RCS PnP R/C for the K-27.

[Tony Walsham]

I now have the prototype pcb to hand for the soon to be released RCS PnP-3 R/C controller.
This proto was assembled last night and bench tested successfully.

Today a K-27 arrived from my good customer Bill Wellington to get the RCS treatment.  Plus plug in Phoenix P5 sound.

The whole point of this installation is to achieve a reliable smooth running battery R/C K-27 without making any changes to the onboard electronics as supplied.
Whether that can be achieved remains to be seen, but I am hopeful.

I have made a start and will document the installation as I proceed.
To date I have mounted the speaker, removed the tender weights and mounted the two 7.2 volt SubC NiCd packs I am going to use to power the loco.
Once the silicone adhesive has set up I will take the first pics and publish them here.

BTW.
I bench tested the K-27 on a short test track I have here.  It runs superbly. Absolutely no sign of the up and down bouncing displayed by the K-27 in the U tube video currently being used as a promotion for a "pay to be a member" LS forum.

[Jon D. Miller]

Tony,
Good to find out you are hard at work on a PnP R/C for the K-27.

In reference to your comment of the K-27 video clip on YouTube.  What was not mentioned is that the K-27 was running on rollers.  The bouncing shows up when the locomotive was run at what appears to be excessive speed.

Running on rollers at speed with a locomotive that has a suspension system will produce a bouncing. 

There are any number of video clips on YouTube of the K-27 running on track.  In those videos there is none of the bouncing  seen when running on rollers.

Obviously operating the K-27 back and forth on a test track will not produce any bouncing. 

JD

[Steve Stockham]

Jon's right. I have the same kind of rollers and every engine that I have put on them tends to "bounce" when accellerated to an extreme degree! I have a feeling that it might have something to do with the balance and whether the counterweights are actually equalized or just for show. On the smaller engines there are no counterweights (that I can find) and the engine merrily "rocks and rolls" down the tracks! The K is the smoothest runner yet though! Running on the tracks, I can't find any evidence of "bouncing!"

[Tony Walsham]

I have now had the chance to run the K-27 on a set of four Bachmann rollers.

I followed the instructions from T-Rex on how to make sure the eccentrics on axle #3 were correct.  I had to move the LH side one.

There is a barely perceptible "rocking" at the rear.  Cab movement would be about 1/16th" up and down.
No movement at the front at all.
#'s 1, 2 & 4 axle counterweights are all loose.

[Tony Walsham]

Here is how I have done the basic battery R/C installation using the new RCS PnP-3, but no sounds.

As the K-27 operates at a very realistic top speed on about 14 volts, I chose to use 2 x 2,400 mah 7.2 volt SubC NiCd packs wired in series to give 14.4 volts.

First of all I mounted a 3" 1 watt speaker in the tender even though I will not be installing sound just yet.

Next I glued the two battery packs to the uprights and part of the speaker frame.  They lean inwards slightly but that is not a problem.
The two battery packs are put in series with an RCS # Y-CABLE set.
Sorry about the picture quality.  I still can't master this Cannon camera.

The next K-27 I do will have an oval speaker.  That way I can mount the batteries on the tender floor.
I mounted the RCS TX-8 receiver up under the rear of the tender shell.
The BIK-U3 charge jack was mounted in the water hatch.  This required trimming out a small amount of the support web to clear the jack.

I tacked the Azarra antenna into place with dabs of silicone glue along the inside top edge of the tender shell.  Even though the suplied RCS antenna gives adequate range when strung out straight I always use an Azarr in tightish situations.

The BIK-U3 switch pcb was mounted right behind the battery packs.  The switch is readily accessible by reaching under the tender.  It is easy to flip the switch ON - OFF with one finger.
This pic also shows how neat the basic wiring can be.  There will be plenty of room for the Phoenix P5 + P5T sound system I will be adding at a later date.  The PnP-3 simply plugs into the socket in place of the supplied dummy pcb.


The 3 x wire Red/Black/White wires are the cabling for the charge jack mounted in the water hatch.

The installation from the front.

The installation from the rear.

The plug in PnP-3 shown is a prototype.  It has a heatsink on the H bridge motor driver for maximum current capability.
Production PnP-3's will be available early March.  As well as this RCS version there will also be an EVO PnP-3 for those that use regular low cost 2 stick Digital Proportional R/C.

