the reason that I left the 2 truck shay where it was, it just wasnt worth it, they are very similar to the 2 truck climax, in their gears are very brittle. I will sort some pics out of the parts in my Goose kit and see if you can I D them
Graham

 

[CoggesRailway]

S

Graham - The one question thats on my mind after reading all this is - Why?

Whats "wrong" withe the DCC setup you use now? - What is it about it that you think moving to battery R/C will "make it better"?

Just coming at it from a different angle..........

Sorry I haven't had chance to keep up with this thread. But this was really where I was coming from in my earlier point- why would you do this for an indoor (assume) medium size layout. And battery RC is not ideal for all the DCC bells and whistles, excuse the pun.

I absolutely back battery, especially for ease of use in the garden. But point control, lights, sounds etc DCC has to be best?

Either way have fun and you decide

 

[Graham ASH]

Hi All
The reasons why I was considering a change to r/c was that Ive never used one before and thought that I might try it out.
I did wonder weather or not it might have more features but r/c does not, its simply the sound card that does that.

I also wondered as to weather or not I would get better control of my locos, but I dont think that I will

All in all, , my questions have been answered, by and large DCC beats r/c for my needs. What it has done though is to get a few if us together discussing the pros and cons.

I will go ahead and fit one of my locos with r/c and see how I get on with it what it actually costs.

At the end of the day, ive found out a lot more about the hobby that I love
Graham

 

[Zerogee]

As you say, Graham, a very worthwhile thread that has brought up a lot of good info all round. I think the best balance all round (certainly for me, and for you too by the sound of it) would be one or two battery R/C locos for use when conditions require it - eg: when you don't have the time or inclination to clean the track - but sticking with track-powered DCC for the majority of the loco stable.

I will be interested to see updates of how you get on with your first battery conversion!

Jon.

 

[Graham ASH]

HI JON
Yes I too think this has been a very usefull thread, especially to me, theres been loads of input from people who know a lot more about r/c than I do.
I will indeed make a start on my first r/c fitting today, and it will be my num 4 Goose. I will start by getting the parts that I have identified then go from there, I suspect I will need a pair of transmitter/reciever units for starters, I will keep you posted on here and we will see how it goes
Graham

 

[spoz]

I, too have not been keeping up with this thread, but I thought I'd throw in my two bob's worth. When I initially started in battery it was to give me the ability to quickly run something without track cleaning or setting up the track power, which then required me to use extension cords and a portable control location although I had plans to make something permanent. However, it was quickly borne on me that if I was to retain both battery and track power I would in fact have the worst of both worlds. I would have to keep up a large and fairly complex outside power system (the installation and maintenance of which would not be cheap in money or time) while also incurring the cost of batteries, and which would be inherently less flexible than batteries.

The fact that the rails now just carry the weight of the train while the power is self contained and, if there is a problem, can be easily removed to the comfortable work bench rather than being head down in mud or dust was in itself a great attraction to go completely to batteries. For a while I kept up the track power but I haven't maintained it for at least a year, there hasn't been any point; I can't see myself ever going back to it (I know, never say never). I haven't removed it, but I also haven't tried to use it and quite frankly I doubt I ever would again.

But the moral of the story, for me at least, is that to have both is not a good approach!

Steve

 

[Tony Walsham]

Mother Nature always gets you in the end.

I am continuously getting requests by users wanting to charge the batteries from the track. It can be done but isn't worth the effort as the wiring inside a loco does get complicated. Eventually the track gets so dirty track pick to to charge the batteries that you will be virtually running 100% on batteries anyway. Cleaning to maintain conductivity then becomes a necessity anyway.

Dirty track has way better adhesion than clean track.

