New to battery power and RC

[sm_brown]

I want to convert my LGB Mogul locomotive to battery power and radio control. I already have a Deltang T22 transmitter and R65 receiver (battery is on its way). The easy part is connecting the battery to the receiver and then the receiver to the motor. I am, however, confused about how to connect the forward- and rear-facing headlamps and the analog sound. Can anybody offer some helpful comments?

 

[Tony Walsham]

Hello sm-brown.
Does the LGB loco have sound already fitted?
If so, I doubt the Rx65b can handle the voltage required to operate the loco correctly. They usually burn the first 6 volts just to control lights and smoke.
If no LGB sound fitted a max of 14 volts (actual) can be used with the Rx65b and the sound added. Which sound system are you using?

There are other ways of doing it still using the Tx22..

 

[sm_brown]

Hello sm-brown.
Does the LGB loco have sound already fitted?
If so, I doubt the Rx65b can handle the voltage required to operate the loco correctly. They usually burn the first 6 volts just to control lights and smoke.
If no LGB sound fitted a max of 14 volts (actual) can be used with the Rx65b and the sound added. Which sound system are you using?

There are other ways of doing it still using the Tx22..

Well, I have a generic LGB steam sound card. I wired it into the track power of the tender. It actually works very well; sound goes out through the "speaker grill" cut into the bottom of tender. I also found out when I took apart the loco that it was equipped with the LGB MTS circuit board. This board controlled the front- and rear-headlights, smoke, and firebox light. Not having smoke is not a big deal but I do want headlights and firebox "flames" as we frequently run at night during the summer.

 

[Tony Walsham]

What track voltage do you normally drive at such that you get a reasonable top speed and the lights change?

 

[Paul M]

Welcome to the forum. There will be lots of advice available to you o here, as you've already found out, Tony being an expert. What else do you run and what sort of setup have you got?

 

[dunnyrail]

I want to convert my LGB Mogul locomotive to battery power and radio control. I already have a Deltang T22 transmitter and R65 receiver (battery is on its way). The easy part is connecting the battery to the receiver and then the receiver to the motor. I am, however, confused about how to connect the forward- and rear-facing headlamps and the analog sound. Can anybody offer some helpful comments?

Have you got the Pad output diagram? If not this may be a help.

I have anotated it with the colored wires that were on mine when delivered, mine came from Micron in UK and the wiring was pre put in. Not sure how things will be with suplliers your neck of the woods. GE_Rik is that ace on Deltang and he has lots of install information on his blogs.

Peckforton Light Railway

Narrow gauge large scale model garden railway. Battery powered, radio controlled locomotives, some Bluetooth. Set in Cheshire UK in 1930s

riksrailway.blogspot.com

I have used My Loco Sound on my Deltang installations using ABC and 4. 1 and 2 can also be used for lighting as well as A and B. I used A and B for two of the MLS sound function as noted above. I found the instructions less than helpful as there is constant dialog about Channels without relating that to the Pads! However searching through Rik’s excellent blog helped clarify things. The programming can be fun, but again Rik is your guide.

Here is a link to the Deltang site, Rx65 instructions not present, may be there somewhere. I found that I could not manage without a print if them so that I could make notes etc.

Radio for Trains

www.deltang.co.uk

 

[Tony Walsham]

Hello Paul.
It might seem that I am asking a lot of questions. Most time the info is needed to help determine what is the best way of going about installing battery R/C in a loco that was not designed for battery R/C.
sm-brown has made a good choice starting with a Deltang Tx.
Now heeds to know if his choice of Rx/ESC is a good one for the loco.
It will be the fitted MTS card that is going to complicate things. They usually wash off the first 6 volts and it actually is the next 12 volts that is used to run the motor. Total 18 volts required.
There are quite easy ways of separating the motor from the loco and driving that from a 14.4 volt battery supply.
I find the next part is simplified if the stock LGB MTS components are powered and controlled by a small DPDT relay.

 

[The Shed]

Adding to dunnyrail , choice of resources as in ge_rik , here is another chap who has helpful information.

Software for programming DelTang RC receivers – Mein Modellbahn- Blog

modellbahnblog.de

Das DelTang RC System – Mein Modellbahn- Blog

modellbahnblog.de

 

[dunnyrail]

Adding to dunnyrail , choice of resources as in ge_rik , here is another chap who has helpful information.

Software for programming DelTang RC receivers – Mein Modellbahn- Blog

modellbahnblog.de

Das DelTang RC System – Mein Modellbahn- Blog

modellbahnblog.de

Good call, excellent links.

