I guess its about time I start looking at converting to Battery Power for one engine. I want to keep track power but have the option to run battery. Now that I have some understanding on how the wiring works for track power. How do you convert that into battery power but again keeping the option to switch to track power. I know I need a switch to go from track power to Battery (Where would that switch be placed)? Then from the switch the wires go to the Battery pack? Somewhere in between I need a speed controler, Whats the name for that? What voltage of battery should I use. Whats the least and whats the most for 2 center cab trucks? I dont want to spend a lot of money im just looking at something simple. I I dont want this to cost the same price as the engine. Im not looking for RC or anything like that. I want convert my HLW Mack and probably my climax. My purpose for this is too run in the snow and on layouts that dont have track power. Thanks
Shawn, If you need a speed control for battery power, basically, that is R/C… Battery is usually one of 2 ways… controlled with a Radio Control system of some sort, or with a plain on and off switch… If there is another way, I sure don’t know about it…
Shawn,
I put 9.6v of NiMh in our Mack, and it runs for 6+ hours alone. I did it as simple as I could for Lukes 3rd Birthday. I removed the contact from the wheels inserted a DPDT (double pole, Double Throw) switch between the battery and motor, and voila-switch one way you go fwd, middle is off and other end is reverse. OF course I can’t run on track power, but with 6 hours of run on one charge…who needs track pwr? oh, I replaced the lights with 12v bulbs (bought from TOC) and they are wired to switch as well and they light according to direction of travel
while you have your Mack open-grease the gears, they are usually pretty dry from the factory.
sound easy-it is, confusing at first-maybe…I’m sure some one here prolly has examples or drawings…
cale
That’s a lot of questions 
I’ll answer the one about selecting track/battery power as I have a bit of experience there. I’ll leave the rest to thos who have been doing the battery-R/C a little longer than me. To wire a loco so that it can be used on either track power or battery power you need at minimum, a switch. If your batteries and speed control will be in a trail car, then the wiring is very simple. One power source is the wheels (track) and a second power source is the plug for the trailing car. In between this two pairs of wires you connect a dual pole - dual throw switch. One with center off is nice, but not required. The output of this switch goes to your motor(s). If there is a circuit board in the loco, the switch would be cut into the line that runs from the track pick-ups to the circuit board. Here is a quick drawing…
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post/Track-Batt-SW.jpg)
If the speed control and batteries will be on-board then the game changes a little since there are a number of ways to approach this… A - The speed control & R/C will always be used regardless of power source. When on track, the voltage is turned up to the fastest speed you will run and left there (constant voltage). - or B - When on battery, the speed control is used but when on track, the voltage on the track sets speed control. In the case of A - the wiring would be basically the same as I described for a trailing car, except the switch is made in front of the speed control, selecting only the power source. In the case of B - the switch is made after the speed control, eliminating it and the battery when running on track power.
Thanks guys. Jon I think a quick drawing might help me understand better. My goal is to fit the battery in my climax water tannk but fore the Mack I will need a trailing car.
Andy I was thinking for speed control useing a knob, something like a volume control on a radio but for speed. Radio shack has them but Im not sure of the tech name for it and the person at radio shack did not know much.
See above for the quick drawing. A volume control is not a good choice for speed control. A wire-wound potentiometer will work (RS does not have them), but all the voltage you don’t use, gets wasted as heat taking away run-time from the battery. I think Del or someone makes a simple control like you are thinking of.
I converted my Mack to battery power using Del’s Basic Critter Control and a small 3 cell lipo for track maintenance duties. Del’s units are small, easy to install and operate. I bought the one with the speed adjusting rotary switch and mounted on the roof of the cab. Everything fits nicely in the cab of the Mack.
Jon Radder said:Thanks Jon that was a big help. I think Del does sell that but if I remember it cost $65. Thats more then I want to spend especially when I add a battery, charger etc... I just need a cost effective way to control the speed. Everything else is not too bad.
See above for the quick drawing. A volume control is not a good choice for speed control. A wire-wound potentiometer will work (RS does not have them), but all the voltage you don't use, gets wasted as heat taking away run-time from the battery. I think Del or someone makes a simple control like you are thinking of.
