What happened at your workbench today?
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Made 2 18650 Li-ion battery packs to replace the LiPO's in my Shay and Consolidation (Connie) that failed.
Blog shows details
ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com
Blog shows details
Making 18650 Lithium Ion Battery Packs
After the failure of my third model store bought LiPo battery in my Bachmann Shay and Consolidation ("Connie")I decide that I would make my ...
ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com
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Continuing work and testing on the Heng Long smoke unit, latest update for the smoke unit, operating via a Hall Sensor, the Blog contains the details and info plus the usual shaky video!
Also on the workbench, although was not originally for the Heng Long smoke unit itself, although it could well be incorporated to operate the motor of the smoke unit, still that's for another day.
Also on the workbench, although was not originally for the Heng Long smoke unit itself, although it could well be incorporated to operate the motor of the smoke unit, still that's for another day.
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In the video, at about 9 seconds, seems to be where you are varying the speed of the axle with the hall sensor.
I can't tell how fast it is going, but I could not see "chuffs" from the smoke unit. You might try BEMF braking on the fan motor.
I also see what many people have learned, when you do high output, and then lower fan speed, you can tell the heating element is increasing in temp a lot, thus many people now modulate the heater current in concert with the average fan speed, or at least provide some means to lower the current at idle.
Have fun, and I learned something new, the F2 output on the version 2 of the decoder, thanks!
Greg
I can't tell how fast it is going, but I could not see "chuffs" from the smoke unit. You might try BEMF braking on the fan motor.
I also see what many people have learned, when you do high output, and then lower fan speed, you can tell the heating element is increasing in temp a lot, thus many people now modulate the heater current in concert with the average fan speed, or at least provide some means to lower the current at idle.
Have fun, and I learned something new, the F2 output on the version 2 of the decoder, thanks!
Greg
Having just had a splendid day of instruction from dunnyrail, I felt ready to go ahead with my first RC/Battery conversion, on my old analogue LGB 2051.
I made it more complicated by re-using the bi-colour LEDs I had fitted when it was still track powered, themselves replacing the ancient LGB bulb & prism arrangement. That meant adapting the Fosworks directional lighting output to operate a relay DPDT with voltage splitter to change polarity, but it all works (on the bench at least) after many hours of muttering and experimentation and gives constant lighting which changes with the movement of the loco. As intended for each loco I am converting, a Mylocosound card has been fitted to get the neighbours more involved in my hobby.
The picture shows it all fitting in theory, I'm dreading attempting to put back the body later.
Following dunnyrail's example of meticulous record-keeping, but in my own geeky way, I also set up loco records on the railway's SQL Server database, to keep a track on what I've been up to.
I made it more complicated by re-using the bi-colour LEDs I had fitted when it was still track powered, themselves replacing the ancient LGB bulb & prism arrangement. That meant adapting the Fosworks directional lighting output to operate a relay DPDT with voltage splitter to change polarity, but it all works (on the bench at least) after many hours of muttering and experimentation and gives constant lighting which changes with the movement of the loco. As intended for each loco I am converting, a Mylocosound card has been fitted to get the neighbours more involved in my hobby.
The picture shows it all fitting in theory, I'm dreading attempting to put back the body later.
Following dunnyrail's example of meticulous record-keeping, but in my own geeky way, I also set up loco records on the railway's SQL Server database, to keep a track on what I've been up to.
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I use two wire bi-colour LEDs, however I use the motor outlets, and as the motor direction is reversed, then the LED changes colour.
Just out of interest Jimmy does that reverse the polarity or are they bi-polarity?
Ah SQL hm Swahili to me, cant do databases which is why when I had my Battery records on the PC and used a spreadsheet. Ok with spreadsheet manipulation.
That was how I had it with track power, but this time I thought it would be fun to make them constant voltage at all speeds and also stay on when static, if nothing else just to learn about the magic of electrickery
In the early hours of this morning, I learned one of the old dog/new tricks lessons the hard way, seeing what a Voltage Regulator did, and I discovered they explode with a huge bang if you use them wrongly!
