Monday, October 22, 2018

Wiring a battery electric loco

Plan A for the Hunslet involved fitting a cheapo infra-red control system that I picked up at a show. That didn't work, so I've decided to wire it up with a switch for the moment. The bits are in the box with the rest of the kit anyway, so I might as well use them.

Wiring this stuff isn't rocket science. Essentially the batteries are wired to the motor and these make it go.

For stop and reverse, add a double-pole-double-throw switch. Batteries to the middle terminals. Motor attached to the end pair. Then the top left terminal is wired to the bottom right and bottom left to top right. The wires should cross on the middle (make them a bit longer to loop out of the way of the connections to the middle pair.

Hopefully, my crude diagram will help. If not, ignore it.

One fault with the set-up is that the switch provided doesn't have a centre off. Had I spotted this before wiring, I'd have replaced it with one that does. As it is, the slider needs to be carefully positioned in the middle to switch the motor off.

Long term, I want a cheap remote controller - suggestions in the comments please - I am NOT spending Deltang money on this model! As the body is not fixed down, retro fitting shouldn't be a problem.
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6 comments:

  1. James Finister8:59 AM

    This is possibly a silly question. Having wired up lots of DPDTs like that over the years I can't help wondering if there is a switch available with the crossover between the poles already done, so you just need to attach the two wires in the two wires out. Presumably, such switches can be found in cheap toys?

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  2. Spitfire286512:02 PM

    Define cheap? I use RCS-RC gear but coming from Australia, its not exactly cheapest thing in the world.
    You may be able to get away with a brushed esc and use a cheap RC transmitter?

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  3. Phil Parker5:19 PM

    RC - I'm defining cheap as less than the price of the loco - under £35. I suspect it can be done, some sort of cheap toy speed control for a start, although it needs reverse which rules out anything designed for aircraft. Need to be small and not need loads of fiddling with. No serious wiring or programming.

    Switches - I've never seen any, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

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  4. Nick Brad5:27 PM

    How about those cheap desk r/c cars that you can find for less than a tenner? I've tried a 00 loco which used it successfully, I'm not sure on the range of the signal though, that may be the only issue outdoors.

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  5. Mark11:19 PM

    How about a Bluetooth chip? Like a DCC chip but controlled by an app from your smartphone. £30 on eBay controls speed direction and lights. Can use either batteries or track power. Go on do a review for us pretty please:-)

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  6. Odds9:43 AM

    Flysky 3 channel, around 20 quid complete with a LiPo for the TX. Pre bound at factory. Mine works perfectly. Ignore steering channel or you'll fall off.

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