# Looking for hints and guidence Revolution in RS-3



## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

So I'm installing a Revolution system in an Aristo RS-3. Where have you managed to stuff the batteries and do you remove the weight in the fuel tank to offset the additional weight of the batteries. This is my first battery conversion and my first Revolution installation so any and all advice would be appreciated. I have the unit apart (yeah) and expected my battery pack to fit but no luck otherthan removing the cab interior. I'll bet you've done better.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a second and probably not last question. The loco has a switch to select battery or track power, which leads me to believe I don't have to clip wires to connect my battery pack. Which connector on the loco board or Revolution board is the correct one for connecting the battery. 

Geel and I thought this would be easy! I'm sure it is once I'd done one.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I don't have an RS-3 in front of me, but if it's "typical" Aristo, there should be a two-wire connector on the front and/or back of the loco. This is the battery connection. The idea is that for simplicity's sake, you'd put the battery in a car behind the loco and just plug it in to that little pig-tail connector. What most folks do is re-wire that plug so it's no longer sticking out the back of the locomotive, but run somewhere on-board where you can fit the batteries. You may have to unsolder the wires from the board to re-route them; others just cut the wires and splice them back together. 

As for placing the batteries, what kind of batteries are you using? It's common on diesels to fit them in the fuel tank. Some people figure out a means to make the fuel tank easily removable so they can swap out the batteries once the pack goes flat, others just put a charging jack in the loco, and swap out the entire loco once the batteries go flat. Mainline diesel guys tend to run at faster speeds than us narrow-gauge steam guys, and gravitate towards the 18 volt or 21 volt Li-Ion packs. 

One thing--with the Li-Ion battery packs, they're so light that you don't have to remove weight to offset the weight of the batteries. In fact, I've found just the opposite on a few of my installations; where I had to remove weight to fit the battery pack, I had to put more weight back into the locomotive to compensate. (Hint: Mix Bondo with lead shot, and you can "mold your own" weights to fit wherever you need it to.) 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I do have an RS-3, and have worked on many of them, and it is a complicated loco, 21 screws to take apart, several circuit boards, a daughter board with a voltage regulator running from a microprocessor. 

Be sure to follow the tips on my site, to determine if you need to move the "guts" around to clear the Revo board (most of it's life the RS-3 was improperly assembled such that the socket was too close to the speaker). 

I think you could work battery packs into the long and short hoods, but they will be custom sizes most likely. I'd only take the weight out of the fuel tank if necessary, or if you want removable batteries. 

Note: there are several pages, note the menu on the left...

*http://www.elmassian.com...trong>** 

Greg*


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks gents. I found Brand Bruce's instructions for disassembly so I got it apart OK and low and behold mine was assembled correctly, so that's one less issue. At 14.8v is 2600mAh sufficient for reasonable run period? I have a nice 14.8V 4400mAh brick but it won't fit - unless I sacrifice the cab guts. Applying the 10 ft rule, I may do that at least to gain some experience. Anyway I have a flat pack but its only 2600 mAh. Your thoughts? 

Oh and anyone out there know the answer to my question about where to plug in the battery leads to take advantage of the built in battery / track power selector.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

So if I'm reading the RS-3 manual correctly, the cables at either end of the loco at the couplers are in fact for connecting batteries, thus I can just draw one of those back inside the shell to hook up my battery. 

Oh and thanks for the comments on retaining the weight. I will thank you. Greg great information on your website. Thanks.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Robert, you are welcome! 

One thing to check is after turning the battery/track switch to battery, put it on a piece of track, fire it up, and see if it is putting voltage to the track... it might.... if so you can pull the track contact wires out of the plugs on the boards on the chassis. 

Regards, Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Run time is going to depend on current draw. I use primarily 2600 mAh packs in my locos, and get between 3 - 4 hours out of them. I typically run 6-car trains at slow-to-moderate speeds over mild grades. Lots of starts and stops for prototypical switching moves. That seems to be about the same whether I'm running a loco with one motor or two. (Two motors don't draw twice the current; they essentially split the workload.) An RS-3 pulling 20 cars at moderate to full speeds is going to need more power, so if I were to make a guess, I'd probably expect to see run times in the 2 - 3 hour range, perhaps a bit more. If that's "reasonable" for you, then you're all set. If you think you're going to want more, then cram in the larger pack. 

BTW, those two pig-tails at the front and rear of the loco are where you'd connect the batteries. Pull the pig-tail to be inside the loco, and install a fuse, power switch, and charging jack in line with it. What I typically do is use a DPDT switch; run the leads from the battery to the center of the DPDT switch, with one side going to the charging jack, and the other going to the electronics. When the loco is off, the battery is connected to the charging jack. When it's on, the charging jack is cut off. I put the fuse on the positive lead between the DPDT switch and the electronics. You might not need the fuse depending on the on-board electronics, but I consider it cheap insurance. The hope is that if something does go haywire, the fuse blows before the PC board on the Li-Ion pack does, thus saving you the headache of replacing that. (Not difficult, but those PC boards get pricey. A fuse is $1) 

Later, 

K


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Guys, thanks for taking the time to respond. All this information has helped a lot. 

Robert


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## Adikt2LGB (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's a link, don't listen to wish, just replace with revo 

http://gscaleinstallations.com/?page_id=460


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You have posted the same phrase twice Adik2LGB... 

"don't listen to wish" 

what does that mean? 

Greg


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## Adikt2LGB (Mar 8, 2013)

Posted By Adikt2LGB on 31 May 2013 03:51 PM 
Here's a link, don't listen to wish, just replace with revo 

http://gscaleinstallations.com/?page_id=460 

Sorry, meant to say, they are using qsi in the link, just replace it with revolution


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Adik2LGB I assume in this instance the weight was pulled from the tank to accommodate the plug and switch etc.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The stock weight does not completely fill the fuel tank, you should be able to put in a jack, LED and switch and still keep the stock lead weight. 

Greg


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