Converting LGB to R/C

[Tony]

This is confusing me now (not hard i know!)

I've removed the pick up skates, but how do you stop the wheels from picking up power too? There doesnt seem to be any wires connecting it?
And i can't work out why each motor wont pick up off the track on it's own, only when the motors are connected to eachother will it run of track power.

If the loco has rubber tires are they on opposing sides of each bogie cos it may pick up power from one rail on each bogie meaning when you connect both boggie together its completes the ciruit

Tony

 

[Neil Robinson]

And i can't work out why each motor wont pick up off the track on it's own, only when the motors are connected to each other will it run of track power.

Most likely that this loco has three wire connections on each bogie, one wire connection to both a track pickup and motor terminal joined together internally. The other two wire connections go to the other track pickup and other motor connection independently. This system allows the motor(s) to be switched off and the loco parked on live track.
However with two bogies placed the opposite way one motor is internally connected to one rail and the other the other rail so they may both run depending on how the bogies are wired together.

 

[matthew]

Thanks all, but im sure you will all be as amazed as i am when i say that I'VE DONE IT

It's strange from how daunting is all seemed at first to having it running round the track perfetly now. Im still having a little bit of a problem with the directional control (which Gregh and GAP will be receiving a PM about shortly, but the main power is working great

The BoBo's currently pulling 9 wagons with ease on the 12Volts (something which took atleast 15V minimum off track power)

So all i have to say is thanks everyone

 

[mike]

the 1st few hundred are always the hardest matt!!

 

[matthew]

The loco is now completely finished Got directional control and lights sorted today. Had it out for 5 minutes today in a "dry" spell and the freedom of control it gives it fantastic, now to wait for a dry day to give it a good test

 

[GAP]

Well done Matt
Now all you have to do is convert the rest of your fleet and make that track power stuff redundant.
Did you use the directional lighting board or just hard wire the lights to the motor?

 

[matthew]

Well done Matt
Now all you have to do is convert the rest of your fleet and make that track power stuff redundant.
Did you use the directional lighting board or just hard wire the lights to the motor?

Thanks, yes decisions are already being made for further locos
As for the lighting i hard wired them into the motors, which i was a little dubious about as people said it would drastically reduce battery life, but it's been going a good 4 hours now with no signs of letting down

 

[GAP]

Matt if you have an on/off switch between the batteries and the ESC then there should be no battery drain when it is off.
If the LEDs only draw 20mA then the current draw compared to what the motor is drawing while running should be negligible seeing as only 1 at a time lights when the motor is running .
happy train running

 

[matthew]

Well, after a few days testing i've only been getting around 2 - 2.5 hours out of a fully charged battery (or so i presumed).

A quick re-read through this thread made me realise that i'd been charging the battery through the male lead, although it had charged and ran fine otherwise (don't know why i did this because i knew it should be the other way around). I've now corrected the circuit so it's charging through the female lead. So could this be the reason for the short-ish running times? I.e, it has stopped the battery from charging to it's full capacity?

 

[whatlep]

Well, after a few days testing i've only been getting around 2 - 2.5 hours out of a fully charged battery (or so i presumed).

A quick re-read through this thread made me realise that i'd been charging the battery through the male lead, although it had charged and ran fine otherwise (don't know why i did this because i knew it should be the other way around). I've now corrected the circuit so it's charging through the female lead. So could this be the reason for the short-ish running times? I.e, it has stopped the battery from charging to it's full capacity?

Doubtful, though possible I suppose. Have you measured the voltage of your battery when you believe it's fully charged? I'd expect around 12.6 volts (3 cells at 4.2 volts charged). Your running times for a 2095 are lower than those I obtained with Coggesrailway's 2095, but not dramatically so, though my line has gradients which sap the motors more than most.

 

[beavercreek]

As Peter says, gradients really pull the heart out of batteries as do certain makes of twin motor blocks, long consists, smoke units, some sound cards oh yes and some lighting circuits........have everything going and you do not get much more than a couple of hours unless you have a mighty amp/hour battery............... as me how I know

 

[matthew]

I will give the battery a check if i can find the ammeter. The gradiants are not much at all compared to yours peter, the only steep gradiant is always run downwards anyway.

The thing i found strange was after a 7 hour charge yesterday i got a 2 hour 30 minutes run with the front set of standard LGB lights running, pulling a 7 wagon train.

Today with the same charge, BUT with the lights disconnected for comparison and a 3 bogie coach train, it only managed 1 hour 50 mins?

 

[matthew]

Well after not being able to find the ammeter and giving the loco a quick 1 hour charge up (now using the correct socket) it gave me a good 35 minute run, which before would have given me around 10-15 minutes. So its looking positive. Will do a fully charged test tommorow morning