Piko BR 64 Bubikopf - more electrification

[WKDOR]

All our locos have been RC/battery for many years. Mainly tender locos so plenty of room for NiMh Sub-Cs, except one U class where I managed to squeeze 10 AAs on to the cab floor.

Now looking to make the big decision for a newly acquired BR 24 that is stripped down and ready for action -

Where to put the batteries without losing the traction?

Options include:

1. In the boiler by replacing the stock weight (1.4kgs) and removing the weight stanchions. For comparison a spare block of 8 x Sub-Cs only weighs 0.5kgs, say 0.625kg for 10 cells =12 volts - if I can make it fit. Can I make up the difference 0.875kg by loading up the side tanks?

2. On cab floor. From outside you'd think there would be plenty of room but on the inside there are obstacles that would require fairly major surgery - I'm not sure which bits would affect the structural integrity of the cab. Would also require some counterbalancing forward of the weight and I'm not sure how much room there is.

Either way the RC and soundcard can go in the cab and/or bunker.

Has anyone done one of these please?

Am I missing any other options? I'm trying to avoid Lipos as I haven't got a charger.

Many Thanks

mike

 

[WKDOR]

Sorry, one more constraint: AA battery clips don't fit in the side tanks.

 

[PhilP]

Sorry, one more constraint: AA battery clips don't fit in the side tanks.

What if you have the batteries made up into packs? - You would be surprised how much space this saves.. Might be able to use the tanks then??

 

[Rhinochugger]

What if you have the batteries made up into packs? - You would be surprised how much space this saves.. Might be able to use the tanks then??

Worth talking to Strikealite - they made me a special pack of 4/5 AA to go under the bonnet of my MDC Hustler and not exorbitant either

 

[dunnyrail]

Erm are we talking 64 here or the 24 as there has been some chat about side tanks and the 24 Tender Loc does not have them. So if a 24 I would suggest the Batteries in the Tender should be loads of space that would not reduce traction that much. If the 64 and it is constructed in a similar way tomthe 95 there may just be room in the Tanks.

 

[WKDOR]

Many Thanks Phil

Minimum width of sidetank is 15mm at narrowest.

Thanks too Jon. Mea culpa it is indeed the tank version with no tender.

Have now tried single AA cells in the sidetanks and I can only get 2 * 2 AA in-line in each tank with a millimeter or two to spare.

So I'm thinking to get a quote for getting those made up = 9.6v and then a standard 4 X AA on the cab floor totals 14.V - ideal!

 

[PhilP]

Talk to Strikalite. You may well be better with the 4/5 AA batteries, as you need to allow for connections, and a little 'wiggle' room.

 

[WKDOR]

Update after a few weeks of trying every conceivable permutation of locations for the battery.

Having tried side-tanks, rear/bunker and main boiler/reduced weight they all have one or more limitations so I am going to go with putting a flat 2 x 6 = 12 * 1.2 = 14.4V NiMh AAs pack on the cab floor with the least worst amount of non-structural surgery. Switch and charge socket on back of bunker either side of road number. ESC/Rx and wiring harness to be ordered from Phil.

That leaves just one major strategic decision - Lighting. There are three forward and three rear lamps, excluding the running gear lights that I think I will abandon (although I see they have resistors in the cable runs).

Do I go with the existing LEDs (that don't appear to have resistors) and add resistors (soldering is my weakest link)? Or get some pre-wired ones from Phil and wrestle with trying to get them into some pretty small lamps currently filled with glue, and needing to be bent through 90 degrees?

 

[dunnyrail]

Update after a few weeks of trying every conceivable permutation of locations for the battery.

Having tried side-tanks, rear/bunker and main boiler/reduced weight they all have one or more limitations so I am going to go with putting a flat 2 x 6 = 12 * 1.2 = 14.4V NiMh AAs pack on the cab floor with the least worst amount of non-structural surgery. Switch and charge socket on back of bunker either side of road number. ESC/Rx and wiring harness to be ordered from Phil.

That leaves just one major strategic decision - Lighting. There are three forward and three rear, excluding the running gear lights that I think I will abandon (although I see they have resistors in the cable runs). Do I go with the existing LEDs (that don't appear to have resistors) and add resistors (soldering is my weakest link)? Or get some pre-wired ones from Phil and wrestle with trying to get them into some pretty small lamps currently filled with glue, and needing to be bent through 90 degrees?

