Replacing 8.4v battery with???

my vote is for the EBL batteries from Amazon. 

How are those any different than the one that came in it.

@Steve Parham posted:

How are those any different than the one that came in it.

Well, for one thing it's a replacement battery to get rid of the white one. 

I am with trainlover and the EBL as it a NiMH rechargable 9v and NiMH are superior at holding a charge and they have the best history of not leaking of any battery out there.

Charlie

Save yourself any future headaches and get a BCR. They are well worth it. 

@PAUL ROMANO posted:

Save yourself any future headaches and get a BCR. They are well worth it. 

Not in a 5v board there not. 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but wanted to visit this topic again.  BCRs are pretty pricey for the proto 1 version, especially with shipping.  Are they still the only safe bet for equipment that is not run frequently?

Yes Jim they are the best bet with the least maintenance and worry free operation when pulling a PS1 loco out of storage after a long rest.

Hi Steve, I would highly recommend replacing the old Proto-2 battery with a BCR 1 from J and W Electronics. You will never have to deal with charging the batteries again. You can find this product and many more at https://www.whiterosehobbies.com/

A new NiMH battery will likely last 7-8 years. Consider your 5 v board may fail at any time then you have a BCR with no place to put it.
FWIW I just picked up a PS2 5 v engine from 2001. It had a white battery which may have been original as the engine was used for display only. It measured about .6v and was replaced with a NiMH battery I had. I decided to try and see if the old battery would take a charge and was surprised it did. Its been holding for a week. I don’t plan to use it but it could be used in a pinch.

Pete

@Norton posted:

I decided to try and see if the old battery would take a charge and was surprised it did. Its been holding for a week. I don’t plan to use it but it could be used in a pinch.

For around $3 for a new NiMh 9V (8.4v) battery, I can't see taking the chance, if I see a white or silver 9V battery in an MTH locomotive, it's the first thing to hit the trash can.  I don't really care if it holds a charge, it never gets the chance here.

Thanks, White Rose, but it looks like you don’t have the proto 1 8.4v in stock.

I understand the risks of forgetting to charge the NiMh, but you could burn through ten of them before you exceed the cost (with shipping) of the BCR.  Proto 1 is likely on extended life support by then anyway.

Is there any downside to leaving the engine on the track for 14 hours to charge the NiMh?

Well, there is always the chance that things get out of had while unattended, that's why I never leave the layout on unattended.

Not sure of the downside of charging or not charging a NiMH. I hadn’t charged the one I had for two years. Put in the engine and it was found. Check it with a voltmeter first. 8 volts or above is Ok.

BTW the white batteries are NiCads. Same applies though. 8 volts or above is OK you won’t blow up the engine. Don’t use the charge circuit in the engine if the voltage is below 8 volts though.

Pete

@Norton posted:

Not sure of the downside of charging or not charging a NiMH. I hadn’t charged the one I had for two years. Put in the engine and it was found. Check it with a voltmeter first. 8 volts or above is Ok.

BTW the white batteries are NiCads. Same applies though. 8 volts or above is OK you won’t blow up the engine. Don’t use the charge circuit in the engine if the voltage is below 8 volts though.

Pete

I've had a lot of BAD batteries that will hold a voltage above 8 on a meter. When they go under load the voltage drops rapidly to 5 or 6. To truly test these batteries, you need to apply about a 100ma load and monitor the voltage for about 15 seconds. If it stays above 8, then you have a good battery.

My worst experience with a battery is one that sat long enough that the polarity on it reversed. When the PS1 engine was started, Magic smoke rolled out a few minutes later.  Somehow the board and charging circuit still worked after a new battery was installed.