This topic has come up before, but I thought it'd be a good idea to revisit. In this instance I was lucky because the loco was stored upright, tender on bottom, and battery in the back end of tender pointing down; the corrosive leakage was pulled by gravity and I only had to replace 9v battery, and battery clip.
I've decided to remove all batteries from stored engines, and use as needed. I'm grateful it didn't trash the board(s).
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Mark, I am curious, what manufacture was the battery and was it a liquid leak, or a gas release that corrodes the battery terminal? G
It was a no name NiMH battery; probably from batteries.com, and it was a liquid leak which destroyed the 9v battery clip, but nothing else. Gravity was on my side!
I thought PS-2 batteies were dry cell to prevent this sort of thing
All batteries can potentially leak. If the 9V clip harness is destroyed,Radio Shack has them in their parts drawer. Replace the battery with a BCR then leakage and long term storage is not an issue.
Dale H
This has already been done, but can't be done w/ all my engines as BCRs are a tad on the expensive side; I'm hoping w/ the advent of PS3, the prices will come down a little.
This has already been done, but can't be done w/ all my engines as BCRs are a tad on the expensive side; I'm hoping w/ the advent of PS3, the prices will come down a little.
That's the way I see it, too. I currently have more than 50 PS2 locomotives and trolleys, all with batteries. Can't afford the time or money to switch them over to BCRs. As a result, all future purchases in the MTH line, aside from a couple of pre-ordered tinplate sets, will have to be PS3.
This has already been done, but can't be done w/ all my engines as BCRs are a tad on the expensive side; I'm hoping w/ the advent of PS3, the prices will come down a little.
That's the way I see it, too. I currently have more than 50 PS2 locomotives and trolleys, all with batteries. Can't afford the time or money to switch them over to BCRs. As a result, all future purchases in the MTH line, aside from a couple of pre-ordered tinplate sets, will have to be PS3.
I have over 100 MTH engines. With the problems associated with long term storage I could not afford not to convert. I bit the bullet and spent the money. The 2 ruined boards I had from cell reversal would have purchased 20 BCRs.
Dale H
How difficult is it to replace a battery in a PS 1.0 MTH premier steam or diesel that has been sitting idle for years?
Is the level of effort different to install a battery vs. BCR?
What is the unit cost differential between regular battery and BCR?
Thanks.
How difficult is it to replace a battery in a PS 1.0 MTH premier steam or diesel that has been sitting idle for years?
Is the level of effort different to install a battery vs. BCR?
What is the unit cost differential between regular battery and BCR?
Thanks.
1) depending on model of locomotive, it usually involves opening the case - removing the cab from the frame to get inside. Length of time sitting shouldn't matter one way or the other unless you've got leaky batteries in there.
2) level of effort exactly the same, the BCR's are made to plug into the same plug the battery pugged into, whether 3v or 9v.
3) BCR2 (3v) $19.95, BCR (9V) $24.95, but you can perhaps get volume discount.
I'm In the middle of converting my 45 Standard Gauge PS2 engines to BCR's - just ordered another 8 BCR's to finish the job. I think the more engines you have, the more BCR's make sense, simply because most of the roster will be in deeper rotation.
To complete the pricing, the 9V NiMh batteries are around $10-11, but I haven't replaced any 3V batteries yet. I've seen the no-name NiMh batteries for $5-6, but maybe in light of the leak, they're not a good value. 
I only have 3 MTH engines, all have been fitted with BCR's by Jimmy for me. All the rest are LIONEL, K-LINE and WILLIAMS.
BCR"S are the only way to go for peace of mind, in my book.
Rod
Being relatively new to the Forum, who is Jimmy?
HOLD ON. My understanding is that the MTH batteries WILL NOT LEAK. I talked to MTH a while ago re this, and I have never seen one leak and I have a lot of engines.
The MTH batteries are not like normal rechargeable batteries...I think the dry cell comment may be correct. Anyone else have comments?
I've never met a consumer type battery that couldn't leak. The only safe thing to do long storage time is take them out or replace them with BCRs.
A Battery made in the old way such as Duracell or other type, even the new rechargeable that we (Rayovac) have used for years at home from AAA through D and 9V... all will at one time or another leak.
MTH's batteries are not supposed to leak and I am slowly moving over to BCR's as I type this.
Most well made batteries of the type used in the MTH engines will not leak during the normal life of the battery. Having said that what is the "NORMAL LIFE OF THE BATTERY"? If you were to use the battery in a device every day it would eventally no longer take a charge or hold a charge for a long enought time. You would than replace it. That would be the normal life and the battery would not leak. What is the normal life when you cook it in a charge condition for hours on end and then leave it set for more hours doing nothing and then pack it away, in circuit, for some years. Could it leak, YES and do other nasty things because it is being abused and wasn't ment to last under those conditions.
If you are going to put the engines on the track and run them at least once every month or so under full remote control conditions so you get to see when the battery starts to act up I doubt you will have trouble. But if you are the kind to pack the engine away or set it on the shelf for months or years you may have a problem and it would be a good idea to replace it with a BCR or just remove it and reinstall it the next time you want to run the engine.
Al
if you are the kind to pack the engine away or set it on the shelf for months or years you may have a problem
agreed. Which is why I think that, even though it can sure add up, the more locomotives you have the more important it is to convert to BCR's. I've seen several forum posts to the effect that "I have too many locos to convert", and I respect that it's both expensive and a bit of a chore. But I think the logic goes the other way. Three locos, you'll be running them all frequently. Thirty or forty, they will just be in too deep a rotation, and the odds are against you. I finally decided to adjust my thinking to just add $20 on the cost of each loco and get it done.
As someone suggested, it may make sense to wait. The price of BCR's is steep: they are essentially hand made in small batches. If MTH's new PS3 is BCR-based, MTH may soon be selling mass-manufactured BCR's for less. Maybe.
BCRs will also work in TMCC-type system locomotives with the available additional charging circuit.
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