RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion
RailPro on Battery Power
TwinStar:
--- Quote from: Alan on June 26, 2016, 06:54:33 PM ---Terry,
I am curious why the allure of battery. Earlier today I was amusing myself after a module installation (and after break-in) by seeing how slow I could make my latest motive power addition craw with a 16 car train behind it. It traveled the whole railroad (about 150') at what had to be less than 1 scale MPH without a hiccup. Just for kicks I backed the train for the return trip at the same crawl. The trip included across many turnouts some curved and even a 3-way. It took a very long time. ;D While I was watching the train barely moving your battery thread came to mind. I even wrote myself a reminder note to ask you the question.
If an amateur like me can make conventional track electrical supply work this well what is about battery power that is so desirable?
--- End quote ---
Alan,
I operate on Free-mo layouts that are DCC powered. After a half day of running the rail is dirty and power is spotty at best. I'm waiting for the keep alive feature but can see why some would want batteries.
Jacob
TwinStar:
--- Quote from: Alan on June 27, 2016, 10:27:31 PM ---That all makes sense. Different strokes for different folks. Thanks for the reply.
Wiring doesn't scare me. I actually enjoy it. RailPro being plain DC makes it even easier. As Tim mentioned, I want functional signaling which means detection. The layout wiring makes integrating detection very easy.
I wrongly assumed the battery craze was driven by electrical pick-up problems. Seems like a lot of expense and trouble to go to just to replace what a little acetone and a good masonite car does for almost free.
I think I am about as far as one can be on the other end of the scale. For example here is a shot of the occupancy detectors on just one module:
--- End quote ---
Alan,
Whose detectors are those?
Jacob
Alan:
--- Quote ---Whose detectors are those?
--- End quote ---
Mine. <not sarcasm> http://www.lkorailroad.com/circuit-breaker-and-block-detector-final-units/
Antoine L.:
One day I'll have a layout like yours Alan. I just 30. I give myself time to learn and, while I currently work on my third layout, it is still very basic when I look at your wiring.
Good work. ((sorry I'm off topic))
Antoine
roofintrash:
The whole battery power thing for normal operations does not interest me, buuuutttttt, for a dedicated track cleaning train, why not. I also fly electric R/C planes and have a bunch of Lipo's laying around so I did a quick and dirty test. I dug an old blue box F45 out of the old crap pile and went to work. I basically just isolated the the motor and ran the wires to a car behind the loco. The first try was two,two cell 500mah in series for 16.8 volts. That was a no go for the LM2 as it gave me the track over voltage warning. That was a bummer because they fit in a gondola perfectly and I figured I'd just cover them and the LM2 with a coil cover. Went back out in the garage and grabbed a 3 cell 1300 pack which is 12.6 volts but too big to lay down in the gon. I just cobbled it together and stuck a Walthers abrasive box car and the CMX heavy ass brass tank car behind it and sent it on its way. My layout fills a 12 x24 room and most of the main is on a 2% grade up or down and I finally shut the loco down after 4hrs of running non stop thru every combo of yard tracks and such. The battery voltage was still in the acceptable range and I was quite pleased. I'm going to order a few 3cell 500mah batteries and do a permanent install in a gon all neat and tidy and park it on the MOW track. A few laps before an op session should do the trick.
Sorry about the never ending paragraph. I'm a truck driver,not an english teacher LOL
Couple crappy pics
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