Battery Power for bachmann porter

[recaper]

Ok guys, I've changed my mind again , I'm going to switch to battery power no matter what. I'd like to start with the porter and learn as i go.The way i understand it, i need a receiver,transmitter, battery pack,charger ,switch, jack, am i right so far? The$ 500. and$ 600. "starter sets" are out of the question.Can i get what i need from one source ? Oh, i want to thank all you guys for your response to my previous post,i learned something from everyone. Thanks PS, can i getaway with out a battery car?

[Rex in Pinetop]

Recaper,

I just converted my Bachmann 3-truck Shay to Airwire/Phoenix.  There were a whole bunch of wires to cut to remove the factory board.  The airwire decoder did not fit inside the middle truck so half of it is sticking into the cab which works just fine for me.  I wanted a little bigger battery and of course it wouldn't fit inside the tender so it now resides on a skelton log car hidden in some carved out logs.  The power switch, programming jack, and volumn control are all in the tender hatch on top so they're easy to get to.  Greg had some excellent instructions for converting the Shay on his web site.  I got all my Airewire parts, switches, and battery while at the NGRC in Tacoma this year.  The debugging headache was the chuff input.  Let us know when you get to that part and we can walk you through it.  Same for the headlamp and tail lamp control.

Rex 

[kstrong]

I don't know if you've got the past year's GRs or not, but I recently finished up a series looking at advanced control systems (battery R/C, DCC, etc.) I think it started with either the December '09 or February '10 issue. It was a three-part series in my "Garden Railways Basics" column. It was an overview of the various advanced control systems on the market, some of their features, and the benefits and pitfalls of one system vs. another. The "4th" part of the series looks at some inexpensive sound systems that work with many of the various control systems.

A few considerations. First, how "advanced" do you want your system? Are you looking for the ultimate in terms of functionality--MU'ing locomotives to run together, controlling every last little light and sound, etc., or are you looking to run one loco at a time, blowing the whistle and ringing the bell when you want? That will pretty much dictate where in the food chain of available control systems on the market you fit. Each "tier" has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of functionality and complexity.

In terms of what you'll need, you're correct - you'll need a transmitter (the modern systems use the same transmitter for multiple locos, so this can be viewed as a one-time expense), a receiver/throttle in each loco, and batteries in each loco. It sounds like you want some kind of sound control as well, so you'll want to take that into consideration when choosing your control system.

You'll most likely want some kind of power switch to turn things on and off, and if you're not making your batteries removable, you'll want a charging jack for the batteries. Depending on which sound system you're using, you may want a volume switch and/or a programming jack. (You can also program the board prior to installation, then not worry about it.) A speaker is a necessity if you're using sound. I also put a 5-amp fuse in line with the batteries, "just in case." Most circuits have some level of "oops" protection, but it's a lot less inconvenient to replace a 99-cent fuse than to wait for a few weeks because the built-in protection didn't trip for whatever reason.

Sit down and come up with a list of things you want to be able to control, and we can probably help you pick a suitable system for your needs. Assuming you want sound as well as throttle control, plan on spending anywhere from $200 - $350 per loco for everything you'll need (receiver, throttle, sound, batteries, and all the extra bits and pieces for the install.) There's some used stuff on the market as well as folks upgrade to the "latest and greatest" systems if cost is a factor.

And yes--you can fit everything you need into very small spaces (such as the 0-4-0) without needing a battery car.

Later,

K

[recaper]

First, thank you for your help K ! I am a new subscriber to Gr, i think i did see the    last part of your article.I'm not cheap but i am retired , so this is what i need not what i want ;). A throttle that will run digital sound (whistle / bell) momentum(no jack rabbit starts or stops) directional lights. I don't care about fine tuning the sound . Sound for small steam, receiver to run the above,battery pack (two hour run time?) to fit in porter. I would like a charger for the battery's for the porter and shay when i get to it. what ever jacks ,switches,controls i need to hook it all up. I'd like to diy .

