Li-ion battery conversion for an LGB 2095 DCC diesel

[CoggesRailway]

ROSS I do agree that people should use their common sense and those like you and Whatlep are right to keep us bodgers on the straight and narrow with regards to safety.
But crikey you come across like someones threatening to knock down your house and open a lithium mine! Either that or your work in safety/risk!

 

[matthew]

Only just found this thread!

Great detailed conversion Peter, one question from it....

I'll be using the battery box's just wrapped with the blue case as mentioned previous. This battery box has 2 wires coming from it, one of which is the charging socket. So have i simply got to place this charging wire through the bottom of the loco, saving wiring a charging socket like you did?

 

[3Valve]

Very informative thread Peter, thanks.

 

[whatlep]

Only just found this thread!

Great detailed conversion Peter, one question from it....

I'll be using the battery box's just wrapped with the blue case as mentioned previous. This battery box has 2 wires coming from it, one of which is the charging socket. So have i simply got to place this charging wire through the bottom of the loco, saving wiring a charging socket like you did?

Hi Matthew

Yes, you could simply take the charging socket of the "blue battery" out of the bottom of the loco, but please be really careful not to cut into it or create a jagged opening which might chafe the wires. Also make sure that the other (switched) lead is taped up to avoid the possibility of an accidental metal to metal connection.

 

[matthew]

Only just found this thread!

Great detailed conversion Peter, one question from it....

I'll be using the battery box's just wrapped with the blue case as mentioned previous. This battery box has 2 wires coming from it, one of which is the charging socket. So have i simply got to place this charging wire through the bottom of the loco, saving wiring a charging socket like you did?

Hi Matthew

Yes, you could simply take the charging socket of the "blue battery" out of the bottom of the loco, but please be really careful not to cut into it or create a jagged opening which might chafe the wires. Also make sure that the other (switched) lead is taped up to avoid the possibility of an accidental metal to metal connection.

Thats great thanks, so charging socket fixed into the bottom of the loco( or possibly ran into the cab of the loco). The other wire that comes from the battery, from what i could work out from one of Mels posts, you cut the male connector off, and split the two wires to connect to the circuit?

 

[yb281]

Thats great thanks, so charging socket fixed into the bottom of the loco( or possibly ran into the cab of the loco). The other wire that comes from the battery, from what i could work out from one of Mels posts, you cut the male connector off, and split the two wires to connect to the circuit?

That's not quite what I said Matt. You could do that, but remember that the male lead is switched, so you'll need to have access to the battery so that you can turn it on and off. Using the female wire as per Peter's method (which I've copied) means you don't have to do this as it's permanently live.

 

[matthew]

That's not quite what I said Matt. You could do that, but remember that the male lead is switched, so you'll need to have access to the battery so that you can turn it on and off. Using the female wire as per Peter's method (which I've copied) means you don't have to do this as it's permanently live.

Right, so the male wire is switched and taped in the off position, and kept out of the way as we don't use it.
The female wire is cut, the two wires seperated and those 2 wires attached into the circuit.
Then wire a seperate charging socket into the circuit?

Sorry guys, im getting there slowly but surely i hope

 

[whatlep]

Matthew, you're on the right lines. The generic Chinese Li-ion blue battery has two leads, one which is the charging socket (female). That is permanently live and must NOT be interfered with by cutting into it. Putting it into a cab to act as charging lead is fine as is using it to be the feed for your receiver/controller, but of course you have to be able to get at the socket to detach the other wire when you want to charge the battery. The switch and charging socket approach outlined in this thread makes life easier!

The other wire on the blue battery is usually switched by the switch on the battery, but CHECK before cutting into it! As it comes with a male plug, it is very handy to use for the connection to the receiver/controller. As Matthew suggests, cutting the switched lead and spearating the wires is the approach, BUT remember:
1) only cut the male plug lead when you are sure it is not "live"
2) ensure that the cut ends of the wires coming out of the battery are separated and each is individually insulated with insulating tape

 

[matthew]

The generic Chinese Li-ion blue battery has two leads, one which is the charging socket (female). That is permanently live and must NOT be interfered with by cutting into it. Putting it into a cab to act as charging lead is fine as is using it to be the feed for your receiver/controller, but of course you have to be able to get at the socket to detach the other wire when you want to charge the battery. The switch and charging socket approach outlined in this thread makes life easier!

The Switch and charging socket is the method i would preferably go with, and i think this is the part thats confusing me. Sooo...

If im using the cut male wires to power the circuit, then this means i can tape the battery in the permantly ON position. Does this then mean i tape the female charging socket out of use, and wire in a switch/charging socket as you have done?

 

[whatlep]

The generic Chinese Li-ion blue battery has two leads, one which is the charging socket (female). That is permanently live and must NOT be interfered with by cutting into it. Putting it into a cab to act as charging lead is fine as is using it to be the feed for your receiver/controller, but of course you have to be able to get at the socket to detach the other wire when you want to charge the battery. The switch and charging socket approach outlined in this thread makes life easier!

The Switch and charging socket is the method i would preferably go with, and i think this is the part thats confusing me. Sooo...

If im using the cut male wires to power the circuit, then this means i can tape the battery in the permantly ON position. Does this then mean i tape the female charging socket out of use, and wire in a switch/charging socket as you have done?

If you are using a "blue battery and use the female socket plus male plugs' wires (cut off etc.) to connect to the receiver/controller it doesn't matter what position the battery switch is. If you are in any doubt, simply copy what's suggested in the description above.

 

[Alexander0654]

Hi All,

The instructions towards the end of Matts previous tread " Converting LGB etc " where much easier to follow. This tread seem to be using a differnt battery therefore has differnt wiring - Result - Confusion

Regards

Alex

 

[MRail]

I have used a "blue" battery in a loco.
I leave the battery switch off and do not use the male plug. This is taped/tucked out of the way.
The loco internal wiring, with on-off switch, is terminated in a male plug.
This is plugged in to the battery female socket and tucked in safely.
To charge, I tease out the female socket and disconnect the loco plug, then plug in the charger.
After charging, reconnect the loco plug and tuck in.

On a second loco, I have included a charging socket in the loco wiring.
The blue battery is set up as above, but there is no need to remove anything to charge.
I plan to convert the first loco to this system.

 

[matthew]

On a second loco, I have included a charging socket in the loco wiring.
The blue battery is set up as above, but there is no need to remove anything to charge.
I plan to convert the first loco to this system.

Got it now I was just unsure of whether i could wire in a seperate switch/charging socket when the battery aready had its own, so i just need to close the circuit with a male socket and attach it into the battery's permantly live female socket.

Breakthrough, thanks everyone

 

[MRail]

Glad to help.