Tony Wells Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 The following message ended up in the Forum Feedback so I'm re-posting it here, where it should be seen by more members.There is an interesting article in the current (March) issue of Railway Modeller, in which the author has converted a small 009 diesel outline shunter to radio controlled battery power, using the new generation of micro electronics and LiPo batteries, which I found interesting in view of my earlier query on track lengths and current raw. I currently use R/C on my garden railway locos, but everything is big and heavy, including the transmitter which is a Planet 5 - definitely a two handed job, one to hold and one to adjust the controls! has anyone else looked into this please, and if so with what results? I recently bought an old loco drive Flying Scotsman loco, and was wondering if I could put everything inside the tender, with just a thin power cable going to the loco, disguised as a vacumn hose or similar.TIATony Wells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Odd you should mention that, as I was toying with the same idea of a garden railway, Initially an old tender-drive loco, ex the junk channel, in case it didn't work out. One of the Micron receivers with forward and reverse function, and a lipo somewhere. It would save all the hassle of cleaning the track before a running session, just a quick whiz round to remove dead leaves, twigs, and stray cats!It would need to be a bit bigger a lipo than the tiny ones used in indoor r/c models though - typically 1S (3.7v) 70mah. That wouldn't last long in an OO loco!It would need to be a 3S (11.4v discharged) 1000mah, for a decent run-time. For that lipo, you want an internal space of around 10 x 3 x 2.5 cm, with a bit of extra room for wires.Then you want a proper lipo charger. (I already have those!) because you cannot charge a lipo on a car battery charger!Bear in mind safety as well. NEVER EVER charge a lipo inside! Never charge at more than 1C (one times it's capacity - in this particular example 1000 mah - (or one amp).) although they can be charged faster, at the expense of reducing the cyclic life. As an aside, I never did understand why there are a thousand milliamps in an amp, and not a million - same as millimetres - there aren't a million millimetres to a metre! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 French. Mille=1,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 They obviously never learned to count after the Romans invaded them! (Mind you - we don't have a mille yards to the mile, either!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wells Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Odd you should mention that, as I was toying with the same idea of a garden railway, Initially an old tender-drive loco, ex the junk channel, in case it didn't work out. One of the Micron receivers with forward and reverse function, and a lipo somewhere. It would save all the hassle of cleaning the track before a running session, just a quick whiz round to remove dead leaves, twigs, and stray cats!It would need to be a bit bigger a lipo than the tiny ones used in indoor r/c models though - typically 1S (3.7v) 70mah. That wouldn't last long in an OO loco!It would need to be a 3S (11.4v discharged) 1000mah, for a decent run-time. For that lipo, you want an internal space of around 10 x 3 x 2.5 cm, with a bit of extra room for wires.Then you want a proper lipo charger. (I already have those!) because you cannot charge a lipo on a car battery charger!Bear in mind safety as well. NEVER EVER charge a lipo inside! Never charge at more than 1C (one times it's capacity - in this particular example 1000 mah - (or one amp).) although they can be charged faster, at the expense of reducing the cyclic life. As an aside, I never did understand why there are a thousand milliamps in an amp, and not a million - same as millimetres - there aren't a million millimetres to a metre!I have an old 6-wheel LMS insulated milk van that's 12x3x25,so just room enough, even if I went the 3S route! In the magazine article the bloke just used a 1S though, at 3.7v and found that he still got good scale speed, so a 2S with 7.4 should still be ample, unless you are running HST's flat out. I never run my 16mm scale locos at full speed btw, as their scale speed would put Eurostar to shame, more like a NASA shuttle ... <VBG> Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Yes - silly me was thinking of controller output and aircraft motor voltages, not receiver voltages, which are 4.5v dc! (up to 6v depending on brand). So a 2s would probably be more than enough! And just occurred - if I use my DCC programming track connected to the lipo charger (careful of polarity!!) I can charge the lipo whilst in the container, assuming it has electrified wheel pick-ups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wells Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 Yes - silly me was thinking of controller output and aircraft motor voltages, not receiver voltages, which are 4.5v dc! (up to 6v depending on brand). So a 2s would probably be more than enough! And just occurred - if I use my DCC programming track connected to the lipo charger (careful of polarity!!) I can charge the lipo whilst in the container, assuming it has electrified wheel pick-ups!Two thoughts here .... Firstly if voltage or milliamperes hours were a problem then a number of batteries could be wired up as required, series or parallel, one in each coach or wagon of your rake, just leaving room to be found for the very small receiver and controller in either the loco or tender. Secondly, using on track battery charging, either from powered track or a battery charger cable disguised as a water or fuel tank hose, could be factored into the operating schedule / timetable, as per prototype.If you have a look at the Yahoo Dead Rail e-group, most of the people there are converting their DCC locos to battery R/C using the DCC socket. As I still have some old analogue locos I intend to go the non-DCC route for them all however, probably with the Deltang controller.Tony Wells Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Yahoo Dead Rail e-group - - didn't know of them! I'll have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Soar Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Hi, I note that this conversation is over 