# Battery controll and multiple units



## lstc-superintendent (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks for the replys to my question of DCC vs battery power. One answer was that the RCS system allows you to run multiple locomotives on one train. One additional question, is it possible to do the same with the Air Wire or other manufatures battery control systems?
Thanks,
Mike McILwaine


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, you can do it with Airwire and QSI. Not seeing your previous thread I can't answer your question exactly but I have 3 loco's with Airwire receivers and batteries in those locos and I MU them together to run one train. I also have 3 locos with the QSI decoders without batteries in them. I have "Battery locos" old locos that I have taken the motors out of and installed batteries in that I MU all 5 together and run in one train. Hope that helps.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

AirWire, for all intents and purposes, is DCC over the air, so the answer is yes for AirWire. 

Regards, Greg 

(oops, had the window open too long and someone else already answered)


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

To back up and add a little to what the others have said....

I have run two and three locomotives with RCS, Airwire, and Aristo TE [ 27 mhz trackside] installed in either a trail car or onboard in a locomotive.

Examples:

2- SD45s run from one airwire/w-batteries in the front locomotive.

2- FA/FBs run from one TE/w-batteries in the powered B-unit [also can run second powered FA behind B-Unit if desired, ie: ABA]. 

2- USA F3s run from a TE in a dummy B-unit.

Aristo F1 A-B-A powered units run from RCS trail car. 

2- SD45s run from RCS trail car.

2- SD45s run from RCS/w-batteries in the lead locomotive.

As you see, there are many configurations that are possible. The limitations to two SD45s are because of Loco availibility, not capability.

As I understand, the QSI requires a unit to be placed in each powered loco. Then they may be consisted.

Hope this helps.

JimC.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Locolinc also allows four lokies at once. Additionally with the KT-16, KT-64, etc., you can store multiple addresses for separate locos and call any one, two, three or four at a time. I have two transmitters and have all my loco addresses in both allowing for either to run any loco(s) I have.


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Locolinc works great for me, easy to doublhead steam. I use Li ion Batteries and get everything onboard in the tenders(sound, Locolinc, & the batteries). I just run the two locos independently til they are coupled up, then address them both for the double headed run. Really prototypical!!


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## lstc-superintendent (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks for the information.
Mike


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,
Keep an eye on my thread about F3 conversion in this forum. I will connecting multiple locos from a single throttle with an MU plug. 
JimC.


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a USA F3 A-B unit that I run from a TE plus batteries.

For normal radio control battery power there are three issues to running sevaral locomotives from a single throttle/battery pack.

1) will the radio receiver handle the amperage draw: Clearly, a heavy train with multiple locos will draw significant current especially if the locos are big multi motored diesels. Both RCS and Aristo (the TE trackside) make units sufficently large to handle a current draw of 10A though keep in mind that the trackside is a pretty big board to fit inside anything but a trailing power car. I cannot comment on other systems as members of our club (OVGRS) do not use those other systems especially in a power car driving multiple locos.

2) are the batteries "big" enough: There are two forms of big in this debate ... one is, do the batteries contain sufficient amp hours of charge to actually power the locos in question long enough to make the run worthwhile. Since our ops sessions typically last about 2 hours every saturday morning (and nobody runs flat out the whole time) we typically use run times of about an hour and a half as a benchmark. Since there are custom battery packs available with 10000 mah and more, sizing the battery to the need should not be a problem. The second aspect to consider is the current draw. Most battery packs made up of AA cells for example do not take kindly to rapid continuous high current draw. C or D cells are more appropriate for that. Experience with LI ion cells is just now accumulating ...

3) will the locos and MU cables handle the current: If more than 5A will be pulled at a time, there will be tremendous electronic forces placed on the cables and connectors. Beware of meltdowns from wiring components that are too small. Also, if a locos internal wiring is being used to pass the current to other units in the MU, it could also be undersized. Aristo protects its locos with a poly fuse making them useless for MUing without rewiring. Jumping around the polyswitch can lead to trouble where the wiring is too small.

These installs are not light. My F3 B unit with a TE Travkside board and a big pack of sub C cells is very heavy ... http://ovgrs.editme.com/F3B to see a writeup with pics.

Regards ... Doug


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

I have run 3 large 2 axle locos in consist. That was 6 axles total all with my own MU connections, this was before the Aristo MU connection but made with same CON-240 connectors.
I used the 27 trackside in trailcar along with up t0 4 Aristo Li-Ion batteries in parallel.
My rule of thumb is one Li-Ion battery per loco.
In parallel the voltage stays the same and the amps add. So the system was 21 volts and 8 amps
The 27 trackside in trailcar handled it along with the loco wiring. Now these were the older locos with no poly switches, loco lights on but no smoke units

KC


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