Large Scale Central

I want to convert a GP30 to be battery and track powered, how?

General Discussion
#1

I have a USAT GP30 that I want to put a Revo in. I already have the Revo set and a battery. I also want to be able to flip a switch and have this engine run off track power. Is there any wiring diagrams floating round that I can use to simplify this install?

Another question. The Revo has the generic diesel sound but I have a phoenix card I was planning on installing. Can the phoenix be used when the engine is turned to battery power and when it is flipped to run off the track power?
Will I use the Revo sound on battery power and the phoenix on track power?

How does that work and is there a wiring diagram?

Thanks.

#2

Not exactly the diagram you are looking for as it is for a trail car set up, but this might help…

TrailCar-Phoenix2K2
TrailCar-Phoenix2K2800×686 55.3 KB

I was using RailBoss at the time, but if you want to keep the Phoenix for sound, just don’t connect it’s sound outputs and use the Phoenix card. At the top right corner, I believe that is the 2K2 battery input connections, not the actual battery.

The ball bearing wheels are the track power pick-ups.

#3

A complicated set of questions, but I can point out that the Revo has a speaker connection, as does the Phoenix. If you’d rather have the Phoenix sound in either mode, then don’t plug the speaker in to the Revo!
A more flexible option might be to have DPDT switch to select which board gets to the speaker.

P.S. I posted photos of my Revo install in a tender.
https://largescalecentral.com/t/the-rc-thread-w-pics-for-timmy/83652/13

#4

That is a nice write up Peter T but I’m still a bit confused.
Why did you use 2 DPDT switches?
If I use the Phoenix for both I will have to have power from the rails and the Revo/battery going through a switch.

A diagram would really help.

I have done a couple of Revo installs, one to a RS3 and the other a Shay that uses a Phoenix for sound but both use batteries.

#5

One is on/off/charge (Center off) connecting the charger socket to the battery and disconnecting all the electronics. It’s the input side of the throttle.

The other is a track/battery switch. As I have track pickups on the tender, I use them as an option. This switch is the output side of the throttle.

Let me dig out a wiring diagram . .

#6

Your wish is my every command.

Wiring diagram Typical
Wiring diagram Typical1309×854 72.1 KB

#7

Thank you.
That is a good diagram and I’m beginning to wrap my brain round it but how does the sound card fit in?

#8

The Revo I drew has sound on it, as will many DCC decoders. A speaker wire will be needed!

For an external sound card, like a Phoenix or Mylocosound, you just connect them to the battery feed going to the “In from Battery” terminals. Then you will have chuff triggers, bells, etc., all of which will be separately wired per the sound card instructions. You may want to connect the “Out to Motor” terminals to the sound card, as some ‘chuff’ based on the voltage to the motor.

#9

Look at my diagram again. It shows how to connect the sound card to power or battery. Just don’t use the sound output from the Revo.