# Batteries for Aristo Mallet



## dcraig (Jun 23, 2010)

I am looking for a lithium battery that will power an Aristocraft Mallet. I purchased a new mallet about a year ago. I am using a trail car with 3 of the old CRE-55493 batteries. They work but are rather large a clunky compared to the newer CRE-55610 lithium packs. The lithium packs do not seem to put out enough power and because of all the warnings about connecting lithium batteries I am reluctant to use more than one to drive the mallet. Does anyone have any suggestions?


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

At the present time, the latest reports are that Aristo is working to get new batteries on the market... As far as I know, they're still in the development stages

I've installed an 18.5 volt 5600 mah Li-ion battery in Chuck N's Mallet and it works great. An 8400 mah work right nicely as well.. 

My supplier for these is cordless renovations


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been using CORDLESS RENOVATIONS Lith-ion batteries for my Aristo Mallet for several years. I am using CR-1750 (18.5v, 5200mah). I have it in a trailing battery car, a box car. I chose that so that I can easily replace a battery and easily remove it for charging. So far I have stopped running before the battery stopped. I routinely get 2 hours at Dr. Rivet's events pulling 34 cars, 1 battery car 32 LGB iron ore cars, and a caboose. There are no ball bearing wheels on any of the cars. My recommendation would be to use a battery car so that you can easily charge the batteries away from anything valuable. Just in case something goes wrong. 


Chuck

Truth in advertising! Stan Cedarleaf helped me install the battery and Revo system in the box car that I pull behind the mallet.


----------



## Ron Senek (Jan 2, 2008)

I use Milwaukee 18 volt tool batteries in the tender with Aristo TE gets good run time. Ron


----------



## dcraig (Jun 23, 2010)

Thank you all. 

I was looking at the CR batteries last night and went into sticker shock. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet. Can I use the charger that I have for my CRE batteries or do you suggest I get another charger to go with the 5600mah or larger batteries? If so do you have a recommendation?


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm not a double e and I only use batteries recommended by people I respect. Modern batteries are more complicated than our old NiCds. I think that it is wise to use a charger backed (sold or marketed) by the battery maker. At a minimum if something goes wrong you won't be a ping-pong ball between two manufacturers. Chuck


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I used 5600mAh 14.8 volt packs from allbattery.com in one I did for a friend. At 14.8 volts, you're not going to hit a scale 70mph, but it moves quickly enough. (I forget what I clocked the max speed at.) But if you know you're going to be pulling long trains on large layouts where you can hit those speeds without looking like you're chasing your own tail, definitely go with the hihger-voltage packs. 

Later, 

K


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

A Cordless Renovations dealer will have better prices.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

longer trains take more amp hours not more voltage. 

I'd definitely use li-ion in that massive boiler. 

Greg


----------



## dcraig (Jun 23, 2010)

The reason I was looking at a lithium battery was to try to stuff it in the back of the tender. There seems to be a lot of space there.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By dcraig on 08 May 2013 03:31 AM 
The reason I was looking at a lithium battery was to try to stuff it in the back of the tender. There seems to be a lot of space there. I have found that to be the easiest way myself as you can interchange batteries when one has been used with a fresh one under the removable coal load. Nothing permanent on board. 


Either in the tender with removable coal/wood/oil load or in a following battery car when there's not "convenient" room in a tender and behind a diesel. Right or wrong, that's just my preference for battery installations.









Either way, the track pickups on the locomotives and/or tenders must be isolated and disconnected so current from the controller is not fed back int the track.


----------



## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

"A Cordless Renovations dealer will have better prices." 

Not a correct statement in many ways 

Jonathan/www.rctrains.com


----------



## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

All-battery.com has 14.8v 6600 mah for under $60 bucks.... 
I have these in my mallet tender


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, sounds like Mike has better prices on CR batteries.... hmm... not price controlled? 

Greg


----------



## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

Like Danial I'm using the 14.6 volts 6600ma batteries. I have about 10 pairs of these now I don't have anything bad to say about them. You can also get them in different configurations and sizes, etc. 

Here is the one I'm uisng for my trailing battery cars. 

http://www.all-battery.com/li-ion18...ction.aspx

Here is the page that will get you to the different sizes that you might need so you can choose your own. 

http://www.all-battery.com/li-ionpacksandmodules.aspx

Regards,
Mark


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

dcraig, You also asked about chargers. An advantage of the CR-1 is that it will charge different voltages and different chemistry.


----------



## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

http://www.all-battery.com/Tenergytb6ac-charger-01322.aspx 

For a good all around charger....too... I have 3 of these for my planes and trains....


----------



## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

The tb6 as linked by Daniel is a very fine and safe choice. It will auto sense the number of cells and throw an error if there is a mismatch. It will also detect a mismatch in the chemistry and will ask to confirm the settings by the user.It is also smart enough to place a short test charge on the pack, and again ask the user to confirm before proceeding with the charge cycle. It will handle different voltages and chemistries in a safe and effective manner at lower cost. 
The CR1 requires the user to remember the setting it is on, and requires a manual switch adjustment if you change either voltage or chemistry. So, the user must set correctly, and remember what it is set for. If the user has differing voltages or chemistries, the potential for disaster is high, since the charger will merrily continue to charge,regardless of setting- for example set for nickel based charging, and charging Lithium, a recipe for big problems. The cr1 will not autosense the voltage or number of cells and will not detect any mismatch or provide any warning. It does have a simple internal fuse protection, but I have not analyzed the conditions under which the fuse will blow. 
Early on , when lithium first became popular, this was how folks got in trouble and started fires, by not correctly charging Li based packs. A smart charger, designed with safeguards, and using a modern design, is important, easy to find , and generally low in cost. 

jonathan 
www.rctrains.com


----------



## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

"Well, sounds like Mike has better prices on CR batteries.... hmm... not price controlled? 

Greg" 

What??, you better read again more carefully Greg. 

Jonathan 
www.rctrains.com


----------



## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

I use the terengy batteries from all battery going on 4 years... No problems let... Cheaper than CR... JMO


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK Jonathan, the statement by Mike implies, no, it STATES that Mike believes that you can get prices lower than the CR web site from a dealer. And you say that is not correct (in many ways)... (see below) So then I say: "Well, sounds like Mike has better prices on CR batteries.... hmm... not price controlled? " so then you tell me to "read more carefully".. So ok, I'll bite: please explain it to me... I'm game.. Greg Posted By K27_463 on 08 May 2013 07:08 AM 
"A Cordless Renovations dealer will have better prices." 

Not a correct statement in many ways 

Jonathan/www.rctrains.com


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Sounds to me like Izzy plays favorites ... mebbe there's a batrtery powered steamup connection ... 

I get mine from allbattery.com , Tenergy brand cells. Plus a smart charger for the 2 packs I bought. 
Always prompt and what I ordered. 

I never made it to a Marty thang, so I don't know better. 

John


----------

