# Sticking batteries in a Dash 9



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

OK

I've got a Dash 9 that I want to add a battery pack so I can operate at Marty's this September.

The body on this beast is a real pain to take on and off and the screw holes would soon get worn out.

So, has anyone cut the top off the body to easily get the batteries in and out?

Or may put batteries in the fuel tank?

My fuel tank is only covering 1 lead weight. There is room for two more weights.

So I gould move the weight from the middle to one end or the other of the tank and have room.

Also, how much battery do I need?

Is this over kill? Cordless Rennovations 1705 18.5 V5200 mah Lithium

I plan to run a Revolution and P8 Sound card.

On DC power I've easily pulled 50 cars with the Dash, so I might want to pull that many with the batteries.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy , just bring it as is, use one of my many RC battery cars to pull the trains with. 
I want you to have FUN, not labor over everything.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Marty 

I may well do that.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a 15 amp revo in the stack train, 100 ton hopper, and couple others. plus single units here and there. 
I lose track of them. 
Beisdes you'll be busy with "first timers duty".


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Install a charging jack so you don't need to access the batteries?


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## izzy0855 (Sep 30, 2008)

Randy, 

We make a 18V 4200mah Sub C Nimh battery-pack that fits right behind the cab, but as you said; it's extremely hard to take the body off especially the hand rails. I've done many of these installs and there not fun, so take Marty's advice and use a battery-car. 

Rick Isard 
Cordless Renovations, LLC


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

First timer duty's?

I hope this doesn't mean cleaning up after JJ and Stan's messes.

Seriously, I'd rather charge the batteries with them removed from the Dash.

But, while I may well take Marty up on his offer to use a battery car this trip, I really want the loco to be self supporting in the long run.

One question Marty, when you said you had cars set up for RC/Battery that I could use, do you mean the radio control is also in the trailing car?

So I can hook one of these cars to a box stock Aristo loco and control it by radio and power it by battery all from the trailing car?


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I don't have a Dash 9, but I do know what a PITA it is to get the bodies off of the dismals. I'd look to the fuel tank. Perhaps consider a few rare-earth magnets stuck into the screw holes that hold the fuel tank in place to hold things together instead of the screws. The magnets should be plenty strong enough to hold the tank during normal operation, but easily removable to get to the batteries. The thing is that the battery pack would have to be suspended against the frame by some other means, perhaps Velcro or a rubber band strap or something like that. Stick the battery in place, plug it in, then put the fuel tank cover back over everything. (And smile because the fuel tank is--technically--holding the fuel for the locomotive.) 

I did something similar to a USA Trains 44-tonner and it worked out very well. I've got a scratchbuilt center-cab Whitcomb (similar to Accucraft's upcoming model) here right now that I'll likely do the same thing for. Unless there's a cab roof or dynamic brake blister or other access hatch the manufacturers put in the roof for you, getting a clean and easy access to the top of a dismal's hood is problematic. 

Later, 

K


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I have it both ways. 
Todays open house Mike ran the stack train that has its own revo, so I bypassed it because his locos have revo in each. 
Mix and match. 
I personally don't use charging jacks because If your engines goes dead on my layout, youWILL need to change out the battery. 

I use Ricks batteries in all my traveling self contained units like Thomas, GP40 etc.Nmhd The GP 40 radiator comes off to access the batteryfor change out.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So Marty, in your locos that have the battery inside, you remove them or open them to charge them? 

Just trying to understand... (it is what I would do)... 

Greg


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey randy I went with RCS and put the batteries in the fuel tank

here is how I put my stuff under the body










different angle, i made the mounts with styrene pieces, you have so much room when you put the batteries in the tanks










I have had mine in for 3 years, I think i had 4800 mah and 17 volts, been a while, I get great run times with 10-15 cars on a grade I am changing because it is to steep, I am in the process though of making a battery car, i feel for me that is the best route, expensive to have that stuff in every engine, bought 2 batteries from Rick at Cordless and will just exchange batteries and keep running.

let me know if you have any questions.

tom h


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great info 

Thanks Tom 

Do you have any picks of the batteries in place? 

Do you have one weight in the tank or what?


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Randy.

Here is how I mounted 16 cells of SubC size batteries in an SD-45. Valid because the SD-45 tank is much the same as the -9 one.










The packs are a *VERY* snug fit in the tank so tabs are glued to the cells so they can be removed from the tank in the future.

Then the packs are placed in the tank.










The packs are then wired into the loco through the floor.










Although the tank is still theoretically removable, in practice I never remove the packs for charging because I have a very simple circuit available that uses the charge jack as a port for auxiliary batteries carried in a trail car.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy... This is just my personal experience with battery powered locomotives. I can pull just as much with less weight in the engines as on track power. With batteries, you are not relying on additional down force to maintain power contact with the track and wheels. You are powering the motors directly from the R/C. 

May not seem like much, but I've puledl very heavy loads with my FABBA consist and I removed ALL the weights from the tanks. It puledl 11 USA passenger aluminum cars on Marty's layout with ease and no slippage.

50 cars is an awful lot of weight for just 1 locomotive. 

As Marty's said.... Come to the affair and have fun..... We'll be glad to help or interfere, whichever is most appropriate....


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Tony and Stan


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy, sory no pics off batteries, but I did the same idea as Tony, I siliconed my batteries in the tank and ran the wires up through the bottom, I did take out the weights also, have had no problem pulling anything. I have had my Dash-9 at Martys, since his layout does not have grade got way better run times than my layout. I also have sound in mine, still get long run times. On my SD-45 I layed the batteries along the metal brace and put the electronic stuff on top of that, It is really tight, should of put the batteries in the tanks.











tom h


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