tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post7702879743717071417..comments2024-03-27T09:44:09.432+00:00Comments on Peckforton Light Railway: How I converted an LGB Stainz loco to battery power with a trail carGE Rikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-2188757503399629162019-05-02T12:22:56.959+00:002019-05-02T12:22:56.959+00:00Thanks Albert
I'm really pleased to hear my sc...Thanks Albert<br />I'm really pleased to hear my scribblings have been useful. If you have any problems let me know and I'm more than happy to help if I can.<br />RikGE Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-7270211050281453782019-03-31T17:52:53.952+00:002019-03-31T17:52:53.952+00:00Hi Rik,
I just found your blog and its helpfull al...Hi Rik,<br />I just found your blog and its helpfull already. Yesterday I bought a Stains very cheap, used an ugly, just to find out how to convert it to rc and batteries. I use Deltang Tx22 and Rx62 because that is what I already use in my smaller gauge trains..... Well, in the few next weeks I hope to find the time and courage....<br /><br />AlbertAlberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02761986830695203122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-7219663832763713952018-10-23T20:42:15.038+00:002018-10-23T20:42:15.038+00:00Hi Klaus
Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you...Hi Klaus<br />Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you have found it helpful, particularly when you were beginning to despair. <br /><br />The reason I removed the decoders was mainly financial. I sold them on eBay to raise funds. You're right, I could have left them in place, but as I've now installed batteries and receivers inside my locos, removing the decoders also gives a bit more room.<br /><br />Rik GE Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-76390018552177939872018-10-19T01:03:06.007+00:002018-10-19T01:03:06.007+00:00Hi Rik,
Thanks for your amazing blog. I am curre...Hi Rik,<br /><br />Thanks for your amazing blog. I am currently reactivating my layout with multiple small Stainz-size steam and Diesel locos. I had previously used the LGB Multitrain System but there is a glitch in the system and LGB customer service seems to be a thing of the past, at least here in the US and nobody can fix it so I came across your blog which may just save my railway.<br /><br />One question: why do you have to remove the DCC decoder? Don't all digital LGB engines revert to analog automatically when used with an analog source? I can run my "digital" LGB engines with an analog transformer. It actually also works when I feed the analog transformer output into the ancillary socket. So I am considering just leaving all my LGB engines the way they are and feed them the way Rik did from a trailing car. Shouldn't this work?Klaus Schroeder MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14927487157352335245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-45799815454209059122016-11-03T07:10:33.865+00:002016-11-03T07:10:33.865+00:00Hi Anon
Yes, a tender is a good option for storing...Hi Anon<br />Yes, a tender is a good option for storing the batteries etc. especially if you are not using li-ion. Three 18650 li-ions will happily sit in the cab without being too obtrusive. I have known someone who has used eight NiMh AA batteries in the cab, but it is a bit of a squeeze (they might have been AAAs). You could try removing the weight in the boiler and putting batteries in there - but then you'll lose a lot of traction.<br /><br />RikGE Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-38002595596742597682016-10-18T10:58:21.948+00:002016-10-18T10:58:21.948+00:00Great details - very helpful. I am trying to conve...Great details - very helpful. I am trying to convert a Stainz now to battery power.<br /><br />It is difficult without using tender. Only issue with tender is that it would look awkward when running in reverse mode.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-4721223259995173632016-04-08T18:02:49.956+00:002016-04-08T18:02:49.956+00:00Hi Phil
It seems that when the DIP switches are al...Hi Phil<br />It seems that when the DIP switches are all set to 'on', the lighting socket is connected to the main circuitry in the loco - which includes connections to the motor. If the track pickups weren't removed they would transfer the power to the track as well.<br /><br />RikGE Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-52243199761174193902016-04-06T21:52:19.429+00:002016-04-06T21:52:19.429+00:00I found this very interesting. I have been thinki...I found this very interesting. I have been thinking about moving from Massoth DCC to battery power and it's encouraging to see a description of how to make the necessary changes to the internals of a loco. One question - I didn't understand how providing power through the ancillary socket would operate the motor? I thought this socket was not connected to the motor at all, being used simply to provide power for lighting coaches etc. coupled to the loco. Sorry if I'm being dense here.Philnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-60211333337587485392016-03-16T07:24:47.886+00:002016-03-16T07:24:47.886+00:00Hi Bruce
I too use Deltang r/c equipment (re-bra...Hi Bruce <br /><br />I too use Deltang r/c equipment (re-branded as <i><a href="http://rctrains.co.uk/" rel="nofollow"> RC Trains</a></i>). As can be seen, it gives an impressive level of control. I've found it will run on voltages down to 3.5v. Two of my locos run off just one 3.7v li-ion cell (eg see <a href="http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/how-i-converted-battery-diesel-to-radio.html" rel="nofollow"> http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/how-i-converted-battery-diesel-to-radio.html </a> ) <br /><br />RikGE Rikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825168874175339847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26391908.post-44883920723370567762016-03-15T21:46:58.741+00:002016-03-15T21:46:58.741+00:00I did the conversion a couple of years ago, initia...I did the conversion a couple of years ago, initially to on/off (and reverse) pure DC at two voltages, using Li-ion batteries. At nominal 3.7 volts, the loco travelled at walking speed, and 7.4 volts gave running speed.<br /><br />I used (as standard) EC3 connectors leading to conventional battery holders, which could be AA or AAA or 18650 (or other). As I was just experimenting, I "stuffed" the battery holder into the cab, and took the batteries out to charge them in a conventional charger (and I had the option of replacing them with already charged batteries).<br /><br />Using a single AA battery, the loco ran for over an hour pulling about 10 axles in a tight circle. Using two cells, the loco pulled 20 (yes, twenty) bogie coaches on a level track (one of the wheels has a rubbery ring to increase adhesion). So, I agree with you that the Stainz has a very fine mechanism. As far as I could tell, the motor rarely if ever drew more than about half an amp.<br /><br />In order to introduce external controllability, I elected to use Deltang equipment (which requires a minimum of about 10 volts, or 3 Li-ion cells to operate). It is compact and relatively inexpensive, especially after one transmitter able to talk to a maximum of 12 locos has been acquired. Variable inertia is included.<br /><br />I left the original switches in place, and fitted appropriate male/female versions of the EC3 connectors, so that the receiver is in series between the power supply and the motor, and could, if desired, be taken out to allow pure DC as previously.<br /><br />The Li-ion batteries that I use can be sourced quite cheaply from Aliexpress or Ebay, as can the dedicated chargers. I use batteries with protection circuits, and so far have had no problems, although I treat these batteries with a lot of respect. They are vastly superior IMO to NiMh, needing only 1/3 the number of cells and able if required to deliver a much higher current.<br /><br />Bruce Cropper (any emails, use mediate AT ihug DOT co DOT nz)<br />Auckland, NZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com