TO LOCO BILL

[jsmvmd]

Dear Bill,

From Tony Walsham's post:  Topic: 2-6-6-2T Mallet gets RCS battery R/C and Phoenix P8 sound.

What types of batteries are you using, and which do you prefer ?

Best Wishes and Great Choo-Choo-ing,!,

Still gotta get my first battery install going.....   

Jack

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Jack,
I much prefer the Lithium Ion batteries for their long runtime.  Shame that Tony doesn't have a source of acceptable batteries that meets his needs.   Using a 14.8 volt 2200 mah battery pack in an Annie on flat and level track pulling 11 cars I get over 7 hours continuous run time, more if I use a 2600 mah battery pack.  The main disadvantage of L-ion packs is that when the are discharged they abruptly quit running (a safety feature to avoid over discharging the pack).  Not a good thing if your train is in the middle of a long tunnel.  Nicads will visibly slow down and you can tell when you need to recharge them. L-Ion battery packs also take up less space that the nicads for the equivalent output, especially nice when lack of space is a problem. I build up my own battery packs using the following batteries. They are cheap and they are great and have the internal PCB circuits for safety.  Using these I can configure the batteries to whatever space I have.  Whenever possible I do not install batteries where I have to charge them onboard the loco, as this means your loco is out of service till recharged.   I prefer to alter my tenders so that the coal load is removable allowing easy change out of battery packs.  I usually keep several packs charge and ready to go. 

  http://www.all-battery.com/4tenergyli-ion1865037v2600mahrechargeablebatterieswithinternalpcb.aspx

In an annie there is plenty of room in the tender for the receiver sound module and a flat battery pack like the one below.  These are great if you do not feel comfortable soldering on batteries.  As you can see from the price they are very cheap compared to battery pack made by model railroad companies. 

http://www.all-battery.com/li-ion18650148v2200mahrechargeablebatterypackwithpcbprotection.aspx

When you look at the specs you will see the many pluses for the lithium ion batteries,  The technology and safety is now way ahead of what it was even 3 years ago.  YOu can compare NIcads  and Lithium ion batteries on the All-battery site.   

What to use is a personal decision based on your situation and what I do may not be OK for everyone.

Bill

[jsmvmd]

Dear Bill,

Great response, as usual !  Hope to get going on a battery install for my Annie, and an Aristo 2-4-2 Rogers to use in the living room and outside for a small patio GR.

One idea I have is to make a universal battery car that I can use for both locomotives.  Any idea which make or manufacturer would work for both ?  My Bachmann stuff hooks up OK to the Aristo and vice versa, but the differences are obvious.  One solution I see is to have a box car or gondola with Bachmann coupler at one end and Aristo at the other.  What thinkest thou ?

Thanks a million !

Best Wishes,

Jack