Powering can motors with a battery for easier truck wheel cleaning PS2/3

I have used a battery to power a conventional engine, but never a PS2 or 3 engine.  I was afraid of all those sophisticated electronics.

For cleaning as you describe, I have seen folks use wire leads with alligator clips.  Red to center rail and to pickup roller.  Black to outer rail and then touch the wheel.  Your free hand to clean the wheel.

Good luck.

Ron

If you unplug the motor plug from the PCB, then you can put power to the motor with no danger.

I'd be surprised if a single D cell, 1.5 volts, could provide enough power to spin the motor under the cleaning load.

I think it'll take more than 1.5V, I personally use a bench supply for testing motors.

For cleaning wheels, I just connect a transformer and run the locomotive in conventional mode upside down in the cradle.  Make sure you turn the smoke unit off, and I also turn the audio down as well.

A Small DC HO transformer works well.  Allows you to dial the speed of the motor for what ever action you are taking or testing.  Plus the reverse switch, makes for easy direction changes.  G

put your loco on the tracks, take a paper towel

and squirt some cleaning fluid on it. Place it across

the track in front of the loco. Power up and hang

onto the loco as it travels across the paper towel.

let the wheels spin on the paper towel soaked

with cleaner. Clean wheels!!!

Really, I would think that would make a mess if the paper towel started to shred.  G

I do the same but use Naptha..infact I let the whole train run over it a few times.

If i run conventional [ Railking Zcontroller]on my bench do i leave the switch in the DCS position? Also will i loose any of my eng settings? I  thought i tried this before and no throttle response.

Running conventional won't affect any DCS settings.