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Engineer
Australia
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Engineer
1st Class Member
USA
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 Posted - 20 Jan 2005 : 07:22:37
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| Tony, that's a very nice, easy installation kit. Well done. |
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Engineer
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 20 Jan 2005 : 16:08:00
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First off I am glad someone like Tony is looking into this. I have had a number of folks want me to wire their units, which i will IF they come by. But man if you have to ship it or even drive too far it adds up.
Now for those who never post or say, I like the idea of battery but don't have the skills, here you go. once you do ONE (1) it will be easy. I was always afraid of rewiring an LGB unit. Their no different, get in and learn the system.
Thanks Tony.
If some of the guys in our Iowa or KS club wants to do this, I'd be glad to stock some plugs which will save shipping if I buy an amount. Then i brake down the shipping per unit so I atless brake even. |
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Foreman
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 20 Jan 2005 : 18:04:07
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quote:
Originally posted by NTCGRR
If some of the guys in our Iowa or KS club wants to do this, I'd be glad to stock some plugs which will save shipping if I buy an amount. Then i brake down the shipping per unit so I atless brake even.
Marty, how about the GGRRC, I'd take two. Jim |
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Engineer
USA
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Posted - 21 Jan 2005 : 07:45:06
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Tony,
This is a great idea and a very nice kit. Thank you for producing it and posting the details.
If I could add an option, it would be to keep the truck pickups connected via a Track/Battery selector switch so that, like an Aristo loco, I could run either track power or battery from a trail car as needs dictated.
My comment comes from a very recent development at the NSS. A few weekends ago I put together a temporary quick-and-dirty trail car for my only Aristo loco, and RDC. It shares the rails with the track powered units as I experiment with battery power. Thus, I am slowly being wooed into the battery power camp, but still see the cost advantages of running both power sources for a time.
Jon |
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Engineer
Australia
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Posted - 21 Jan 2005 : 16:45:06
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Hi Jon.
As much as replicating what AC® does with their Track - Battery switch could be desirable for some, I sincerely believe it will hardly ever be used once the user tastes the simplicity of battery R/C only.
So the amswer is no, I am not considering offering such a switch at the moment.
The above kit was designed purely for battery R/C conversion only.
That kept it simple and very affordable.
I considered making the kit complete with a Track - Battery switch.
The circuit is pretty straightforward. AC® take care of the wiring on their pcb. However, in USA Trains® locos it will get complicated as it would require six more plugs and sockets be added to the above circuits which would also need to be wired differently. There will be at least 14 extra different wiring connections to be made by the modeller. It will likely cause a few problems for those that have difficulty following schematics. If wires get crossed shorts will result.
If I built the looms so it was truly plug and play the cost would be prohibitive.
I am not rejecting the idea out of hand. If enough people ask for it I will reconsider.
A more achieveable approach might be for LS'ers contemplating battery R/C to contact USA Trains® and ask them to offer an upgrade kit for older models and ask that a Track - Battery switch be incorporated in future production. It would be interesting to hear what USA Trains® have to say.
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Engineer
Australia
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Posted - 24 Jan 2005 : 21:01:28
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Hello battery fans.
I now have all the parts available to make up the kits.
The regular cost of the BIK-USA will be A$27 plus postage. This will be enough parts to have power feeds at each end of one loco.
This week I will have some test kits ready for consumer testing.
If a couple of LS'ers who already have AC® locos being powered by trail cars and would like to also have USA Trains® locos equally simple to plug and play, please let me know.
I will supply them with kits gratis in exchange for them installing them asap and reporting back their opinions.
Please reply to me offline at: rcs@alphalink.com.au
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Edited by - on 24 Jan 2005 21:05:25 |
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Conductor
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 07 Feb 2005 : 22:13:33
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All,
Tony sent me one of the wiring kits recently. The kit is professional! Very nicely done! Wiring directions were easy to follow. I couldn't tell from the instruction pics what loco Tony used but after emailing him he told me it was a GP 38 loco.
