Large Scale Central

Has anyone put airwire in a Bachmann Davenport?

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

As it says, has anyone done this?

Looking at my davenport, I can say the G3 will not fit under the hood nor will it fit under the loco or in the cab. I can fit a battery pack, speaker and phoenix under the hood though. So, I’m looking for some ideas. Here’s what i have;

-I want to use Airwire. I’m invested in it and while there are other good systems out there I don’t want to spend the money on another controller.

-I want to use LiIon batteries. Again I have the stuff to charge it properly. I don’t want the hassle of removing the battery to charge a LiPo and NiCad/NiMh won’t fit. Plus I don’t have the chargers.

-It must be self contained, no battery car.

-I want sound.

So moving parts around the only option I can think of is to cut into the cab so the A/W board can fit. The Phoenix sound can be mounted underneath the loco, no worries there. The battery pretty much has to go under the hood. The weights can come out but that will be somewhat offset by the battery and extra weight can be added under the frame.

Has anyone else done this? Any other ideas? My last option is to make it a box cab with either a bobber caboose body or a banta kit. But I really like the look of the davenport and would like to keep it if I can.

Terry

#2

Boomer i’m confused when you say split the board. the new G3 i could not find how to split

it or are you talking about the obsolete G2? Terry i have not done one but have you looked at

the CONVRTR.

#3

Richard, I realized the convrtr as an option after I typed this. I’m gonna look into it a bit more. It may be possible to use a large HO board. Not sure on sound though.

Boomer, you can’t split the G3. The AW10DSS could be split, not sure about the G2. I don’t want to put it in the cab though.

Terry

#4

I’ve got the Convertr/Tsunami combo in an RGS #6 work goose. It works very nicely. Sound and motor control is smooth.All (except the battery) fits between the frame underneath the Goose–very compact. With the Davenport, you’re not going to need more than 11.1 volts, and the Convertr is designed to run at that voltage. I had to use 14.8 on the Goose because the gearing is such that at only 11 volts, the thing barely moves. I run my Davenport on a 7.4v pack, and even there, I’ve got the throttle dialed back a bit. (I’m running it with a manual throttle, not R/C.)

Later,

K

#5

can the convertr run a phoenix card? Or would I be looking at getting a sound/dcc card for the loco?

Terry

#6

Terry

according to airwire the phoenix is compatibly http://www.cvpusa.com/doc_center/web_rev1_CONVRTR_Addendum.pdf

Richard

#7

I’d just get a sound/motor control card from ESU, Zimo, Soundtraxx etc. Get one rated for 1 amp continuous and you should be fine. I’ve got a 1-amp Tsunami (Soundtraxx) in my Goose. You might also want to check out TCS’s new line of sound/motor decoders. I don’t know if they’ve got diesel sounds out on the market yet, but I heard their steam sound at a show a few weeks ago, and was very impressed.

Later,

K

#8

I second Kevin’s suggestion, if you use the convertr and phoenix card you already have, you would still need another DCC motor control card, which can be done, but more complicated.

I’m working on putting a convertr \ Tsunami combination in a Bachmann Rail truck with 14.4, 2200 MA battery.

#9

I didn’t think Tsunami made a gas mechanical sound card. Also, would the A/W controller have the same control over a Tsunami sound card? And how do you program and change Other DCC sound cards?

Terry

#10

Terry, you are right, i just checked their web site and they dont have a gas mechanical sound Tsunami yet.

I have yet to actually wire the Airwire Convertr and Tsunami yet, but the way I understand it by reading the manual and posts on this and other forums, the converter just sends the DCC signals to the DCC controllers. If you have more than one DCC card you would need to have an on\off switch to each DCC controler so that you can turn one off while the other was on to program it. Once both DCC controllers were programmed they can both be on at the same time.

The Tsunami I am using is the TSU-1000 - Part number 827110 Galloping Goose. Not perfect for my application but none of my friends or family will notice or care.

It says on the package, suitable for Rio Grande Southern Galloping Geese, Railbus Vehicles and Small Diesel Switchers.

Operating specs are:

Motor Stall Current - 1 amp Maximum

Function Current - 100 mA (each output)

Audio Amplifier - 1 watt - * ohm Load

Track Voltage - 27 Volt maximum

You could also use a WOW DCC controler with the Convertr and Phoenix sound card you already have.

They make a “G” scale version - G8 - that is 3.012”x1.46”x0.526” or 76.52mm x 37.07mm x 13.36mm in size for about $60.00

Or get one of their DP Series HO decoders which provides 1 amp continuous, 2 amp peak motor drive, Dimensions: .460”x.690”x.140” or 11.7mm x17.5 mm x 3.5mm for about $35.00

Again, I have never setup more than one DCC controller yet but i read it can be done as mentioned above. I plan on adding a 2nd decoder to one of my next Airwire G3 conversions to have a functioning bell when I press the bell sound button. Check out Laurie McLean MMR or Bill Iwan on You Tube to see what I am going to attempt to do. Laurie also has a lot of videos on programming DCC cards that might be useful.

YMMV

Dave S

#11

I know and like phoenix and have the software to adjust it so I’m gonna go that route. I have some left over HO decoders that will fit the bill. Talking to the guys from phoenix at York it’s just two wires to the convertr and everything works as normal

Terry

#12

Cool, let us know how it goes.

#13

I started another thread on this in the modeling forum.

Terry