Battery Power for Bachmann Consolidation

[griff87]

I have a 1:20.3 Bachmann Consolidation, that I have converted to battery power with Train Engineer control. It runs until it reaches any switch in the layout where it stops and appears to have a dead short that drains the battery. The switches that I have, use a metal crosstie (for want of the correct term) to link the two movable rails together, so that's how the power is getting from one rail to the other, but I have removed the tender pickups and the wipers from the last axle of the loco and can't see how the the electricity is comiing up through wheels to motor/controller/battery. Has anyone converted one of these locos to battery power and do you know where I may have missed some power wires coming up from the wheels?

[two tone]

Just a thought have you still got electric power to your switches/points this may be the problem as I can not see any other reason for it stopping Hope this helps

[two tone]

Look for more pick ups on loco all wheels pick up the small ones at the front also pick up

[griff87]

Thanks for replying, there is no power on tracks at all, I am just battery powered, so can't be there. I guess I'll have to look into loco again to see any other pick ups, unfortunately I see no obvious pickups, but there has to be something. Thanks.

[grandpopswalt]

Griff,

Do you have a multi-meter or a voltmeter capable of measuring about 25 volts DC?

Walt

 

 

[TonyWalsham]

Griff87.

Although the following link to a pdf file refers to installing RCS battery R/C into a Bachmann Connie, the basic principles apply to any brand of battery R/C.

http://www.rcs-rc.com/accessories/rcs_tenloc_inst.pdf

 Just be sure to remove the plug from the socket marked CON7.

[griff87]

Yes, I do. Where and how should I check?

[griff87]

Thanks, I'll look it over and see if I can figure out where I went wrong.

[griff87]

Another question, this is a newer 1:20.3 Bachmann Consolidation BAC81298, does that make any difference, or do all wiring diagrams on site still apply.

[REI]

Maybe you should switch to NB track. 

 Battey powered trains=plastic New Bright G scale track. 

 

[two tone]

Look at a web site called Bachmann Big Hauler tips    Shows all about electrics and maintenance of locos

[Rex in Pinetop]

I converted my Connie to Air Wire and Phoenix Sound.  I completely removed the Bachmann board.  My battery rides in the tender.  I had problems with the main gear to the point where it wouldn't go up any grade at all.  I replaced the nylon/plastic gear with a cobbled metal one I got from the RC car/truck world.  Replacing the gear did require me to tear down the Connie into many small parts.  I found that each of the 8 wheels has a track power pickup.

With that background you might still have power flowing to the wheels from your battery so that when you reach a switch that's shorted you would have a path for the battery to drain itself.  Trouble shooting would need to address any track shorts around your switches.  Trouble shooting would also need to address power getting to the drive wheels.  Lay the engine tender back in the packing foam, turn it on so its running wheels up, and then check power on the wheels with your multimeter rubbing on the running wheels.  If you get any voltage from your wheels then you have a wiring problem somewhere.

Rex