                                                                                               Thank you K

                                                                                                   Tom (recap)

[Andrew Simpson]

this is from the sandstone and termite railway site

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/2point4GHz.htm

i am fitting these to each of my locos. I use rechargeable batteries at $12 delivered

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/16x-AA-3000mAH-Ni-MH-NiMH-Recycle-Rechargeable-Battery-/200464825408?pt=AU_Electronics_Batteries_Chargers&hash=item2eaca27c40

all up cost per loco is about $80 - 90.

i converted a 2-4-0 shortie loco with batteries in the boiler. My stainz locos have battery trailing cars. I could squeeze batteries into loco but was happy to have trail cars. i get about 5-6 hours running, which is more than enough for me at one time.

I have the Aristocraft revolution, which is a great unit, but because I want to have every person who visits to control and run a train, it is not financially possible to supply a complete revolution set  for each train.

This is just another option that is now available to the large scale community. it is cost effective and it works for me.

Regards from Andrew

Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

[TonyWalsham]

Here are a couple of shots of an installation I did back in 2005 in a second generation Porter.
I fitted two very early 2 x cell Li-Ion battery packs in the side tanks.

I mounted one of my older RCS systems up in the roof.  It was virtually invisible when the loco was right side up.


A charge/aux battery supply jack was mounted on the rear of the cab.  The ON - OFF switch is in the tool box inside the cab.


Later versions of the loco have more usable space available with moulded in speaker mounting points and chuff timers on the front axle.
I have no trouble fitting everything on board nowadays.
I last used 12 x AA size NiMh Hybrid batteries for power.  Next one I do will be using a small Li-Ion pack.

[kstrong]

A few thoughts...

The hardest part of putting the R/C into the Porter will be fitting the batteries. I'd definitely echo Tony's suggestion for Li-Ions. I converted my fleet over to them this past winter, and I couldn't be happier with their performance. Long run times, small size, and light weight.

Which version of the 0-4-0 do you have? I believe on the newest version of the side-tank version, you can easily replace the weight with a "standard" 14.8 volt, 4-cell Li-Ion pack (4 cells arranged side by side, for a pack measuring roughly 3" x 3" x 1".) You could also fit it under the saddle tank, but you're going to have to cut away a small section of the back wall of the tank (where it butts up against the cab) to slide the batteries into position. This will be hidden once things are back together, though, so you'd be in good shape there. The older version (like the one in Tony's post) would be a bit more difficult, but you can use two 7.4-volt packs to combine them for 14.8 volts.

There are plenty of control systems on the market, but the three I think best suited to your needs would be Aristo's "Revolution," Remote Control Systems' (Tony's)' "Beltrol," or G-Scale Graphics' "RailBoss." They all offer fairly easy operation with momentum control and good control over basic sounds. I don't think Tony's system has been reviewed yet in GR, but the Revolution and RailBoss systems have. (Tony's system is similar to the RailBoss, which is to be expected since the two systems were something of a collaborative effort.) If you ask 10 people what they think of these systems, you'll get 20 opinions, so me telling you what my preferences might be would be pointless. It's really an individual thing. The same holds true for sound systems, though budget plays into that a bit more.  You can get the top-drawer Phoenix or Sierra (now out of production, but still available here and there) for around $180 - $200, or step down to the more basic ones from Dallee and MyLocoSound for under $100. (See my GR Basics column on inexpensive sound systems a few issues ago, or their respective reviews.) Any of these systems will work with the aforementioned control systems, so pick the combination that matches your personal preferences and budget. 

Once you get the batteries placed in the 0-4-0, you can squeeze the other controls wherever you can. The boiler should be large enough even wtih the bateries to acommodate the control boards, though you can also hide them in the cab, either on the roof as in Tony's photos above, or between the inside cab wall and boiler. Small locos require a bit of creative thinking in terms of cramming the various components into the loco. Trust me, the larger locos (like the Shay) will be easier. ;)

Later,

K