The installation provides a fused battery supply and the PnP-3 has inbuilt motor "noise" suppression.
Performance is flawless.
I have not had it outside to check range but I would expect at least 100'.
I will run such a test in the next few days and report back.

Here is how I did the Phoenix P5 + P5T sound system.
There are just 3 x solder joints.
Two wires for the speaker and one wire from the PnP-3 chuff connection to the P5.
Ther are screw termianls on the BIK-U3.  All other wiring connections are plug and socket.
Nice and simple.

The # Plus-3 provides an extra 3 functions with the P5 + P5T.

Most of the wiring is excess with the Phoenix sound.  Their plug and socket leads cannot be shortened.


The stock Bachmann onboard electronics works for me.

To date I believe this is the only truly PnP installation with sound anyone has achieved. 
i.e. Absolutely no modifications or additions to the Bachmann electronics.

The chuff works just like I expected it to.  The chuff beats seem to be pretty even to me.

There have been just four hidden holes drilled in the bodywork.
Two in the water hatch for the battery charge jack and the Phoenix programming jack.
Two in the floor for the ON - OFF switch and Volume control.

I will get the outdoor testing done as soon as I can.

The next loco I do will show how to install Sierra sound and then how to install Dallee sound.

[Tony Walsham]

I have now added Phoenix sound to the K-27 PnP battery R/C install above.

[rslater]

Tony,

Did you have any problems with the tender truck swing due to the position of the BIK-U3 and the Phoenix volume switch on the tender floor?

Thanks
Richard

[Tony Walsham]

Tony,

Did you have any problems with the tender truck swing due to the position of the BIK-U3 and the Phoenix volume switch on the tender floor?

Thanks
Richard

Hello Richard.

BIK-U3.  Yes, originally I did.  I had mounted it on the RH side with the switch oriented so that it went front and back.  That fouled the truck at maximum swing.
I then remounted the switch on the LH side with a sideways movement of the toggle.  The toggle does not now foul the truck.
It is important that the rear of the battery packs do not extend further back than the stanchions.  This permits the switch to be mounted as far forward as possible.

Phoenix volume control.  That does not foul the rear of the truck, but only just.
Next time I will mount it about 2-3mm closer to the rear of the frame to make sure it is easier to operate.

[Tony Walsham]

The production pcb's for the new RCS/EVO PnP-3 Plug'n'Play R/C controllers designed specifically for the Bachmann K-27, have now arrived.
These are a simple plug in installation and require no modifications or additions to the existing Bachmann wiring.
RCS/EVO will also offer installation kits to add the installation and wiring of the battery supply.
I have built and tested the first batch which are being shipped today.  The official release date is March 17th.


Downloadable pdf files are now available for prices and installation instructions from the RCS website.
My thanks to Bachmann for allowing me this courtesy.

[Curmudgeon]

Tony,

Did you have any problems with the tender truck swing due to the position of the BIK-U3 and the Phoenix volume switch on the tender floor?

Thanks
Richard

Hello Richard.

BIK-U3.  Yes, originally I did.  I had mounted it on the RH side with the switch oriented so that it went front and back.  That fouled the truck at maximum swing.
I then remounted the switch on the LH side with a sideways movement of the toggle.  The toggle does not now foul the truck.
It is important that the rear of the battery packs do not extend further back than the stanchions.  This permits the switch to be mounted as far forward as possible.

Phoenix volume control.  That does not foul the rear of the truck, but only just.
Next time I will mount it about 2-3mm closer to the rear of the frame to make sure it is easier to operate.

I told you that was going to happen, which is why I put switches in the water hatch.

[Tony Walsham]

Davey me lad.

I was not allowed to mount the charge jack on the end beam like we would normally do as my customer wanted everything hidden.

If you can figure out how to mount the switch, charge jack and Phoenix programming jack all inside the water hatch, please feel free to advise us all.
I am sure there will be plenty of ways worked out for component placement.

[Curmudgeon]

The Phoenix programming port is easy.
I suppose the charge jack could go there, too.
I laid a stip of styrene along the inside of the opening behind the coal retaining board.
Drilled, mounted the program port, filed a notch in the bottom lip of the retaining board to clear, and it's done.
Now, if they hadn't put that mount in the middle of the water hatch, but rather a screw from underneath with the mount elsewhere, we wouldn't be having this discussion, would we?