However the install in the SD40 is not as easy as it looks in the instructions. The SD40 has that articulating motor block that caused some problems. I installed the wiring kit in my SD40-2 last night.
First the locations shown in the instructions won't work well on the SD40. The combination of the guide for the articulating wheel set and the support slide for the rest of the front of the motor block make it a poor location for wires. Too many things sliding back and forth rubbing the wires. There is also the problem of the wires interfering with the articulation of the front wheel set.
I originally tried that spot but it was clear it wasn't going to work. I drilled a hole at the highest spot under the deck for the wires to keep them as close to the deck as possible. I then routed them to the side of the articulating wheel set all the way to the edge of the deck. I siliconed them there. That bead of silicone slightly reduces the amount the motor block can pivot but is needed to protect the wires from the slide.
I then routed the wires thru the gap under the motor block and between its pivoting carrier. From there I ran the wires thru the hole for the motor wires and inside the shell.
While getting the wires inside sooner would be a good thing there is not a spot that accesses inside the shell in that area that isn't either covered by the weights or in an area that has a slide moving in the same location.
The wiring was a piece of cake. Easy to follow and do. Mine was only complicated by some wiring repairs I had made previously due to damage from a derailment and subsequent short. Even so it was very simple to do.
Good news is it works like a charm! I am very happy with it! I removed the unused sliders as well as the plugs. I can make better use of them in another battery car!
My only suggestions would be to alter the directions for the SD40-2. My way is probably not the best but the wires shouldn't run thru the maze of sliders and pivots the SD40 has on the ends of the motor blocks. I am interested in Marty's approach to wiring this loco...at least I think he may have an SD40.
Andre'
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Brakeman
United Kingdom
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Posted - 08 Feb 2005 : 09:41:09
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Andre'
Have you any pictures available of your SD40 conversion? Once Tony's kits are available that will be my first conversion.
Cuskie |
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Conductor
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 08 Feb 2005 : 13:27:54
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I will try and take some this evening and hopefully will figure out how to load them here.
Andre' |
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Engineer
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 08 Feb 2005 : 15:51:07
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Tony, Marty, and All,
I just received 8 sets of the plugs and wires from Marty this afternoon in the mail. These are much nicer, longer, and greater gauge than plugs I bought previously from a manufacturer. Thanks for a good quality, reasonably priced, necessary item for RCBAT setup.Marty, Thanks for getting them to me so quickly. TCITM
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Conductor
Canada
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Posted - 08 Feb 2005 : 22:08:35
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Jon, I am installing a track power/battery power switch and power car plug in an USAT F3A for a club member. Tony is right, the wiring can be complicated and would require a lot of extra plugs.
Here is the basic concept using a double pole, double throw switch.
Unfortunately it is not as simple as illustrated. There are eight track power pick-up wires from the trucks. Two from each motor block and two from each pair of side frames. Because each motor block is wired the same but mounted in opposite directions, opposing colours of wires must be joined to have the motors turn in the same direction. Unfortunately I do not have a simple wiring diagram of this produced yet.
It would not be possible to solder a group of four wires to a small switch tab, so these wires would have to gathered with a wire nut. An extra wire would be added to each group and soldered to the appropriate switch tab. In my illustrations, these are the tabs on the left.
There are two sets of wires from the power board that have to be soldered to the center tabs on the switch. I assume they would also have to be opposing colours, but have not tested this yet.
Finally the power car plug has to be soldered to the last two (right hand) switch tabs.
For this project I will remove the factory installed wiring and plugs. The plugs can be used for the power car. New wiring will be soldered to the side frames and power board. Four new wires for each motor block will have USAT style connectors. These are available in bulk at most good electronic stores.
I will post and article with photos on our web site when the project is completed. But it will be a while, I am headed for Florida and the Caribbean.
