# Bachmann K-27 gets the RCS-BELTROL treatment



## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

My latest project is to fit a Bachmann K-27 with RCS-BELTROL R/C equipment, batteries and a Phoenix P8 sound system.

Although the owner will not be using track power I decided to use the new RCS-BELTROL # PnP-ADPT kit anyway. This simply plugs into a standard Bachmann/AristoCraft socket and permits any non Plug'n'Play R/C of any brand to be used with the K-27.
This is a prototype pcb that I am using until the actual production pcb's are ready shortly. It provides convenient screw terminals with colour coded wiring to ease installation.










The wiring was installed into the # PnP-ADPT ready for the # PnP-ADPT to be plugged into the socket.










The # PnP-ADPT was then plugged into the socket.










Here it is shown wired into the 5 amp # BTL-PnP5 ESC. This ESC can be used with track power OR[/b] battery power depending on where the switch is set.
It does not require capacitors when used on track power.
There is a simple plug in cable available to use with batteries for track power WITH[/b] battery back up.










The white styrene strip glued to the two rear pcb supports is for mounting the Phoenix P8, which is yet to be installed. This is a simple screwdriver install to the RCS-BELTROL sound triggers.

To save a lot of mucking around inverting the chuff signal I simply made a chuff timer for the front axle of the front tender truck. The wheel diameter is almost exactly half the size of the drivers so two magnets gives 4 beats per revolution.










I tested the loco at the weekend on Gordon Watson's layout.
I got well over 100' of range using a Spektrum DX5e R/C with really good slow speed running and superb control across the speed ranges. The top speed on 14.4 volts is more than adequate.
Bear in mind this is on a dead flat layout and with no load on the loco.
Past experience with K-27's has shown me pulling power on grades is not very good.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice, clean installation technique.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Mike.

As neat as possible is always a good idea.
It makes life easier when tracing potential faults, plus it looks more professional.

However you can get too neat.
I recently had a rebuilt 351 cu in Cleveland motor put into my ancient 1976 Ford LTD. Smartie pants here cable tied the wiring and did not leave enough slack where the ignition wire connected to the LPG gas control module.
Eventually the flexing of the motor pulled off that ignition lead in the middle of Friday afternoon rush hour traffic.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Phoenix shipped the P8 sound promptly but it disappeared for 16 days between the Chicago and Australia.
Anyway, the Phoenix P8 sound eventually turned up so I could finish off the installation.








This P8 is much less complicated to install than the old P5 + P5T.
The tiny P8 is mounted on a small styrene sheet glued to the two end stanchions of the PnP socket support. I have four sound triggers plus the chuff.
The sound trigger wiring is super simple with regular screwdriver connections. This makes it much easier to select which stick to use for a particular sound trigger.
The owner chose to use a Spektrum 5 channel DX5e for control.
If a 6 (or more) channel 2.4 GHz R/C system was used, it would be possible for one of the extra channels to be used to control the volume as well.


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