# Bachmann Mallet Battery Setup/Wiring



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Greetings

Santa (the one I see in the mirror) got me a Mallet for Christmas. 
It has the removable dome section with access to several switches, one of which is a battery/track switch which has nearby a terminal block with two screw connections for battery power input. My initial effort will be simple, just run wires to a standard Aristo style MU plug out the back for use with one of my trailing battery cars. 

The battery connections are on upper left of this diagram:










There are also a bundel of 4 mystery wires in the bunker, and this diagram labels them as "customer use" in upper right










So I assume those 4 wires are not connected to anything, and could be used to connect to the battery terminals and then the MU plug. But why are they there, is ther some use that Bachmann anticipated you wanting? 

I also assume you have to dis assemble the shell to get to the other end of the bunker wires?

Has anyone done a MU plug for their Mallet? Have you used the 4 mystery wires or run your own? Pros/Cons? And supposing sometime in the future I install battery and RC card in the loco, any tips in that regard? (Or that may be another thread...)

Thanks

Jerry


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, If you can find both ends of those wires and check them with an ohm meter I would say they could be used. By the way, how are you doing with the weather back there? It would be nice if we could send you some sunshine for some snow on our ski hills!


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Hi Winn 

Yes I tried to check the wires with my ohm meter, and oh my both black and red wires pulled out of the pointed probes......wonder if harbor freight had anything to do with that? SO I plan to get into it later this week and try to trace them out. 
It was 3F at 0630, and it was 56F in the house as my gas furnace chose last night to fails it's thermocouple. Got a new one and all is well (and warm) 

Plenty of sun, now up to 16! 

OK, just send a chord of Pinyon Pine firewood, that will take care of it. Love that smell! 

Jerry


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I have done a number of them now. You might like to visit HERE to see what I did. 
Those wires are not connected to anything and were thoughtfully placed by Bachmann in case you wished to convert to DCC. See pic # 6. You can either use them or do what I did and discard them.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Tony 

 Thanks for the tip. Your 3 installations shed a good deal of light on the innards of the loco and will make it easier to tackle once my shop goes above, oh how about 12F? 

Jerry


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

12F??


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

That is twelve degrees fahrenheit, for those of you having summer right now... 


Jerry


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

How quaint!!


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