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They are two wire bi-polarity, the anode becomes the cathode and vis versa, so current one direction red, current the opposite direction white, or what ever colour you have chosen
bicolor, 3 terminal, common cathod (in the circle)
bipolar, 2 terminal, 2 leds in parallel, opposite polarity
bipolar, 2 terminal, 2 leds in parallel, opposite polarity
I like them. Cheap and easy to use, with only 2 leads, so my limited brain can handle the idea. For the heck of it, I used a pair of red/greens to make some little ground signals at the exit of my 2 road loco shed, which are controlled by a supplementary switch on the point motor wired as a DPDT polarity changer , thereby automatically showing the appropriate aspect for whichever road is set.
Fitted my gravel train with a Viper Loco10 motor controller and test ran it.
This is a "matched train" in that the loco and gravel tubs are permanently connected as the batteries and R/C components are housed inside the tubs
Blog has description and pictures
ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com
This is the last one on the "to do list" (well not quite there is a garret project sulking in a box in the workshop) but now I have recovered from my surgery I have to spend time doing things like a couple painting projects and SWMBO wants the windows cleaned.
Plus there is the overgrown weed filled layout garden to tend to.
This is a "matched train" in that the loco and gravel tubs are permanently connected as the batteries and R/C components are housed inside the tubs
Blog has description and pictures
Gravel Train
This train is a “matched” train, the motor is the only component fitted to the loco thus the tubs cannot be separated from the loco. I ma...
ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com
This is the last one on the "to do list" (well not quite there is a garret project sulking in a box in the workshop) but now I have recovered from my surgery I have to spend time doing things like a couple painting projects and SWMBO wants the windows cleaned.
Plus there is the overgrown weed filled layout garden to tend to.
The trip to Aus in April next year is becoming more interesting, although we'll be staying mainly in Brisbane, we will need to pass through Bundaberg en route to Bargara, if you're free it would be nice to see what others are up to in their gardens ;-)Fitted my gravel train with a Viper Loco10 motor controller and test ran it.
This is a "matched train" in that the loco and gravel tubs are permanently connected as the batteries and R/C components are housed inside the tubs
Blog has description and pictures
Gravel Train
This train is a “matched” train, the motor is the only component fitted to the loco thus the tubs cannot be separated from the loco. I ma...
This is the last one on the "to do list" (well not quite there is a garret project sulking in a box in the workshop) but now I have recovered from my surgery I have to spend time doing things like a couple painting projects and SWMBO wants the windows cleaned.
Plus there is the overgrown weed filled layout garden to tend to.
The micro-viper is an OK unit - pretty trouble freeFitted my gravel train with a Viper Loco10 motor controller and test ran it.
This is a "matched train" in that the loco and gravel tubs are permanently connected as the batteries and R/C components are housed inside the tubs
Blog has description and pictures
Gravel Train
This train is a “matched” train, the motor is the only component fitted to the loco thus the tubs cannot be separated from the loco. I ma...
This is the last one on the "to do list" (well not quite there is a garret project sulking in a box in the workshop) but now I have recovered from my surgery I have to spend time doing things like a couple painting projects and SWMBO wants the windows cleaned.
Plus there is the overgrown weed filled layout garden to tend to.
From my position as a complete beginner who needs to work things out very slowly, and with Greg's reminder above, I have a feeling that three-legged LEDs might actually be better with the Fosworks Cobra directional lighting outputs as supplied, avoiding having to use a relay to manage the two lead ones, which is effectively duplicating functionality and taking up precious space. Next time I put in an order for LEDs, I'll get some and have an experiment. Note that I'm aiming to power lamps independent of the motor, to avoid that slow speed flickering business.
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After working out the anode and cathode polarity wiring to get your colours the right way around, which ultimately relies on trial and error as it depends on the motor wiring and gearbox arrangements, you then have two choices:
- Connect to the motor wiring with a suitable resistor.
- Connect to the ESC (of your choice) provided it has low voltage outputs for LED lights. (If it only has 5v low voltage for grain-of-wheat bulbs, you'll still need a resistor albeit smaller)
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I use 2 wire bi-colour LEDs, with JUST a suitable resistor for the full motor voltage, no relay or anything else, this is straight to the motor connections. I normally wire with a Massoth 2 pin lamp connector instead of wiring the LED direct, just means I can take out the LED and turn the connections around, if it is showing the wrong colour for the direction running, though de-solder and turning around is not difficult, bur getting it right first time is better 
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