Large Scale Central

ADDING R/C AND POWER TO NEW SMALL UK DIESEL SWITCHER

General Discussion
#1

I’ve just bought a digitally printed small diesel switcher (UK style) which is unbuilt as of now. The kit also included a 4 wheel / motor chassis. However, looking down the “track” I’ll need to provide (a) power to the chassis motor and (b) a remote control to adjust FWD/REV as well as SPEED in each direction plus OFF. I’ve got no experience with R/C of any type so am at a loss as how best to accomplish this. I did order (4) Li 1.5V batteries with recharger which will be located inside the hood of the loco. The loco vendor showed me a pic. of his loco with both batteries and controls all located inside the hood which measure 2.375" x 2.5" x 3.25". Seems like a lot to jam inside but suppose it can be done. I could also use a trailing box car to carry some items but would prefer not to.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

Thanks-

Robin

#2

Welcome Aboard!

Robin

#3

Robin, call Don Sweet at RCS of New England. Don will work with you to find the best solution for you, and provide all the help he can. https://rcsofne.com/

#4

Hi Robin,

If speed control is not that important, you could manually control with a DPDT switch and GScale Graphics Magnetic Critter Controller (Magnetic Critter Control (gscalegraphics.net)). I am an electronics dolt, and we were able to install this wonderful little device into a PIKO “clean machine” in an afternoon.

Do note that you can set the controller’s maximum speed and acceleration rate, so there is some “speed control,” just not while you are running!

Eric

#5

Hi Robin,

If speed control is not that important, you could manually control with a DPDT switch and GScale Graphics Magnetic Critter Controller (Magnetic Critter Control (gscalegraphics.net)). I am an electronics dolt, and we were able to install this wonderful little device into a PIKO “clean machine” in an afternoon.

Do note that you can set the controller’s maximum speed and acceleration rate, so there is some “speed control,” just not while you are running!

Eric

#6

Rooster said:

Welcome Aboard!

Robin

Robin has been a member since he joined: January 19, 2018 (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#7

Joe Zullo said:

Rooster said:

Welcome Aboard!

Robin

Robin has been a member since he joined: January 19, 2018 (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Well thank you Mr. Zullo,

I would have know this however he has never been thanked “0” or added thanks “0” , so I figured he was a newbie as you can no longer see the date joined or post count as folks bitched about it (most of whom were not financially member supportive).

It’s all good and once again thank you for the correction!

(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#8

Thanks to all for the (1) “welcome to the club” and (2) suggestions re: my initial question. Yes, I’ve been a member for a few years but am on/off again with being on this site so I probably appear a newbie, especially with my questions.

I will contact Don Sweet as suggested to discuss my options. Ideally, I’d really like to be able to adjust speed, direction, and on/off with a remote but without breaking the bank. I’m not sure the PIKO basic control would work but the price seems attractive enough.

Robin

#9

Robin Young said: I’m not sure the PIKO basic control would work but the price seems attractive enough.

Robin

I know nothing about it myself Robin but I know there are still quite a few “neat” diverse products available for your query.

Please keep us posted on your decision.

(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

#10

I did order (4) Li 1.5V batteries with recharger

Robin,

Li batteries are 3.7V avg (2.5 - 4.5V is the range of a single battery,) and are larger than AA cells. You probably have NiMH batteries, which are the size of AA cells and are rechargeable, but only put out 1.2V.

Eric’s ‘critter control’ is probably a good option, as he managed to get it going with his kids!

#11

Robin,

I found the thread here: Topic: Rehab of the Missile Sponges Part the First - Diesel Dan. A condensed version of the installation also appeared in the June/July issue of Garden Railroad News. It really is a very easy installation. I am not an electronics wizard by any means, and soldering skills elude me several years into returning to the hobby, so if I say it is easy, it is easy! If I had to guess, the only limitation will be finding a place to mount it unless you are planning to make a trail car.

Have a great weekend!

Eric

#12

Pete-

You’re correct about the voltage and it is a Li 3.7V battery with a slick little USB connector plugging into the battery for recharging. I’ve attached a picture showing a few loco pieces which need to be “unwarped” with a hair dryer along with the drive train (upside down) as well as a AA battery for size comparison. These parts are situated on a steel plate held in place with magnets just to give an idea of what the loco will look like. I’m not sure what the acceptable voltage range is for this motor so suggestions are welcomed. The point of including the picture is to show the limited space for batteries and control board(s) under the “bonnet”. As stated before, I’d like R/C with Forward/Reverse and speed control but nothing fancy.

So, please sound off with any more suggestions.

Eric-

I clicked on the link you included and that little loco looks very similar to mine so will go back and look a little closer at it when time permits. Thank you for digging up that link.