5 years old, however I have only just come across it and would like to pick it up in the hope that my comments might be of som interest.I have been working on an rc system using 433Mhz and 4 channels ( forwards,reverse, accelerate and decellerate, also emergency stop). A microprocessor sorts it all out. I am using an AA size li-ion 1000mah rechargeable, the charger is mounted in loco so to is the boost circuit (3.7V to 15V).Recharging is done via the wheels by running the loco into a powered siding which is connected to a 9V dc supply, red and green leds indicate charging (red) and fully charged (green). The loco remains powered up during charge and can be driven off the siding and onto the unpowered track at any time.The loco does not need an on/off switch, this is done whilst in the charging siding. When switched off the battery is totally isolated.I am still tidying up the circuitry but I have several 00 locos running on this system, run time is approx 2hrs at moderate speed. The locos can be operated simultaneously . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_o Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 Well, its my lucky night that I logged on to see this at the top of my news feed. I am currently building an OO gauge Garden railway using mainly Peco and Hornby Nickel Set track and Flexi, A motly bunch of Hornby and a Lima locos and rolling stock of which Both my Class 25's, Class 37, and HST have been converted to RC Lipo battery power using Micron and Deltang equipment. I also have a Hornby 06, and Lima 09 both of which are still track powered. The track is powered by 2 Hornby R900 and a R902 controllers although currently only 1 is needed as only the shunt yard inside my Garden Shed and a (Unfinished) fan of sidings outside but accessable for track cleaning will be shunted by these 2 locos with the RC power taking everything away. My rolling stock is a 4 coach mk3 set for the hst, 5 mk 2 coaches split into a 3 and 2 coach rake for other passenger services, freight I have a number of operating ore wagons for the lines ultimate purpose and a few other goods viehicles but need to get some more. The ore wagons do not run freely so can only be in short rakes of 3 because of the drag on gradients. The line is steeply graded because my garden is split level. Parts of the line are inaccessable for track cleaning, RC was planned from the start, I was waiting for Protocabs system but they had continuous stock issues and I was lucky to find Micron with his own range and the deltang receivers although those are hard to come by at the moment. I have a TX22 centre off controller, Each loco has a 3.7v lipo, a voltage booster, on/off switch with molex connection for the charger lead, and the receiver. One of the track power leads was removed from each unpowered bogie. Charging is done by a charging module which plugs into the molex and goes to a micro usb port which I plug into a mobile phone power bank. Charging from flat takes about 3 hours. I don't know the total run time on one charge because I haven't yet run out of charge on a session. Construction of the line is ongoing, it is about 1/3rd constructed with no scenics, stations, or scenes in place yet. the remaining 2/3rds to be built is quite some distance down the length and width of my garden including a lift out bridge which is currenyl partly built, Construction should be relativly straight forward, I have access to all the land needed and all of it is elavated due to ground conditions and topography. At the bottom of the garden I have 2 chicken coops and spurs from the line will run to each coop with operating ore wagon hopper bridges in each one, the ore wagons will be filled with corn or chicken feed and will deliver the food to the chickens to save me trapsing through a swamp of mud (he says!) Thats the plan.Traction is an issue, I am looking for all wheel drive diesel locos, my theme is early 1980/s BR blue and grey or early Railfreight grey (not the sectorisations) - Lockdown and lack of availabilty of stuff/no model shows/ and the hike in internet prices is making the searches longer. Ive recently aquired a 2nd Class 25 (both Hornby 1981 25247's) the idea being to double head when required, Ive programmed channels 1 and 2 to the individual locos and channel 3 to both together, this has worked except the new 25 has a drive problem where I think it isnt driving both wheels properly all the time so I need to have a look at this, the original 25 had a cog missing from the motor which I had to source and replace. The remaining issues are to complete the physical build, aquire stations and bits and pieces, get a powered bogie for the dummy car in the hst and rc this, and to acquire more suitable locos ideally all wheel drive, I may dispose of the Class 37 because its pulling capabiltiy is hopeless. I would like to convert the Class 09 as it is the best puller of the lot but there is no space for the wiring or battery, If I saw a shunters match wagon somewhere or a slave unit I would go for one and couple them together. It keeps me good at night!Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 If you're looking for 'battery options', this place may be of assistance: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/batteries-chargers.html#q=&idx=hbk_live_magento_en_us_products&dFR%5Bwarehouses%5D%5B0%5D=UK&dFR%5Bwarehouses%5D%5B1%5D=Global&dFR%5Bwarehouses%5D%5B2%5D=EU&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B0%5D=UK%7C1&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B1%5D=UK%7C2&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B2%5D=UK%7C3&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B3%5D=Global%7C1&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B4%5D=Global%7C2&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B5%5D=Global%7C3&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B6%5D=EU%7C1&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B7%5D=EU%7C2&dFR%5Bwarehouses_stock_data%5D%5B8%5D=EU%7C3&hFR%5Bcategories.level0%5D%5B0%5D=Batteries%20%2F%20Chargers%20%2F%2F%2F%20Batteries&is_v=1 Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Stiles Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 (A roman "mile" was "a thousand paces".. A pace being somewhere between a step and a stride.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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