LEGACY BASE-EATING BATTERIES!

Send it Lionel and they'll fix it. 

Unless their policy has recently changed Lionel will repair the charging circuit in your base under warranty.  Call them for an RA#.

Another option would be to purchase rechargeable batteries and a charger.

Good luck.

Bruce

Marty is correct. I tried regular batteries also before I had my cab ll fixed. They do not last long. Bite the bullet and send it back for repair. You’ll be glad you did.

You're right!  Legacy is hard on batteries.  Lionel fixed the charging system on mine and now I just set it in the base for re-charge.

Lionel has been very good about continuing no charge repairs on the Legacy Remote System.

BruceT47 posted:

 

Another option would be to purchase rechargeable batteries and a charger.

Good luck.

Bruce

This is the option I took.  IMO I don't like the idea of leaving the base powered up for hours to charge batteries.

Get yourself some good NMH Energizer batteries and an external charger.

I've been using the same batteries for years and my base can stay off when its not running trains.

My Legacy controller started eating batteries. Received RO from Lionel and they replaced a few parts and circuits in the handheld and fixed the charging circuit in the base and it is now working great, using rechargeables and all like new or better!

Why tap over the contact in the base when you can just turn it over and turn the charging circuit off?  As for the handheld eating batteries, I haven't noticed if mine does, but then I don't use it a lot.  But I didn't like the heat the base generated when charging, so I turned the charger off and just use a battery charger I already had to charge the batteries when they need it.  I have LEGO trains and those eat batteries, so I've had a charger for those for a while.

Thanks Guys. Nick

Nick,

I've found that Energizer Lithiums (silver with blue lettering) last quite long in the CAB-2 compared to regular alkaline batteries. 

Also, as an added feature, they are lighter in weight than regular alkalines.

Personally I put the Cab2 in the cradle upside down anyways to keep the dirt out of the controls.  I also tape the contact just because.

Nick,

   Try leaving the Cab 2 either out of the Base Charging unit or up side down in it, when the batteries are already fully charged.  You are probably over charging your batteries repeatedly.  Damaging the Battery life.

My Legacy is on it's way back to Lionel, I just got the RA today.  Going to invest in a used 993 Cab2 for a back up, so I can switch the Cab2's into different bases as needed.

PCRR/Dave

Lionel is great standing behind the 990 and 993 units. No questions asked, RA issued and back to Lionel it goes. The idea of a back up 990 is a good one. Mine went back January 15th, called Lionel on Friday, February 16th for a status check and was told they had a few units ahead of mine. I wish I had thought of getting a back up. This is NOT a complaint as I have nothing to complain about, just lamenting not having a back up. One is on my list to buy.

I have no complaints about the life of the rechargeable batteries.

Mike

Why tape over the contact in the base when you can just turn it over and turn the charging circuit off?  As for the handheld eating batteries, I haven't noticed if mine does.

I have mine turned off but in that rare instance it gets turned back on, those regular alkalines won't like to be charged! I use my Legacy base at shows so it gets taken out and packed up quite a few times in a year's time.

As for regular alkalines, a 24 or 36 pack sold for $8 or $10 at Lowes some time ago so I just use the regular ones.

Ted Bertiger posted:

Why tap over the contact in the base when you can just turn it over and turn the charging circuit off?  As for the handheld eating batteries, I haven't noticed if mine does.

I have mine turned off but in that rare instance it gets turned back on, those regular alkalines won't like to be charged! I use my Legacy base at shows so it gets taken out and packed up quite a few times in a year's time.

As for regular alkalines, a 24 or 36 pack sold for $8 or $10 at Lowes some time ago so I just use the regular ones.

My switch was recessed, and it was kind of a pain to turn it off, so I can't imagine it getting turned back on accidentally.  And mine is about to get bolted down.  I just don't like using tape as it has always gotten sticky everywhere.

Gentlemen,

   One of the Engineering upgrades I believe Lionel should make to the 990 Legacy Base unit, is the Battery discharge capability.  This engineering discharge capability lets you leave the Cab2 in the 990 Legacy Base keeping the batteries fully charged at all times, and does not damage the batteries by over charging them.

PCRR/Dave 

The switch is recessed but my issue is the Legacy base gets packed and unpacked from show to show. There could be an issue that the switch gets turned back on.

Food for though? what if Lionel is supporting Legacy because they are using us and the bass for data collecting methods on how the hobby runs there trains?

Drew,

   That would be one of the most expensive data gathering business practices in history.  I actually hope Lionel is using that business practice to help off set the repair cost in some small manner.  Probably not happening however.

PRCC/Dave

Ted Bertiger posted:

Why tap over the contact in the base when you can just turn it over and turn the charging circuit off?  As for the handheld eating batteries, I haven't noticed if mine does.

I have mine turned off but in that rare instance it gets turned back on, those regular alkalines won't like to be charged! I use my Legacy base at shows so it gets taken out and packed up quite a few times in a year's time.

As for regular alkalines, a 24 or 36 pack sold for $8 or $10 at Lowes some time ago so I just use the regular ones.

You can get 4 alkaline batteries for a dollar at Dollar Tree and they seem to by just as good as Duracells, but I turn off the charger on my Cab 2 and only turn it on when the batteries are about half charged.

Gene H,

   That is not a bad way of operating, however I just put the Cab2 in the Base upside down instead of turning the Legacy Base off, wearing the switch.  I also use a well grounded remote control unit to turn the Legacy Base off and on. 

PCRR/Dave

Drew Madere posted:

Food for though? what if Lionel is supporting Legacy because they are using us and the bass for data collecting methods on how the hobby runs there trains?

I really suspect that Lionel fixes the Legacy system simply because they know that without your command system running, you're kinda' unlikely to buy more Legacy or TMCC products!

Too lazy and busy to return to Lionel.  I pull a battery from the handheld when operating session is over, otherwise the batteries will be dead in 2-3 days.

Pete S  

Or, you know, don't put the handheld in the base?  I put all my remotes in a drawer under the layout.  Since turning the charger off in the base, and putting it under the layout, there wasn't a reason to even put the Cab-2 in the cradle.

My handheld batteries discharge whether in the cradle or not.

Pete S