 

[PhilP]

Just be aware that the information given so far, has been for theRx65b receiver.
If you obtained yours in the last couple of years, it will probably be a Rx65c. - The layout, and capabilities, of this model are different

PhilP

 

[The Shed]

Info for the Deltang Rx65b can be found here:

Rx65 Overview

www.deltang.co.uk

Info for the Deltang Rx65c can be found here:

Rx65 Overview

www.deltang.co.uk

 

[sm_brown]

What track voltage do you normally drive at such that you get a reasonable top speed and the lights change?

The loco starts to move at about 8 to 10 v but the lights and sound come on at about 5 to 6 v. A comfortable speed with lights on in the loco, sound going, and pulling 3 lit cars is around 14 to 15 v. Two of the cars draw power from the loco, the other directly from the track.

 

[sm_brown]

Hello Paul.
It might seem that I am asking a lot of questions. Most time the info is needed to help determine what is the best way of going about installing battery R/C in a loco that was not deigned for battery R/C.
sm-brown has made a good choice starting with a Deltang Tx.
Now heeds to know if his choice of Rx/ESC is a good one for the loco.
It will be the fitted MTS card that is going to complicate things. They usually wash off the first 6 volts and it actually is the next 12 volts that is used to run the motor. Total 18 volts required.
There are quite easy ways of separating the motor from the loco and driving that from a 14.4 volt battery supply.
I find the next part is simplified if the stock LGB MTS components are powered and controlled by a small DPDT relay.

Seems to me the easiest thing is to remove the MTS because I don't need it. But then I have the issue of how to connect the LEDs for the headlights. I see the A, B, and C pads. Are these for the "+" side of the LEDs? If so where is the "-" side to be hooked up?

 

[JimmyB]

Seems to me the easiest thing is to remove the MTS because I don't need it. But then I have the issue of how to connect the LEDs for the headlights. I see the A, B, and C pads. Are these for the "+" side of the LEDs? If so where is the "-" side to be hooked up?

Personally I keep lights simple connecting to the motor, giving LEDs direction and usually come on just before the loco moves

 

[Tony Walsham]

Hello sm-brown

That answers how the lights work currently
I rarely, if ever remove stock loco wiring.
To keep an installation as simple possible, I like to leave installed stuff like MTS.
I separate the motors from the on board wiring.
So that the lights, smoke etc can keep on working I power the stock on board wiring (MTS) from the traction batteries.
The voltage polarity (relay coil) is controlled by a small dpdt powered and controlled by the directional light output on the ESC. Usually reverse.
Doing it this way you will achieve a good steady top speed on a battery voltage 14-15 volts the chosen ESC can handle.
Apart from the relay, no rewiring is needed.

If you can decide on that basic way of installing your equipment, adding sound triggers is easy.

 

[PhilP]

Seems to me the easiest thing is to remove the MTS because I don't need it. But then I have the issue of how to connect the LEDs for the headlights. I see the A, B, and C pads. Are these for the "+" side of the LEDs? If so where is the "-" side to be hooked up?

You might find this useful?

Using LEDs with RCT / Deltang receivers

Details of using light emitting diodes (LEDs) with RCT and Deltang receivers for battery powered radio controlled model railway locomotives and trains

rctrains.co.uk

PhilP

 

[sm_brown]

Thank you PhilP! That is exactly what I needed. Now I suppose I should hook up the sound to the receiver output to motor to get speed related noises.

 

[JimmyB]

You might find this useful?

Using LEDs with RCT / Deltang receivers

Details of using light emitting diodes (LEDs) with RCT and Deltang receivers for battery powered radio controlled model railway locomotives and trains

rctrains.co.uk

PhilP

Phil, not seen that diagram before, very useful.

 

[PhilP]

Phil, not seen that diagram before, very useful.

Just be aware the diagrams show the 65b.
The layout is different on the 65c, but the pin annotations are the same..

PhilP

 

[dunnyrail]

I want to convert my LGB Mogul locomotive to battery power and radio control. I already have a Deltang T22 transmitter and R65 receiver (battery is on its way). The easy part is connecting the battery to the receiver and then the receiver to the motor. I am, however, confused about how to connect the forward- and rear-facing headlamps and the analog sound. Can anybody offer some helpful comments?

Reading your subsequent posts and things you are doing it would appear that the loco is a MTS fitted one? If so were you aware that you could have fitted battery DDC to it? This is much easier for such a loco as all you need to do is cut the track wire, insert the DCV Battery Board fit batteries and you are good to go. All functions will work as before. The wire from the track and pickups are now redundant and are better removed. Possibly more expensive than a Deltang installation, but oh so much easier. The Deltang that you have purchased would be then better installed in a non TS/DCC loco if you have one.

EDIT TYPO ABOVE SHOULD BE DCC NOT DDC. DCV IS DCC,