Aristocraft 66 RC Battery Conversion?

C

CoggesRailway

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Anyone on here done this? I have a shelf queen partly as i have no train for it but mainly as i rarely clean the track!

I will be using RCS kit, (uk summer order soon Tony!) But am more interested in knowing how easy they are to take apart, what batteries fit and if anyone knows a thread or pics of this. Google is drawing a blank.

Also what is behind the track/batt switch?!
 
If I remember correctly (I maybe completely wrong here), the track/batt switch on an aristo loco does something along the lines of disconnect the track pickup but allows power through the connecting jacks that are usually present at each end of the loco - I think this includes the 66 but they're hidden inside and you have to have to body off to free them? Hence you can use battery power via a trailing wagon?

[edit]
Yes, as I thought; page 12 of the class 66 manual says the "modular plugs" for battery power are internal and you have to separate the body from the underframe to get at them.

Never tried battery power, so cannot confirm how well this arrangement works. Probably most serious battery folk would fit batteries and ESC etc. in the loco itself.

The 66 is easy enough to dismantle, just a bunch of screws along the underneath (I fitted a decoder and re-worked the lighting in mine). See page 9 of the manual.
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I have only done one class 66 and that was soon after they were released.
Most AristoCraft locos are easy enough to pull apart for fitting batteries. Although, if this your first battery R/C loco I would seriously consider having the batteries in a trail car.
Like most bigger AC diesel locos 14.4 volts is marginal if you want any decent sort of speed. 18 - 21 volts is perfectly adequate. That means I do not recommend the excellent Deltang Rx65b as it can only handle a maximum of 18 real volts. Better to use the OMEGA-3v7 which can handle up to 24 volts.
Personally I would not change any internal wiring in the loco. Leave it as it is and fit a # PNP-ADAPT-3a. This is easily connected to the ESC of choice via screw terminals.
Nick has it right re the Track Battery switch. Unlike Bachmann Spectrum it isn't an either or situation. The pigtails front and back are always connected. The switch just adds or removes track power.
 
Thats very helpful thanks tony and nick. Yes I would be fitting batteries on board as I have with all my others. I guess as for sizing batteries I need to get it open and see realistically what you can fit onboard. Cheers, Ian
 
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