Years ago I fitted my Sierra sound systems with supercaps replacing the gel packs. With no open houses last year, I’ve not run the trains in over 2 years now.
The other day I started to clean the wheels for the upcoming open house and as soon as I supplied power to the wheels, the sound systems came alive. The 6 volt gel packs would never do this, nor would they have lasted the 2 years unattended.
Todd, is there a way to show how you install and connect these SuperCaps. I would very much like to do the same thing in one of my loco’s. Thanks.
Let’s see if this works. For some reason, it wouldn’t load to my regular site.
This is my special modification wherein the supercaps will disengage from the circuit before they fully discharge. This alleviates the motorboating associated with start-up and shut-down when the caps don’t have enough voltage to run the board. But the “idle down” time is reduced and you may loose a sound (e.g., engine lube) because the board shuts off before this would occur. The time varies with the volume, but is still about 30 seconds after shut-off.
Todd thank you for the schematic. I will study this and attempt to put together a system for my engine.
Where did you buy the supercaps? I have 4 engines with Sierra cards that would benefit.
I get them on the “bay.”
See this thread!
https://www.mylargescale.com/threads/just-love-those-supercaps.91629/page-4#post-1166030
Todd Brody said:
I get them on the “bay.”
Could you be more specific? I just had a look and the prices and types are all over the place. If I remember correctly the Sierra calls for a 6volt battery. Which did you use?
Use three 2.7V, 6F caps in series. An example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/112096523616?hash=item1a19793560:g:EqIAAOSwaB5Xr-1D
Todd Brody said:
Use three 2.7V, 6F caps in series. An example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/112096523616?hash=item1a19793560:g:EqIAAOSwaB5Xr-1D
So I would need to link them by soldering wires in line like a little battery pack? I’m not really an electronics type of guy but I have installed sound systems without releasing the magic smoke genie. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Whatever happened to the slick little battery packs that used to come with Phoenix systems? They lasted for years and worked well.
Todd Haskins said:
Todd Brody said:
Use three 2.7V, 6F caps in series. An example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/112096523616?hash=item1a19793560:g:EqIAAOSwaB5Xr-1D
So I would need to link them by soldering wires in line like a little battery pack? I’m not really an electronics type of guy but I have installed sound systems without releasing the magic smoke genie. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Whatever happened to the slick little battery packs that used to come with Phoenix systems? They lasted for years and worked well.
Yes, head to tail just like three AA batteries to make 4.5 volts, except this goes to 8.1 volts. Be sure to follow the link I provided for caveats and improvements.
The two Phoenix packs I have are not a NiCad but rather a NiMH and they seem to last forever. Both units still have original batteries in them and still take a charge.
