B'Mann Climax DCC / Battery connection?

Neil_Wiggins · January 4, 2024, 9:40pm

I’ve recently picked up a Bachmann Climax with OEM DCC installed. I cobbled together a DCC-EX base station and JMRI to get it running on track power.

Now that’s tested and working, I’ve added a battery and wifi board and put it all into a hopper car. At the moment I just have the DCC output going to the track via jumper wires.

There’s a track / battery switch on the back of the loco and two battery terminals on the PCB. One marked 6V, the other 18V.

Does anyone know If I can just wire the base station DCC output straight to the 18V battery socket (using leads/plugs etc)?

Cheers
Neil

Rooster · January 4, 2024, 11:21pm

Not 100% sure Neil but if you run across a BLUE wire don’t cut it!

Neil_Wiggins · January 5, 2024, 12:22am

Boom!

Neil_Wiggins · January 6, 2024, 6:28pm

I pulled it apart and checked the wiring / connections from the switch & terminals. It does a clean 2 pole changeover between track pickup and the 18V terminals.

So, trailing car DCC base station installed & working. Control is via Engine Driver app on an android phone.

From the bottom: 4S Lipo battery, Auduino Mega with DCC-EX command station preloaded, motor driver board, wifi receiver board, and a 5V buck/boost converter at the back. I needed the 5V supply to allow separate programming via USB.

2 wire JST plug to the loco for running on the main, I can switch the loco to track pickup and connect the secondary driver outputs for programming the decoder with JMRI.

Cheers
N

PeterT · January 7, 2024, 3:11pm

Neil, I assume you have a plug in DCC board in the pnp socket? Surely it expects power and DCC signal via the track inputs?

Neil_Wiggins · January 7, 2024, 6:05pm

Yes, that’s right Pete.

I’m only using the ‘track’ input on the loco as a programming track. So that’s connected to the programming output of the command station, when I need it.

Battery power + DCC signal is hardwired into the terminals marked 18V BATT1 Input. There’s no connection to the track (either pole) when the selection switch is set to battery.

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The folks at Sierra were really good, I sent a photo of the decoder and they ID’ed it and pointed to the most relevant manual for CV’s. Lots to play around with for sure.

Something quite funny, we had visitors over the other day, one a 13 yr old girl from Holland with limited English. I turned it on, handed her the phone and left her to it. Priceless look on her face. She had it all figured out in 30 secs, and played happily for the next half hour. Digital generation huh…

Cheers
N