 

[Graham ASH]

Well Ive never mentioned charging from the track, so where thats come from is a mystery.
Ive decided (as Ive said before) to convert one of my locos (at least) to battery power, which one it will be is still to be decided.
Im now trying to ID the parts that I took out of my Goose no2, especially the sound card.
Graham

 

[dunnyrail]

I think that I may have mentioned that I have 3 Battery Conversions before. They all use the Aristo System which I find to be superb with Control. I particularly like the fact that once you have linked a Loco to the Controller, other settings can be changed pretty much at will. Sound has been a bit of an issue. On my Railcar it is an old My Loco Sound Card which I am not too fond of. This may get swopped out for one of the new Peter Spoerer Sound Cards that are I believe real recordings. My LGB 2095 has a Brian Jones Class 37 Sound Card. This was a bit tricky to set up for the Horn. After much help from Brian I managed to get the Horn working by setting it off viw a Small Relay. My Swiss Box Motor uses the Phoenix Sound Card for a Goose. I get more sounds out of this, but not all the functions can be got at. I would particularly like the reving that can be done, but you need a RC Stick Controller for this and I just hate them.

So like many of you, to go over completely I need the DRC300 as this is what will get my LGB Harz Locomotives up and ready for Battery. Then it will be goodbye to Track Power.

As another aside, I have been helping a friend with a Battery Set Up. I got 3 of the Aristo Sound Cards 2 Steam and one Diesel. The Diesel has linked with the Handset OK. But can I get the Steam ones to link. Not a chance. I have left it all on the bench in disgust for the moment.
JonD

 

[Tony Walsham]

Graham I was just commenting on what many newcomers imagine what battery R/C can be all about. They have many fanciful but often impractical ideas they want to incorporate.
I wasn't saying anything in particular about you or your desired modus operandi personally.
My apologies if that is how you saw it.

 

[Graham ASH]

Hi Tony
No mate I didnt take anything the wrong way, alls well.

Im having some problems in ID ing the units that I have in the Goose.
They are - what looks like a decoder / sound card and to me it looks Lenz. It has a white label on its top side which has G:3703 on it. It also has 2 green wiring blocks a couple of raised pots with 100efk4v7 on it and on the other pot it has ctx10-2 08ch04f on it It also has a 2 pin socket which is connected to a 3 battery holder.

The second one has ERB24 1 R S/N 605 , 8-30V and G scale graphics, Big Critter on its top side along with, 3 screw holders plus various other bits of electronics, its underside is flat with Big no1 and Gscale Graphics on it. Measures about 3inch x 2 inch

Any help from you will be very much appreciated
cheers
Graham

 

[Tony Walsham]

I think it will be necessary to see a couple of pics please.
I doubt it is DCC decoder. Sounds more like a Phoenix sound to me as 3 x cells would be the battery back up.
The Critter would be telling it what to do.
Three cells would not be enough voltage to run a Goose which I am assuming is one the Accucraft models.
So there should be another battery pack with small 6 cells - 12 cells. You could use more cells to fit in.

 

[PhilP]

ERB24 comes up as a diode..
I have done what you should do Graham, had a look on the G Scale Graphics webby-site..
There is a 'manuals' section under electronics. The pdf's take a while to load, but show a picture of each of the boards..
Failing that, a few pictures will allow us to make more educated guesses as to what you have.
Good luck,
PhilP.

 

[Graham ASH]

Thanks for that guys, I will take some pics of each and post
thanks again
Graham

 

[The Devonian]

I guess in four pages you have had much advice Graham. I haven't read the previous pages but this is how I have found battery ops.

I changed to battery power two years ago - after track power for almost six years. I have found it far better than track power. More flexible and versatile. Much more fine control when switching (shunting) and allows crawling speed when required. Having single track with a long loop and two twin track sidings/spurs allows for more than one loco operating without the need for isolation gaps etc. As four of my locos are post 2005 Aristo-Craft the change was simple, just throw the switch on the loco and attach a battery trailing car. I have three trailing cars to suit the consists. I still have two ten wheelers to convert and one Aristo centre cab. A second Centre Cab has had batteries fitted inside and is simply controlled affair. Train Engineer is the contol system.

I have purchased my battery packs from Strikalite. He specializes in all things battery with dedicated packs for train control.
http://www.strikalite.co.uk/

I do maintain a track powered facility but have rarely used it.

 

[Graham ASH]

Hi Alan,
Thanks for your post. The situation at the moment is Im trying to ID parts taken out of my Goose no 2, once thats done, I will fit the goose with straight dcc/sound.
I then intend to have a good look at my locos and decide which 2 I will change over to batt/r/c. I wont be changing over all my locos and as my setup is logging I wont be pulling any charger trucks behind any locos.
Graham