RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion

RailPro on Battery Power

<< < (2/7) > >>

Dean:
Why can't the battery charger be connected to the tender wheels. Then you cold pull the locomotive on a dedicated track and charge the batteries.

nodcc4me:
I have read about that before, although it was done with DCC and box cars containing batteries. You would have to connect the cars to the locomotives electrically to run, then have a charging track siding. This would obviate the need to mount batteries in the engines. Unfortunately, you might still have to connect and disconnect the car from the locomotive at times. Of course, with steam engines the tender would make a perfect battery compartment, if there is enough room once the module and speaker are in place.

Terry:
Hi KPack, Tuscarora and nodcc4me,

The charging is actually extremely easy.  The tender body just sits on the frame.  The body and frame fit very well and are designed to keep themselves aligned.  Most models I have seen are the same.  I just lift off the body and plug the lead from the charger, which is about 18 inch lead of the same Miniatronics twin wire/connector.  Although I could keep the unit on the rails, I choose to have a central charging station.

BTW, the fact that charging is external makes these compact installs possible.  Any other charging system, rails, etc., requires additional stuff in the loco.  In any case, I always prefer external charging - it's the KISS principle.

On another note, the GP35 progresses, the battery, now assembled, is two 500mah LiPos that sit just under the shell at the rear where they are attached to the body rather than the frame.  This floats them over the gear tower of the rear truck.  More on all this later.

Terry

Terry:
Here goes, (if I can get this emall stuff to work), The first picture shows the subassemblies laid out.  The battery (two 500mah cells) were not included here as they were in process.  The main electrical structure holds the RailPro, the sugar cube speaker (below it), and the small narrow rectangle on the underside is double sided foam tape to connect the assembly to the top of the motor.
 


The ‘picture frame’ below this supports the structure from falling onto the front drive train, it is glued to the loco’s frame but not the electrical unit.  This makes for easier dis/assembly.  Also, you can now see the batteries stuck to the body. 



At this point the body literally drops onto the frame and the couplers hold the loco together.  It’s clear that this conversion has no lights.  It is a Mule, I try all kinds of stuff on this chassis, it deserves a purple heart.

Finally, the third picture shows the attachment to the charger.  The fourth picture shows the battery plugged in and the loco is running.  Doing this removes the need for a DPDT switch and some sort of socket for the charger.  In tight circumstances like this one it would be unduly complicated and bulky to go that route.





Going back to the first picture, the dynamic brake casting serves as the hatch.  The idea for this conversion happened when I was looking at the underside of the body and noticed it was a separate piece.   When was able to break it out, I figured the conversion was a  real possibility.  Once the hatch is back in place it looks like just any other Athearn GP35.

Cheers, I have run this loco on the workbench circle for well over an hour and the battery has plenty left.  Tomorrow the loco, Jerry and I head for a friend’s layout.  It is an industrial scene with a ton of switching.  We’ll see how this one works.

Thanks,
Terry

Josephbw:
That really looks nice, good job Terry.  :)

Joe

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page