Simple manual battery conversion

a98087

a98087

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Hi allow recently done a very quick and simple manual battery conversion, so I thought I'd stick up a picture and a few words to show how simple manually controlled locos can be

The loco concerned is a playmobil express, I had previously swapped the 4 X AA powered motor block to a 12v block, this makes no difference apart from the required battery voltage.

The speed controller is sold on eBay as a

DC PWM 3-24 motor controller

There's a selection so just choose one that suits your chosen battery voltage

All I had to do was the following

Connect the battery and fuse
Use a DPDT switch to control polarity
Make up a little stand/control mount
Connect the output from the switch to the motor terminals
Remove track pick ups

The total cost is about £10 plus battery,

And the end result is a train that you just set the speed and leave to trundle round :)

image.jpeg

The electrics and battery don't take up much room so can be easily fitted to most locos, I had originally fitted this set up to a lgb u class and it all squeezed into the cab,

And now two pictures of the testing,
image.jpeg

image.jpeg

Any questions just ask

Dan
 
a98087 said:
Hi allow recently done a very quick and simple manual battery conversion, so I thought I'd stick up a picture and a few words to show how simple manually controlled locos can be

The loco concerned is a playmobil express, I had previously swapped the 4 X AA powered motor block to a 12v block, this makes no difference apart from the required battery voltage.

The speed controller is sold on eBay as a

DC PWM 3-24 motor controller

There's a selection so just choose one that suits your chosen battery voltage

All I had to do was the following

Connect the battery and fuse
Use a DPDT switch to control polarity
Make up a little stand/control mount
Connect the output from the switch to the motor terminals
Remove track pick ups

The total cost is about £10 plus battery,

And the end result is a train that you just set the speed and leave to trundle round :)

View attachment 212314

The electrics and battery don't take up much room so can be easily fitted to most locos, I had originally fitted this set up to a lgb u class and it all squeezed into the cab,

And now two pictures of the testing,
View attachment 212315

View attachment 212316

Any questions just ask

Dan
Click to expand...


Hi Dan.

Is the speed controller polarity sensitive or is the switch just to allow the train to go forward or reverse?

And the other question is; Being a PWM, does it cause the 12v truck to whistle (harmonics)?
 
Sounds very interesting.....would like to follow up.
 
To answer the questions

The pwm is near silent, I can post a video but not for about 10 days, and when the train is moving you can't hear anything over the noise of the train in motion

The controller is polarity input sensitive, the switch is fitted solely to give directional control,

Here's a link to one of the many eBay listings

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182175398944

2pcs Mini DC 5A Motor PWM Speed Controller 3-35V Speed Control Switch LED M141

Dan
 
a98087 said:
To answer the questions

The pwm is near silent, I can post a video but not for about 10 days, and when the train is moving you can't hear anything over the noise of the train in motion

The controller is polarity input sensitive, the switch is fitted solely to give directional control,

Here's a link to one of the many eBay listings

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182175398944

2pcs Mini DC 5A Motor PWM Speed Controller 3-35V Speed Control Switch LED M141

Dan
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan. Found some following your link and bought three! Cheap as chips! One for a little scratcbuild and the others for conversions. I intend (eventually - RoundTu-it) to convert my Playmobil set - was thinking of track power but your thread is making me think again!
 
Do you use an isolating section for stopping/starting ? Mal R.
 
Just watch how warm they get.. And mount them accordingly. - Don't want anything melting, or going out of shape.

Having said that, they should be fine, at our voltages and currents.
 
I use this in a small gravel train it is bigger but not overly large 60x50mm. Controller and Batteries in the gravel tubs made from 50mm PVC plumbers pipe.

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/RadioControl-LED-8Amp/index.htm

It is radio control, I have made the picaxe reverser but a simple FWD/REV switch would work just as well.

I'll post pictures when I can if anyone is interested.
 
GAP said:
I use this in a small gravel train it is bigger but not overly large 60x50mm. Controller and Batteries in the gravel tubs made from 50mm PVC plumbers pipe.

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/RadioControl-LED-8Amp/index.htm

It is radio control, I have made the picaxe reverser but a simple FWD/REV switch would work just as well.

I'll post pictures when I can if anyone is interested.
Click to expand...

Yes, I would be interested! Following your link I see that the Keyfob/Led Dimmer is the same as I fitted to an Aristo Sierra coach bash .....

Reo Bash (131).JPG

What I didn't know at the time was to used a diode! This might explain why it seemed to die on me after a few days!
 
These are the pictures of my gravel train. Couldn't get the forum to open document from my desktop so its in pdf format.

The batteries and the control gear are all in the tubs, an idea I got from a Garden Rail magazine article by JR in Tawa.

There is also a picaxe sound card with motor delay from gregh
 

Attachments

Last edited:
trammayo said:
Yes, I would be interested! Following your link I see that the Keyfob/Led Dimmer is the same as I fitted to an Aristo Sierra coach bash .....

View attachment 212359

What I didn't know at the time was to used a diode! This might explain why it seemed to die on me after a few days!
Click to expand...

Back EMF from the motor will kill it.
 
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