Charging sockets

PhilP said:
Is there enough power left in the batteries that you can get the lights to work? - That proves battery, through cutout, through the socket (no charger), through on/off/charge switch, and the lights..

If that works, it has to be the charge socket (or its switching), wiring fault on your on/off/charge switch, or the charger side of things..
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, the lights are on.......(when I throw the switch)

but there's no one at home ...........................
 
There is quite a funny book entitled 'Normal for Norfolk' - a sort of Norfolk version of Jethro.

I believe that the term was coined by a member of the medical profession who, when writing on a patient's notes, simply added NFN. It turned out to be reasonably widely understood in the profession, and caused wild upset amongst the general populus - everywhere, that is, except Norfolk :D:D:D:D:D
 
Going back to the origins of this thread, do you have a diagram or a photo of your charging plug and socket....
 
I'll try and take a piccy - it's making my brain hurt, 'cos I can't see what's wrong :confused::confused:
 
I think this photo isn't too bad.

The strips on the PCB run horizontally, and, from the bottom I've used strips 1, 3 & 5

Strip 1 - black from charging socket; black/red from battery; yellow from lights
Strip 3 - brown from SPST switch; white from lights
Strip 5 - blue from SPST switch; blue to cut-out (and on to red from battery); red from charging socket

PICT0003.JPG
 
<Pedant mode>
Counting from the bottom of the picture...
You have used 2, 5 and 7 .. However, I will let you off!

You say the lights work when switched on, so that is right.. I have drawn out the circuit, and it appears right..

Only a problem when you plug the charger in, as I understand it?

Looking at the picture, I would bend the tag with the black wire out to the right. - It looks like the barrel of the charging plug might short to it??

Other than that, it would appear to be fine..
 
Tony Walsham said:
Thanks for the effort.
However the pic is no use really as it is impossible to tell which wires go where.
Please sketch it out so we can trace it.
Click to expand...

A little harsh Tony..
If you follow the text, whilst looking at the picture, I managed to work it out.

I *think* it should be centre pin positive on the socket..
I would first check I had +volts on the centre of the lead from the charger..
Then I would drop the black wire off the charging socket, plug the charger in, and check I had volts between the pin you have removed the black wire from, and the semiconductor fuse.. Positive on the fuse.
 
The next ting is to try a different charger - but this will be a bit trickier because the Ansmann will check the polarity and adjust itself accordingly.

So, I have a few battery locos that were designed for the Ansmann where the polarity could be anywhere, and some designed for the other charger where the polarity is what it needs to be for the other charger if you get my drift.

And Tony, yes, for my more complex battery installations, I've always sketched it before installation, but as this one was meant to be simple.............. I've scanned it inot a .pdf

The frustrating thing is that I am sure that I would have charged it immediately after installation................

I just can't think what, if anything, has changed
 

Attachments

Sorry to be harsh but this stale old brain still cannot see how it is wired.
If the charge jack has three pins it would be very helpful to know which two of them have been connected.
Does positive go to the pin?
 
Tony Walsham said:
Sorry to be harsh but this stale old brain still cannot see how it is wired.
If the charge jack has three pins it would be very helpful to know which two of them have been connected.
Does positive go to the pin?
Click to expand...
Ah, sorry Tony - I have already changed the jack to a 2-pin with minimal result.

I can now insert the charging plug without a short, but when connecting the charger there's still a short (there's an in-line jack in the charging lead) so I can plug in the business end, without the charger connected, then remove it, connect the charger (.cos that's a traditional jack plug that makes a brief short as you shove it in), then re-insert the plug into the charging socket.
 
Rhinochugger said:
Ah, sorry Tony - I have already changed the jack to a 2-pin with minimal result.

I can now insert the charging plug without a short, but when connecting the charger there's still a short (there's an in-line jack in the charging lead) so I can plug in the business end, without the charger connected, then remove it, connect the charger (.cos that's a traditional jack plug that makes a brief short as you shove it in), then re-insert the plug into the charging socket.
Click to expand...

Right..
Are you *SURE* you are using the super-duper clever charger?
If you can now plug the short (as in, not long) charger lead without the protection firing, then that is right..
I would :
Unplug charger from mains..
Plug adapter lead to charger..
Plug charger / plus lead into loco..
Plug charger into mains..

If all is well up to now, then..

Switch mains on..

If that fails, then there is a problem with the charger (or the lead out of the charger to the jack) I reckon.
 
You have mentioned previously that the "cut out" (circuit breaker?) is chattering have you checked how much current is being drawn by the batteries?
Is it possible for the initial charging current to be exceeding the rating of the CB?
I would disconnect the CB and see if connecting the charger directly across the batteries worked.
 
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GAP said:
You have mentioned previously that the "cut out" (circuit breaker?) is chattering have you checked how much current is being drawn by the batteries?
Is it possible for the initial charging current to be exceeding the rating of the CB?
I would disconnect the CB and see if connecting the charger directly across the batteries worked.
Click to expand...
Well, the lights work when you throw the switch - so most of that bit ought to be OK.

The lamps are 3 x 5v grain of wheat bulbs and the battery pack is 4.8v AAA rated at 900 mAh
 
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