Stainz battery conversion

owlpool

owlpool

Welsh NG in the mountains. live steam
Country flag
I needed a remote control electric engine for my grandson to use, so he can walk around driving an engine during steam operations
saves track cleaning
the track extension is too long for track power and involves loops
requirements -
Cliff Barker remote, receiver / speed controller and charger [ largely on Mel's favourable reports]
LGB Toytrain tender with 12 x AA rechargeables, on/off switch and charging socket [ not enough room in the Stainz]
LGB lighting set to cannibalise lead for accessories socket [Arcadia]
brass sheet for heatsink
 
after a bit of searching, the Toytrain tender was sourced from Glendale
battery sound unit removed
the tender looks ok with the engine I think

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The tender comes apart easily
the chassis has a hole - for sound transmission - which should aid cooling
the mounting box for the sound unit was removed, cut apart and used as a plate for mounting switch, charging socket and heat sink

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its a tight fit, but all the batteries, in 6 double holders, the heatsink, receiver, connectors all just about fit in after soldering and a lot of muttering
I'm glad I didn't trim the battery holder wires as it was a major potch, with red and black spaghetti tucked in and tamed
the bottom of the heatsink is the brass "line" along the tender side at the lower part of the pic
a sheet of brass and brass snips were sourced from a friend who is a scrap dealer, and accepted barter rather than cash :)
the accessories lead can be seen exiting bottom left from the connector within the tender

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the top view, coal load removed, shows the mounting plate for switches, with heatsink attached [lower] and speed controller/receiver connected to it, and the aerial snaking out

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using the accessories socket is a neat solution
[not so sure about the aerial tip poking out]
I removed the skates and pickups from the Stainz too
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the remote handset is easy to use and used to program the speed controller
control is excellent - slow running, starts and stops etc
I ran it for about an hour and a half yesterday, almost continuously, up and down the hill, 8 skips in tow. plenty of power. charge left aplenty at the end
cost - all-in-all, about £230
not cheap, but set against my grandson wrecking the steamers, a good deal, I think

:thumbup:

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Nice job Paul, glad it all went well. Don't worry too much about heat build up. Cliff tends to get a bit obsessed with it, but I think that's a result of his gauge 1 experiences with big heavy trains and ...... errrrrr ...... motors of uncertain pedigree. It will be much less of an issue with a Buhler equipped Stainz.
 
cheers Mel - its a smooth operation with the Buhler, for sure
impressed with how long the charge lasts, too
 
owlpool said:
cheers Mel - its a smooth operation with the Buhler, for sure
impressed with how long the charge lasts, too
Click to expand...
Yes mate. I can run all day with my AA batteries with no problem and for a couple of weeks with the Li-on's. Obviously your gradients will be a good test, but a good few hours should be available between charges. Removing the loco's pick-ups makes a huge difference.
 
yb281 said:
owlpool said:
cheers Mel - its a smooth operation with the Buhler, for sure
impressed with how long the charge lasts, too
Click to expand...
Yes mate. I can run all day with my AA batteries with no problem and for a couple of weeks with the Li-on's. Obviously your gradients will be a good test, but a good few hours should be available between charges. Removing the loco's pick-ups makes a huge difference.
Click to expand...
yes - I forgot to mention in the spiel that I removed the skates and pickups
I will correct that now
cheers
 
Nice job. FWIW, you should be able to manage without the aerial coming through the coal load. I have the same kit stuffed into a Brekina railbus with the aerial tightly wrapped around the Cliff Barker receiver. No issues with range or performance.
 
whatlep said:
Nice job. FWIW, you should be able to manage without the aerial coming through the coal load. I have the same kit stuffed into a Brekina railbus with the aerial tightly wrapped around the Cliff Barker receiver. No issues with range or performance.
Click to expand...

Thanks , I'll give it a whirl
 
Look mate, I am up a wee stepladder, not a good idea at my age, aching joints, gout and so on, I am having trouble with derailments on the indoors overhead, there has been a bit of sagging, well, it happens to us all, and some rail joins just that little bit of out of aligment, especially the insulators, , screwdriver in one hand, hanging on to the overhead board with the other, trying to re-rail a derailed wagon with the third, and the bloody phone rings "Am I speaking to Mr Slushbuss? ( they never get my name right) " Oh pixx off, I want to say, but am too much of a bloody gentleman
 
Glengrant said:
Look mate, I am up a wee stepladder, not a good idea at my age, aching joints, gout and so on, I am having trouble with derailments on the indoors overhead, there has been a bit of sagging, well, it happens to us all, and some rail joins just that little bit of out of aligment, especially the insulators, , screwdriver in one hand, hanging on to the overhead board with the other, trying to re-rail a derailed wagon with the third, and the bloody phone rings "Am I speaking to Mr Slushbuss? ( they never get my name right) " Oh pixx off, I want to say, but am too much of a bloody gentleman
Click to expand...

EH? Gleng rant :rolf:
 
.....actually was getting so pxx off I put my #14 in the wrong section, should have gone into 4th March, oh what the heck, I don't care today. Gout has that effect on me
 
has anyone noticed a problem with batteries heating up on charging with this set-up ?
I use the Cliff Barker supplied charger iaw instructions
melt damage to 2 double AA holders
now have one 8 AA holder [Maplins]and two 2 AA holders, so fewer joins and less spaghetti in the tender
still get a bit warm on charging but nowhere near the "what's that smell?" level
 
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