Large Scale Central

SD- 45 Battery Power

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

Ok, I have the 75 Mhz onboard TE installed. And now have the Sierra sound and RCS interface board ready to install. What is the easiest way to setup batteries for this setup, since it has a battery track switch in it. Or did I hear something about that switch not being factory wired right ?

Thanks, Bryan

#2
Bryan Johnson said:
[i][/i] ...since it has a battery track switch in it. Or did I hear something about that switch not being factory wired right ?

Thanks, Bryan


The Battery/Track switch on Aristo locos does not completely isolate the track. It is a Single Pole switch, so it only lifts one leg. The result is that some of the battery power can leak back into the track. This isn’t an issue if you have no connections to your track or no track power items on the track. If you do, the leak can suck down your batteries.

I’m not a battery expert, but most of them suggest just gutting all the electronics from the locos and do a complete re-wire optimized for battery R/C. The only battery R/C that I do is with a trail-car, so I leave everything in the loco intact and use the supplied battery connector and the battery / track switch. I then pay attention to what else is on the track that might steal power from me through the loco’s connection to the rails. This method works for me as I also run these same locos on track power.

#3

It is my understanding that a full path of supply and return are needed for current to flow and drain a battery.

Therefore if you hook up a mile of wire to one side of a battery and leave the other terminal open, no current can flow, thus no draining /leak of the battery power.

If dealing with high voltage (lightning) then wires are not needed for current flow.

Question now is at what voltage does current flow with no wires. I suspect it is well over what our houses use (220 volts in the USA).

#4

Dan -

In theory, you are absolutely correct. Here is what I experienced…

Using a trail car with a freshly charged battery and a Aristo TE to power on a Aristo RS-3 via the track/battery switch and the supplied connector on the loco. Also in the consist is a track powered sound car picking up power from a constant DC voltage (about 10V) on the track.

After running out to the End-Of-Track on my line, I stopped the train to take a lunch break. I powered off the track so the sound would shut down. After about 20 minutes, I noticed the sound was still running. When I went to move the train, the trail-car battery was low.

I posted my experience on this board several years ago and discovered the single pole switch issue. I never took the time to figure out how the return path was being made. Obviously there is one or the sound wouldn’t have continued to run.

Now when I run the same configuration I disconnect the battery from the TE when I plan to stop for some time. I’ve never had a repeat of the problem since I changed my method.

YMMV

#5

I’ve put batteries in my SD-45 for a quick test of my own RC system but I’m currently testing on track power. I would love to see a battery SD-45 install. If you decide to do this please post pictures!

#6

Here is my SD-45 interior

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/billswindell/interior_post.jpg)

#7
Russ McIntire said:
I've put batteries in my SD-45 for a quick test of my own RC system but I'm currently testing on track power. I would love to see a battery SD-45 install. If you decide to do this please post pictures!
BTW- Welcome aboard Russ. Your RC system looks interesting. What part of the planet do you call home? Ralph
#8
Dan Pierce said:
It is my understanding that a full path of supply and return are needed for current to flow and drain a battery.

Therefore if you hook up a mile of wire to one side of a battery and leave the other terminal open, no current can flow, thus no draining /leak of the battery power.

If dealing with high voltage (lightning) then wires are not needed for current flow.

Question now is at what voltage does current flow with no wires. I suspect it is well over what our houses use (220 volts in the USA).


Hmm, where, Sir, do you live in the USA? Most domestic voltage I have encountered seems to hover around the 120V mark…

If your music sounds strange and your washing machine does a whole day’s wash in three minutes you might just have your 220V… :slight_smile:

Best

tac

#9

tac, here in the US all our homes are supplied with 240v. for the larger power items, AC, dryers, etc…the circuit box breaks it down to 120v for normal use. 240 outlets are shaped differently that the 120v outlets…

#10
Ralph Berg said:
Russ McIntire said:
I've put batteries in my SD-45 for a quick test of my own RC system but I'm currently testing on track power. I would love to see a battery SD-45 install. If you decide to do this please post pictures!
BTW- Welcome aboard Russ. Your RC system looks interesting. What part of the planet do you call home? Ralph
Going to start a different thread on my RC system and its development. If all goes as planned it will be an open system and I'm hoping to get it far enough along that others will continue its development. I'm from the planet of Florida. Looking for a job in fact as the one I had disappeared during a corporate acquisition. This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands! :)
#11

The USA uses split phase 220-240 volts. We center tap a 240 volt transformer, and tie the center tap to ground thus providing 120 volts and 240 volts dependent on the wiring.
In other countries, neutral is one side of 240 volts, transformers are not center taped.

Of course this has nothing to do withthe start of this thread as it has gone went way off from the original question of a TE and battery in a loco with RCS and how the battery switch works.