Well, after writing all of the above I found no way to attach the picture I referred to above. Please advise.

#13

Well, after writing all of the above I found no way to attach the picture I referred to above. Please advise.

Robin,

LSC has new software coming, but is currently a bit antediluvian. If you do a new post, there’s no easy way to add a pic. But if you then ‘edit’ the post (bottom left of the frame) you’ll be offered something new: “manage pictures”. (I have no idea why this isn’t available for new posts. Maybe it’s just the ‘quick post’ that doesn’t have it.)

The ‘manage pictures’ option lets you add an image from your computer.

#14

Thanks Pete, I went up to my original post, clicked “edit” and managed to add the picture I referred to but you have to click on it rather than simply see it beneath the post. Where’s a 12 year-old when you need 'em? Anyway, the picture of what I referred to above is now in my original post. This makes my head explode…:[

#15

Robin Young said:

Thanks Pete, I went up to my original post, clicked “edit” and managed to add the picture I referred to but you have to click on it rather than simply see it beneath the post. Where’s a 12 year-old when you need 'em? Anyway, the picture of what I referred to above is now in my original post. This makes my head explode…:[

Just wait until you find out that nobody else can see it and then your head will go BOOM!..(well, it COULD just be me!). (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

#16

Robin,

Your link still didn’t work, but I managed to figure it out.

#17

Bruce Chandler said:

Just wait until you find out that nobody else can see it and then your head will go BOOM!..(well, it COULD just be me!). (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

I don’t know what happened, but i managed to figure it out and you should now be able to see it with an un-affected head.

#18

Robin Young said:

Thanks Pete, I went up to my original post, clicked “edit” and managed to add the picture I referred to but you have to click on it rather than simply see it beneath the post. Where’s a 12 year-old when you need 'em? Anyway, the picture of what I referred to above is now in my original post. This makes my head explode…:[

https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/20241/picture-posting-help-for-rick-marty?page=4

Robin, as you might expect, the problems of posting photos on this website have been discussed before. This linked thread goes back to 2013, has lost most of its pictures, and even page 4 isn’t much help.

This forum software doesn’t support drag-and-drop. To post a photo in a thread (as I did with yours,) you need to know the absolute web address of where it is stored. Unfortunately, your computer does not have a web address for your storage and it is not online 24/7.

Freightsheds was the solution for many years - try clicking the link in the top menu bar. Again, due to age, the Freightshed storage is no longer supported by the vendor. [You may even note there is an even older Freightshed link - “OLD FS” which no longer works!] However, the current Freightsheds still works and I use it all the time. It’s a place where you can upload and store a photo, then you can reference that storage address and post it. There’s a good recent thread here:
https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/28831/photo-and-video-inserting

Practically, it’s a pain, and unless you want to persevere and learn it, I would forget it for now. One of us can sort out photos you have problems posting.

#19

I’m not sure what the acceptable voltage range is for this motor

Moving right along, now we have a photo, I note the power block has skates (sliding pickups.) That means it’s a conventional G-scale power brick - it may have “Piko” or “Lehmann” or even “Bachmann” written on it. And it also means that it can handle at least 14-16V and maybe more. So four of those big batteries will drive it quite nicely. (It actually looks like the USA Trains power block I have in my Banta boxcab.)

The 4 wires from the power block are 2 pickups and 2 to the motor. They are not connected, so if you put the block on a powered track nothing will happen. If you want to test it, connect the wires together - the red/blue are pickups I think. (Check with a meter.)

I loved the 11,000 mWh on your battery. Most vendors use mah, so dividing the watts by the volts we get about 3,000 mah - fairly decent. You did say you were planning on squeezing 4 under the hood? Should fit, but you’ll have to take them out to charge them. They will last a long time so I wouldn’t worry about that now - just make sure you can get them out and they won’t touch each other’s ends. However, I see no provision for connecting to the top and bottom of the batteries. You really want all 4 in series to give you 14.4V.

And that raises another question that I can’t answer from the pic. Do those batteries have ‘protection’ circuits built in? I imagine they do, due to the micro-usb. Assuming the usb connector is a protection board as well, you are all set.

Aha. I found EBL’s website and note you are safe:
Built-in integrated safety circuit protects the battery from over-charge, over-discharge, short-circuit, and over-heat ensures complete safety for the battery charging.

What I do with mine is fit the batteries in a holder. This is a 4-slot and it has a protection board on top (you don’t need that as each EBL battery is protected) :

I also have 2-slot or 1 slot holders that can be fitted in odd spaces, like your loco hood! Here’s a bunch in a small boxcab:

#20

Robin,

Glad to be of help. I am following along, as I am considering some battery installations myself as my 2022 project focus!

Eric