Paul Norton
Ottawa Valley GRS
http://www.ovgrs.org
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Engineer
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 09 Feb 2005 : 21:13:45
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Paul is heading ,,,where??????? Must be nice!!! have fun Paul and send photos.
i did not reread all the replies , but Tony is tring to keep as simple as possible for beginners.
i really think if folks try battery, it will make the hobby much more fun for them. |
Edited by - on 09 Feb 2005 21:15:45 |
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Engineer
1st Class Member
USA
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Posted - 18 Jul 2007 : 23:43:48
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Paul,
Could you put back the two photos that are missing, just above this post but one.
Thanks, SteveF |
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Railway Exec (Moderator)
1st Class Member
Canada
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Posted - 19 Jul 2007 : 05:08:01
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Steve
Paul posted a complete writeup at http://ovgrs.editme.com/FA3 ... I am not sure what the difficulty is in displaying the pics in Paul's poat above. They were there at one time.
Since that time, Paul has also done some work in converting my F3A-B to battery power using the B unit as the power car.
Regards ... Doug |
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Conductor
Canada
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Posted - 19 Jul 2007 : 23:31:47
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Sorry, I updated these diagrams after the original post was made.
To be able to alternate between track power and battery power, a double pole, double throw (DPDT) switch must be installed between the track power pick-up wires and the power distribution board. The following diagram shows the switch installed and thrown up to select track power.
The power now flows from the left track through the track power pick-up wires, through the left front and center switch tabs, to the power distribution circuit board. It exits the power board through the right center and front switch tabs, right side track power pick-up wires to the right track.
The following diagram shows the switch thrown down to select battery power.
In this position, the power flows from the power car plug, through the left rear and center switch tabs, to the power distribution circuit board. It exits the power board through the right center and rear switch tabs to the power car plug.
As Tony has mentioned there are a lot of wires involved and they are not all colour coded properly. I changed a number of them over to the proper colour to complete this project.
Gather the following three red wires together on the left side of the frame:
• one from the center tab of the switch,
• one from Pick 1 on the power distribution board, and
• one from Pick 2 on the power distribution board.
Trim any excess wire. Solder all three red wires together and cover with a piece of shrink-wrap.
Gather the following three black wires together on the right side of the frame:
• one from the center tab of the switch,
• one from Pick 1 on the power distribution board, and
• one from Pick 2 on the power distribution board.
Trim any excess wire. Solder all three black wires together and cover with a piece of shrink-wrap.
Gather the five remaining red wires together on the left side of the frame:
• one from the top tab of the switch,
• one from the rear side frame,
• one from the inside pins of the rear motor block,
• one from the inside pins of the front motor block, and
• one from the front side frame.
Trim any excess wire. Solder all five red wires together and cover with a piece of shrink-wrap.
Gather the five remaining black wires together on the right side of the frame:
• one from the top tab of the switch,
• one from the rear side frame,
• one from the inside pins of the rear motor block,
• one from the inside pins of the front motor block, and
• one from the front side frame.
Trim any excess wire. Solder all five black wires together and cover with a piece of shrink-wrap.
The switch was mounted on the metal weight inside the rear door so I didn’t have to drill a hole in Ralph’s new locomotive.
After it was all donme, guess how many times Ralph changed the switch to track power? Zero, zilch, nadda, nil. Once you experience battery power, you never go back.
As Tony pointed out, USAT and non Plug and Play Aristo-Craft diesels can have power car plugs added at both ends with the four male portions of two-pin plugs. The female portions are used for power cars. The track power pick-ups from the motor blocks simply unplug from the power distribution board, and two of the new plugs are inserted. If you ever wanted to return the locomotive to track power for resale, remove the four plugs and plug the track power pick-ups back in.
Hint: Sometimes the screws for USAT diesels’ shells will stick in their burrows after being undone. I sealed a number of 1/8 inch super magnets in a length of 1/8 inch shrink wrap to help retrieve them. Placed near the end of a screwdriver, it will hold a screw on the tip.
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Edited by - on 19 Jul 2007 23:35:11 |
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