Have you thought of separate joined Battery Packs like I have done with my Piko 25 Tonner and am fitting in my Train Line Pfiffi. Gives lots of alternative options. Just longer Joints between the cells. Fosworks is more than happy to make them up for me providing I give him a good photo of what I need. I tend to use normal type of cells made up into blocks with Tape to test where they can be fitted out, send Fosworks a Picture pay him and he does the rest;

 

[PhilP]

So, you are sorted with batteries?
But need to decide on lighting?

I am not familiar with the Piko offerings, so am a little unsure what connectors they use?? - If you can supply a photo, I may be able to offer you a 'no-soldering required' solution?
PhilP.

 

[WKDOR]

Thanks Phil

Yes sorted on batteries - almost.

Lighting is the stumbling block. They are all terminated in bare wire after disassembly, so no connectors.

 

[PhilP]

PM sent..

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thanks Phil

Yes sorted on batteries - almost.

Lighting is the stumbling block. They are all terminated in bare wire after disassembly, so no connectors.

View attachment 245583

View attachment 245582

Phil will sort you out

 

[WKDOR]

Phil will sort you out

Thank you all.

Yes Rhino, Phil has indeed kindly offered to sort me out and I'll be taking up his offer. Wonderful.

This site is as good as ever - and that's since When did GSM start? I had a low membership number.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thank you all.

Yes Rhino, Phil has indeed kindly offered to sort me out and I'll be taking up his offer. Wonderful.

This site is as good as ever - and that's since When did GSM start? I had a low membership number.

I don't know - I joined GSM around 2006

 

[WKDOR]

Status update at 12/01/2019

I was very pleased to see Phil offer to solve my LED wiring dilemma. I have previously been very impressed with him as a supplier since he took over RCtrains from Rik.

Since then we have had numerous exchanges by PM, email and phone.

But unfortunately all this has resulted in zero progress.

My last email on 8 Jan 2019, 10:48:

Good Morning Phil

Would you please re-read this conversation and explain to me what has happened to the enquiry about my BR64 project.

You will see that we started this conversation on 20/11/2018. Here I am 7 weeks later and fearing that it is never going to happen after a number of disappointments. Yes I am aware that Xmas intervened.

Please send me the promised documents so that I can put you in funds. But if you do not wish to take this any further please just say so. In that case can I please ask you to return my six Piko LED lights urgently.

Best wishes


I have had no reply and I have not received my six Piko LED lights. I am wondering what has happened.

Mike

 

[Rhinochugger]

Status update at 12/01/2019

I was very pleased to see Phil offer to solve my LED wiring dilemma. I have previously been very impressed with him as a supplier since he took over RCtrains from Rik.

Since then we have had numerous exchanges by PM, email and phone.

But unfortunately all this has resulted in zero progress.

My last email on 8 Jan 2019, 10:48:

Good Morning Phil

Would you please re-read this conversation and explain to me what has happened to the enquiry about my BR64 project.

You will see that we started this conversation on 20/11/2018. Here I am 7 weeks later and fearing that it is never going to happen after a number of disappointments. Yes I am aware that Xmas intervened.

Please send me the promised documents so that I can put you in funds. But if you do not wish to take this any further please just say so. In that case can I please ask you to return my six Piko LED lights urgently.

Best wishes


I have had no reply and I have not received my six Piko LED lights. I am wondering what has happened.

Mike

I think he had an email issue, and his PM's weren't getting through.

Just after Christmas he mentioned that he'd been ploughing through a monster backlog of emails.

Try doing a simple reply when he pops up in the coffee lounge - it may be something that's got caught up in the hundreds of junk emails he was trying to deal with.

As you know, he's not the sort of guy to let people down.

 

[PhilP]

Mike / All

Biggest apology to Mike, and apologies to any others who have not had any replies..

There seem to be major email issues (email, not web) through the 'Provider(s) involved in my service..


Still a mass of rubbish to go through, and I keep getting rejection messages, on many emails I have sent. - These tend to only come after 24, 26, 48, 72 hours, and eventually the servers down-the-line dump the messages.


To Mike (WKDOR) specifically.. I will sort something, and PM through the Forum. Perhaps not tonight, as am about to eat (late).

Apologies,
PhilP.

 

[WKDOR]

Thank you Phil.

But I still haven't had anything by forum PM or email from you.


Mike

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thank you Phil.

But I still haven't had anything by forum PM or email from you.


Mike

Mike - check your SPAM - one of Phil's emails from RC Trains went into my SPAM box