# ? What are you all useing for batts and r/c TX/RX?



## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Getting ready to make decision on batteries and rc system. So what are you guy's useing and how does it perform? 
Thx Jason


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Jason, I'm hoping you read the recent threads about types of batteries and recommendations. 

I'd say there is a wealth of knowledge there. 

Also, before you decide for yourself, you need to look at how YOU will be using batteries, like trailing car or not, what you budget is, how long you want them to run, will you be using sound, what kind of grades you have and how long of a train you want to pull. 

If I just told you I use 7 amp hour gel cells, it would be no use to you if you did not want to run a trailing car, for example. 

Sure, tons of people will jump in and tell you what they are using, but only information from people with SIMILAR requirements will be of any practical use to you. 

Regards, Greg


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Hey Greg, 
I read them. Was just wondering what everyone is useing and what they get out of them performance wise. I am looking more and more towards battery r/c over dcc. Want everthing thing onboard diesel. Wanting 2 hours or better, have a long grade up my side yard not sure what percent but it rises about 2 ft of elevation in about 50 ft. Looking toward Airwire so have all dcc functions. Jason


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Jason

For percent of grage divide the rise (i.e. 2 ft.) by the run (i.e. 50 ft.) with both being expressed in like measurements.

2 / 50 = .04 (4% grade)


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## c nelson (Dec 18, 2008)

Jason, 

Greetings from the Upstate! 

I use the RCS brand of RC and usually 14.4v for all my installs....I am a NG Steam guy, so my info will prob not fit your parameters, though I am planning on getting around to re-converting my GE 45 Tonner from a trail-car set to on board-close but no cigar. 

My Bachmann Annie usually gets about 3 to 4 hours running on one charge (14.4v). My HLW Mack (9.6v) runs for nearly 6+ hours on a real good day with two or less cars. I've powered with NiMh and NiCad...both have served me well, I owe a ton of gratitude to my MAHA brand Battery Charger for that. 

As a happy customer of RCS (Tony Walshman-mfg) and NWRCS (Dave Goodson-my RCS Supplier) I'll share a few install links that may be helpful (with any brand control) 

these are all diesel installs: 

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=9007 

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=7629 

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24175 

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35848 

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23020 

all of the above can be found under the Batter/RC tab here: 

http://rcs-rc.com/ 

Good Luck! 

cale


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Just my experience, I don't use batteries but I use QSI/Airiwre. Excellent sound and the full DCC command set.You can also now use an NCE throttle with QSI as well.


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Airwire in a trailing car with a 18 volt drill battery. Been running that way for 4 years been very happy with it. I have the Airwire, and P-5 on
a piece of plastic so I can move it form one car to the next.


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Thx for everything guys Cale the links are helpful. The 1st engine is a aristo gp40 rebuilding with a high short hood for ex.Norfolk Southern plan to have batts onboard but also bulding a rpe4d ex. NS slug to go with it for heavy trains extra traction and battery car. 
Thx Jason


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a simple answer for you Jason, you made it easy, thanks! 

4% grade.... big grade 
in loco .... smallest battery size possible in relation to power 
2 hours... relatively hefty requirement considering the 4% grade. 

Lithium ion packs, depending on the control system you use I'd say 18 - 24 volts. If you were running NG trains I would say 14-18v. 

Have fun! 

Greg


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By bull on 03/09/2009 3:40 PM
So what are you guy's useing and how does it perform? 


So Greg .... What are you using?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

No batteries in my locos at the present. Just about 30 years of working with them! I've designed hardware with all different battery chemistries. I have about 500 rechargeable batteries at my house, and more chargers than I want to acknowledge. 

I'm not a good candidate for battery power. 

Regards, Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Jason. 

Since I did that G-40 installation I have designed a produced an ESC specifically for the AristoCraft locos. 
The RCS PnP-3AC. 
This is also Plug'n'Play with the Phoenix P5 sound system. 
I have also devised a better way of mounting the receiver part like I did in the SD-45 or Dash-9 using an AZARR 27 Mhz antenna. 
http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=7629


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## c nelson (Dec 18, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 03/09/2009 8:47 PM
No batteries in my locos at the present. Just about 30 years of working with them! I've designed hardware with all different battery chemistries. I have about 500 rechargeable batteries at my house, and more chargers than I want to acknowledge. 

I'm not a good candidate for battery power. 

Regards, Greg

Everyone is a candidtae....ask Goodson


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Bull, I use Airwire in a trailing Bx Car. 18 volt Milwaukee batts, and charge them with a 3 bay charger. 

With 2 GPs' I get 1-2 hours.

I have all the RC units EXCEPT for Loco Link.

My system of choice is Airwire...simple install, in a boxcar, no hassles with anything....BUT all the other R/C units offer various pleasing options, it's just what you like.

