Goor morning
How can I check a 3 volt (blue) battery if it is OK without installing in locomotive.
Clem
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I made this little harness..........just plug into the battery socket with battery in or out of engine.
No need to go inside the engine.
Attach alligator clips to your meter prongs - set your meter to DC voltage and get a reading.
More accurate than the DCS "Battery OK" option.
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Attach alligator clips to your meter prongs - set your meter to DC voltage and get a reading.
The harness is a very good idea. However, in order for the reading to be accurate, you must be using a meter with a Battery Test function, or you must test the battery under load.
A standard DC voltage meter will only provide a "surface charge" reading.
Thank you Barry
I have a battery tester, but my only NI-CAD position is for 1.5 volts. I have a Lithium position for 3 volts but I don't think that will work.
Take a double 6V bulb harness you may have from an MTH engine. Plug it in. Does it light steady though low intensity. If so probably good. If not and the lights go out, battery is dead. I use a PS-2 3V charging harness for this. That way if I need to I can plug bulb in and probe voltage on the back of the charger port pins that the bulb is plugged into. Bulb lite and 2.4 to 2.7 volts and battery is good and charged. G
