Battery powered GP9 UPDATE

Very nice!  That's some decent low speed there.

I take it "not cleaning track" means it's also wireless?  what kind of electronics is there inside?

Lovely, if only steam sounds were as good as diesel - I wonder why?

What size battery were you able to fit  in there?

Yeah I figured it wasn't too big. What kind of run time does that give you?

Looks good.  The antenna will be a problem for me, since my locomotives are brass.  Cost, and apparently quality, are in the ballpark.  It will not be long before the three railers figure all this out.  Imagine the size battery that can fit in that AC-12 tender?

That's why I have been following this. I went to the web site that Ben posted and this could work for 3R. I plan on calling next week with questions. This my work with a couple of options

1. track power with similar concept as Lionel Chief Plus

2. Battery power.

   a. Issue would be size battery and longevity and the amount of amps required to operate twin can motors and boards with sound, lights etc.

   B Ability to control chuff rate and smoke out put.

   C. Ability to retro fit current PS3 engines( since they are already DCC capable ).  

   D. Ability to charge batteries  from track power( could be easier and able to recharge more than 1 engine at the same time.) I believe Bad Order Hal had brought this up in another thread

Turnouts would not be an issue as they can be powered with axillary power or track power.

It would be nice if Gunrunner or GGG could add the comments.

Doug

The CVP convrtr[x] http://www.cvpusa.com/mini_airwire_convrtr.php has two inputs,  a battery and wireless receiver, and one output, a DCC signal that emulates track.  That is, it provides DCC track power and a DCC signal to one or more DCC decoder[s]. It can handle 2.3 amps continuous and has a built in protection above that.

CVP also makes a wireless receiver and a DCC decoder (without sound) on one board.

http://www.cvpusa.com/airwire_g3.php

  It also uses a battery as input power.  I see no reason why you could not connect the input connections to constant 12-18 VDC from the track. 

Note, however, both are NOT polarity protected.  Which means you get DC positive and negative backwards, like a reverse loop, or put AC to it; poof!

I'm trying to figure out how to make it work with brass locomotives also.  The antenna is the problem because the signal will not penetrate brass.  So it has to be external somehow somewhere. Currently I'm looking at ways of mounting the Convertr inside a diesel truck.

So far, unfortunately, no one make such a device which also has a built in battery charger.  That is the missing link to me.  One that would support 12-18 Volts AC or DC input would not only allow battery [re]charging but take care of the reverse polarity problem.  The garden railway folks don't seem to be interested in this capability so...

OBTW, QSI also makes a wireless receiver.  And if you know of anyone who has actually gotten one to work PLEASE let everyone know.  Myself and 2 other people would be interested in how they did it, because we couldn't and QSI remained silent.

Outstanding... If you want a bigger battery, I've seen some folks use a dummy engine or a box car strictly for holding the battery.

Advantages... Much bigger battery.  And if you get two dummies or box cars, one can charge while you use the other.  

I would love to see more.  I have an Atlas AEM-7 that no one wants to touch for conversion to PS2.  Was thinking of battery power.

Ron

Seems like one could install a simple bridge rectifier between the pickups and the CVP decoder to get constant polarity from the track.  Then track polarity wouldn't matter.

What about track for the antenna?  No ground plane, but very good connection, compared to air.  

That looks like the missing link to good command-controlled battery operation. Interestingly enough, in theory, that type of hookup could be used with little modification to a track-powered DCC capable locomotive, allowing the user to operate the locomotive off track or battery power with the flip of a switch. The only issue is battery capability and where to put them.

A handrail or ladder with plastic mounts\stanchions for the antenna. Like the older Lionel TMCC locos.

The NWSL BPS board allows charging from the rails, but it doesn't support higher amp draws of O scale. Unless you install high performance replacement motors like what the late Joe G. was doing. I believe his GP9 only drew about .5A max. http://oscalemag.com/wordpress...in-red-caboose-gp-9/

http://www.s-cab.com/batteries-explained.html

I used this in conjunction with Tam Valley Depot's Deadrail Tx/Rx system and had good results.