I never have to use any noise suppression electronics and my range is superb...best of all I like all the sounds I can activate with the hand held, the P-5 is AWESOME!!!!

Milwaukee batts and the charger on Ebay are pretty much not a real big expense...either click on the links, and if that doesn't work cut and paste seperately these 2 web addresses in your browser to get to the Milwaukee batteries and charger.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=Milwaukee+batteries&_sacat=See-All-Categories

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZmilwaukeeQ20multiQ20bayQ20chargerQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZR9QQ_mdoZQQ_sopZ10


Hope this helps

IMHO

Bubba


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I use AirWire and P-5 in the locomotive. I don't use a trailing car unless there is absolutely  no way to fit it all in the engine.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I have big rechargeable pack in the tender with an Aristo Trackside receiver. Runs my Mallet 2 hours or more with smoke and lights. I lift out the coal load to change packs and charge one while running another.


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Sweet thx guys good info. Going to open up under the dynamic brake for easier battery changes instead of the whole shell just lift off dynamic brake hatch should work. Useing rare earth magnets to hold shell down on slug for easier battery changes in it to. 
Later Jason


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Planning to use 2 or 3 of these batts per engine. http://www.all-battery.com/two84v4500mahflatnimhbatterieswithasmartpackcharger72v-12v.aspxl 
J-


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Delete!



*Thank You Cale







*


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## c nelson (Dec 18, 2008)

Posted By bull on 03/10/2009 2:47 PM
How do you make a working link?

type [url*]link goes right here[/url*]

but do it w/o the *, yep remove the * from the above in brackets and you got it!

for pictures it's the same idea but IMG instead of URL...for instance....


[img*]picture location here[/img*]

just remove the *


cale


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Well Jason, to no surprise to most here, I use my own products; G-Scale Graphics Critter Controls and RailBoss R/C systems. All of my locos and railcars have charging jacks installed. My battery packs are sized such that I run out of gas way before they do. At the end of the run (usually 2-4 hours), they go on the charger, and I go do something else. On extended days, such as an open house that may last between 6 and 8 hours, I simple switch out locos as needed, but prior to exhausting the batteries. I have one trailing car for my Bachmann Climax, but everything else so far is in a tender, or within the railcar/critter.

Most of my operating sessions are just continuous running while I sit back and watch, think, plan, relax, etc. I usually run just one loco. But sometimes run two; one on Critter Control (semi-automated), and the other on radio control to allow remote speed adjustments as needed to avoid wrecks (which of course doesn't always work, because I am mostly thinking, planning, and relaxing, instead of watching!). 


My controls add automation to the layout by performing automated station stops, in a random sequence. The sound systems use track magnets, but they to operate in a random fashion, so nobody really knows what to expect on the next lap. That makes it fun for both me and the visitors, because the first thing they always want to know is how everything works. If they figure that out after two laps, its time to move on to the next place!

My battery packs are 12V,1500 mah NiMh or 14.8V, 2200 mah for smaller demand critters or locos, and 14.4V, 4000 mah NiMh or 14.8V, 4400 mah Li-Ion for the larger stuff (all narrow gauge). Sound systems are all Phoenix 2K2.


I keep my trains in a train shed next to the layout. It has drive-in/out capabilities. I hand carry the locos or tenders to the garage for charging at night. This allows me to keep an eye on things during the charging process.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I use 2 of these in series to make a 19.2v pack. They're big, but cheap and 3.8 amp hours. 

http://www.all-battery.com/96v3800mahhighpowerhumpnimhbatterypackforrccarswithtamiyaconnector.aspx


They're designed to be discharged in 6 minutes, so I figure they'll hold up to my 2 hour discharge rate quite well.


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## bull (Jan 28, 2008)

Those look good Torby thanks. Will give them a try.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I just use plain old vanilla Aristo Trackside TE's, mounted in a trailing car. While I started out wanting everything in the engine, I soon discovered that for me it is much more convenient to have the receiver and batteries in a trailing car. My preferred batteries are the Aristo li-ion batteries. I have had a number of them for several years with no problems. OVer the years they have had some versions come out that misbehave with their TE but they have been good about exchanging them for free. I am hoping that all of those problems will go away with the new Revolution TE - that it won't have that sudden power surge upon starting that causes the problems with the protection circuitry in some versions of the Aristo li-ion batteries.

I have a couple of Dallee soundboards, but most are Phoenix now. I actually mount my soundboards in my recent trailing cars, with the speakers in the locomotives. It has been working very well for me.

Ed


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Del how are those beta tests coming along?
John


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 03/11/2009 1:15 PM
Del how are those beta tests coming along?
John


Everything is fine so far. I should be ready to release the "Enhanced RailBoss R/C" in a week or so.


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