You’ll find that $65 or whatever it goes far is worth it when you want it to work properly. Since you are just getting into the whole wiring my own locos, it’d be considered a good investment IMHO
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/DelTapparo/Critter_Control.htm
his simple Critter Control is less than $40 shipped:
Manual Operation - Set the speed setting full CCW (counter clockwise). Turn on the power. Adjust the speed setting as desired (1 turn adjustment). Full CW is maximum speed. If reverse operation is needed, you can connect a separate DPDT switch (available separately) in the motor circuit. There is no gradual acceleration, so gear protection is up to the operator.
$29 + $7 S&H (USPS Priority Mail)
When I began, I looked high and low for the “sliver bullet” that would allow me to do it on the cheap…or less than was proposed…after a few failures and headaches, I bought into what was avail…shoulda started there to begin with …A lesson learned!
cale
and I failed to mention that most of the products avail are there to help Newbs get comfortable with what they are attempting to do! Less work for a greater reward!
There’s a review of Del’s $39 “Critter Control” in the current (December '10) Garden Railways. I put it in my B’mann 0-4-0, and it’s slick. Very compact and very smooth speed control. (The 0-4-0 is still “in progress” at this point, so no photos yet.)
Later,
K
Thanks Cal. I didnt know he had the simple critter control for that price. Last I though it was $65. $36 thats doable. I ended up ordering that for now. Next will be batteries and hooking it up.
Good call Shawn! Pre-mfg components really speed the process and make your life easier! hold onto that drawing from Jon, it’ll come in handy for your Mack!
cale
Del…you have my address for the commission check 
(totally in jest there folks!)
Shawn said:Trust me. You run the batteries and you won't give a rat's a** about the track power. Go with RC for your plow. You'll need more than a simple speed control to plow. Use the critter control on the Mack. Ralph
I want to keep track power but have the option to run battery.......................... Im not looking for RC or anything like that.
Ralph Berg said:It's very much like an addictive drug. At first, you'll just try a little to see if you like it. But then after using for a while, things just aren't right without it :)Shawn said:Trust me. You run the batteries and you won't give a rat's a** about the track power. Go with RC for your plow. You'll need more than a simple speed control to plow. Use the critter control on the Mack. Ralph
I want to keep track power but have the option to run battery.......................... Im not looking for RC or anything like that.
My layout is still wired for track power. It hasn’t been energized outdoors in well over a year. Indoors I have lots of brass track and it hasn’t been cleaned in over a year. Attempts to move some track-power only locos indoors this summer while my brother was visiting were very frustrating.
Once you leave track, you’ll never go back !
Jon Radder said:
It's very much like an addictive drug. At first, you'll just try a little to see if you like it. But then after using for a while, things just aren't right without it :)Once you leave track, you’ll never go back !
Battery and RC are much like sex. You don’t understand what you’re missing until you try it.
Now if someone can equate it to Rock & Roll, the analogy will be complete
Ralph
Ralph been tellin ya that since the Friday nite shows!! Hah LOL Lotsa people go along time fore dey come to the Dark Side and den see da Light!! Ha Regal
Ralph Berg said:[b]If it's too loud, then you're too old[/b]
Battery and RC are much like sex. You don't understand what you're missing until you try it. Now if someone can equate it to Rock & Roll, the analogy will be complete :D Ralph
Naw!! In both worlds “The worst ya ever had was wunderful!!” Loud, quiet, or otherwise! Hah LOL Regal
Ok now that my climax is close to being done I am starting to look at adding battery power. How much power will I need to power two aristo center cab trucks or two HLW truck? I would like to get at least 2+ hours run time. What would be my best option for batteries. I am using the critter control with it. I will probably end up having to use a trailing car unless I can get something small enough to fit in the engine. Any good sites to order the batteries from?
if’n you start with a trail car, the control can be spread around to those locos you retrofit for Battery Power. You’d need some pretty small batteries for the Class A, and I’m not sure what you’d want to use to get it all to fit in the boiler and bunker…plus the control… The newer battery composition scares a few. Since I’m no expert on it, and only use NiCad or NiMh right now, I’ll forgo any guesses… This link shows my initial RC/Battery install in a trail car for a Bachmann 45’er…the Battery used is a NiCad from an 18v drill…I doubt you’d need 18v, but it was what I had on hand… http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=42328&SearchTerms=drill,batteries
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/calenelson/BattCarFull.jpg)
I have ordered batteries from TOC and bought locally…others have had good luck with some online vendors. cale