# Extra Battery Power



## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

I need some help from you more experienced battery guys. I'm going to put an Airwire system in my Annie, with the batteries in the tender so I can use it without the need of a battery car. But, for long run days (LIKE MARTY & CARRIES) I'd like to attach a battery car to the loco for extra battery power. All I'm wanting is another pair of batteries in the car, with a jumper to go between the car and the tender. 

The question is can this be done, how do I go about wiring it? I don't want to put a switch in to change over if at all possible. 

Can you guys help?


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

You can do it. If you want to be bale to switch between batteries, you can simply hook them through a selector switch. What I do is make both batteries active at the same time. There is a trick to this though... 

Many types of batteries must not be connected in parallel. When I use 2 batteries, I hook a diode in the + lead of each battery pack and then tie the diode outputs together, That way, you use both batteries at the same time and one battery is not allowed to feed into the other.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

There are number of ways to do this. 
Bill is correct about using either a DPDT switch or wiring the batteries in parallel via diodes. 

Another way to do it is to use the RCS # BIK-U3/6 installation kit which works with any brand of R/C. 

The supplied port doubles as a charge jack and access port for external batteries. 
Plugging in the external batteries disconnects the onboard batteries and does not require any diodes which can drop the battery voltage a bit. 

You can read up on how they work here: 

http://www.rcs-rc.com/PDF/Accessories/Instructions/Install_kits/BIK_U3_6v2.pdf


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Tony, 

That is exactly what I'm looking for. Can I get them in the states? Now how about part numbers for the components I would need (sans batteries). Or do you have recommended batteries? Also do you have the jumper to go between the loco and battery car? 

Thanks, 
Chris


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris. 
The installation kit is # BIK-U3 or # BIK-U6, depending on how much power it has to handle. 

I do indeed make and sell the cable from the trail car. 
It is # AUX-BAT. It is designed specifically for putting two NiCd packs into series. 
If you were going to be using other types of batteries you could get the 2.5 mm x 5 mm DC Co-ax plug from pretty well any electronics parts store and make it up yourself. + positive goes to the pin. 

The parts can be obtained from either: 
Dave Goodson, 
Don Sweet 
or Jon Bliese. 
For contact details go to the RCS website, hover the cursor over CONTACTS then click on AGENTS.


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi UP, 

I use 4 Li-ion 3.7 volt batteries (14.8 volts total) in an annie and get over 5 hours continuous run time at 85 degrees farienheit. I rigged it so that the tender coal load is removable Takes me seconds to swap out the batteries. If you have two battery packs this will give you over 10 hours run time. NO TRAIL CAR NEEDED. Email me if you need info on the batteries I use. I will be posting a detqailed report in the next few days. I just finished the testing today.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Howdy 9018........ When you come to Marty's, there are so many trains running you won't need REAL long run times. Just good control so you won't need any of JJ's "anti-collision" devices....  

Here's a few images of an Airwire/P5 14.8 volt quick change Li-ion battery installion into an Bachmann tender. 

The Airwire decoder, P5 sound and speaker without the tender shell 










Tender shell back on with a 4 cell 14.8 Li-ion battery installed just above the decoder, speaker and sound module. It has quick change Tamiya battery connectors for a less than one minute battery change. 










The removable coal load covering it all.... 










Run time on this setup is 4-5 hours. Battery discharges, put new one in and go again.


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Nice setup Stan!


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