Battery Powered Bachmann 4-6-0 (Annie) | Show Menu |
by Paul Norton
INTRODUCTION
This article will illustrate a method of installing radio control and battery power in a Bachmann, Anniversary Edition (Annie), 4-6-0 locomotive. Nothing in this installation will prevent the Annie from being returned to her original track powered state for re-sale at a later date.
My installation uses an Aristo-Craft 75 MHz receiver, Black Kat antenna, NiMH battery packs made with Radio Shack battery holders, two pin plugs for battery charging, and a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch. Installing all these components in the tender with the speaker and sound board in place was a very tight squeeze. Before proceeding, you should read all the information thoroughly, especially if you intend to use alternate components.
ISOLATING THE TRACK POWER WIRING
There is no need to open the locomotive to isolate the track power wiring. Open the circular cover on the front of the smoke box hiding the Large Scale/NMRA switch. All the track power wiring is routed through this switch.
The smoke box cover is held on with tabs on the top and bottom. Carefully pry it off to expose the switch wiring.
The track power wiring is attached to both ends of the Large Scale/NMRA switch.
Unsolder these wires from each end of the switch and cover each of them with shrink wrap.
Push the smoke box cover back on and close the circular switch cover.
THE MU CABLE
Turn the tender over and remove the four screws holding the shell to the frame. Place the screws in a film canister or other small container so they do not get lost. Carefully lift the shell from the frame.
Two wires run from the plug marked LIGHT back to the rear light. Cut these wires three inches in front of the splices that join them to the rear light. Set the shell aside for now.
All the electrical components and wiring, except the two wires for the rear light, will be attached to the frame. The shell can be removed by undoing its four screws and disconnecting the rear light wires from the receiver. This allows the receiver, battery packs and other components to be accessed easily for maintenance, testing or repair.
The rear light (yellow LED) will be powered and controlled by the 75 MHz receiver. This will provide directional, constant intensity lighting and allow the rear light to be used for programming the receiver.
Pull the plug marked LIGHT and its two wires out of the two holes in the front of the frame. Remove the front truck and drill two similar holes in the other side of the frame. Thread the wires for the plug marked LIGHT through the two new holes. Leave the plug with as much wire hanging out as the plug marked SOUND.
As the rear light will now be connected to and powered by the receiver, the plug labeled LIGHT will be used as an MU cable to power the locomotive, front light and smoke unit. The front light will have the same directional, constant intensity as it did with track power. As the front light is not connected directly to the receiver's lighting circuit, it can not be used for programming.
The smoke unit will still function, although it will reduce run times. It is expected the Annie will have run times better than 3 hours without the smoke unit in use. These are the run times our club members enjoy with a similar battery powered installations in four axles diesels like the FA-1, RS-3, GP-9 and RS-3.
BATTERY CHARGING PLUGS
Thread the wires of a two pin plug into each of the holes under the LIGHT and SOUND plugs. Leave just enough wire to let the plugs clear the frame. These plugs are used to charge the two battery packs.
The plugs are available from All Electronics under part number CON-240.
http://www.allelectronics.com
A simple circuit, known locally as Fred's Circuit, is used to independently charge two 9.6 volt packs. Alternatively two 7.5 volt battery packs could be used.
The following diagram shows Fred's Circuit in charge mode. The highlighted portion of the circuit shows two batteries being independently charged through the charging plugs by way of a double-pole double (DPDT) toggle switch.
When the DPDT switch is thrown in the opposite direction; the charging jacks are isolated, the battery packs are linked in series, and the receiver is brought on line.
Turn the frame over and place the two wires for a charging plug around the edge of the speaker. Place the two wires of the other plug around outside of the charging plug wires. Place a couple of runs of hot glue across the wires to hold them in place. Repeat the process for the wires of the other two plugs.
THE DPDT SWITCH
Drill a hole in the center of the frame, between the speaker and the front of the sound board for the Double Throw Double Pole (DTDP) switch. The top of the frame may have to be sanded or filed flat. Install the DPDT switch so it toggles forward and back. A small detail on the bottom of the frame may have to be trimmed to allow the switch washers to sit flat.
CHARGING PLUG WIRING
Turn the frame right side up. Using the following diagram and paragraphs as a guide, solder the three charging plug wires to the switch.
Cut the positive (red) wire from the left battery charging plug so that it just covers the bottom of the left front switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire and solder it to the bottom of the tab.
Cut the positive (red) wire from the right battery charging plug so that it just covers the bottom of the right front switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire and solder it to the bottom of the tab.
Cut the negative (black) wire from the RIGHT battery charging plug so that it just covers the bottom of the LEFT REAR switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire and solder it to the bottom of the tab.
THE FUSE
Solder an eight inch red wire to the bottom of the right rear switch tab for the fuse.
Using a small scrap of perf board as a guide, mark the four holes required for the pins of the fuse holding brackets. Drill the four holes through the frame beside the sound board with a 3/64 inch drill bit. Push the brackets into the hole and test fit the fuse. Cut the red wire from right rear switch tab long enough to reach the front fuse holding bracket. Remove the fuse and brackets.
Solder the red wire from the switch to the front fuse holding bracket. Solder the remaining piece of the wire to the rear bracket. Push the pins of the brackets back into the frame and install the fuse. The pins of the fuse holding brackets should protrude from the bottom of the frame just enough to be tested with a multimeter.
The remainder of the wires will be added to switch after a platform to hold the battery packs and receiver has been installed.
THE PLATFORM
Cut the platform from a 4 inch wide sheet of 1/8 inch thick styrene sheet using the following diagram as a guide. Alternatively it can be made of two pieces of 1/16 inch thick styrene sheet glued together. If using two sheets, the four holes in the bottom sheet should be 1/8 inch in diameter and the top sheet 1/4 inch in diameter. If using one sheet, the holes are first drilled to 1/8 inch in diameter and then pocketed using a 1/4 inch Forstner bit. See the Hole Detail insert in the diagram.
CAUTION: The holes must be pocketed in order that the screw heads used to mount the deck do to not interfere with the battery packs. The battery packs should not be installed with their spring terminals facing down towards the screw heads. As these screws are joined by the metal frame of the speaker, if the battery terminals were to make contact, a catastrophic short might destroy electronic components, start a fire, cause an injury, or all of the above.
Glue the four, small, metal, speaker mounting tabs to the speaker using GOOP or hot glue. This will keep them from falling about when the platform is installed. Install the platform between the shell mounting posts using the screws for the speaker. Screws slightly longer than those originally used may be required.
THE BATTERY PACKS
Undo the two screws that hold the coal load to the tender shell. Place the screws in the coal load and set it aside for now.
Place the battery holders on the sides of the platform and place the tender shell on the frame. Move the battery packs until they are equally spaced in the shell opening. Remove the shell and scribe marks on the platform to mark the ends of the battery holders. Set the shell aside.
Assemble the battery packs with 8 NiMH AA cells each and a snap connector. Factory-made battery packs would be preferred; however it is usually cheaper to make the packs required for this conversion. Most good electronic stores will have 8 AA cell battery holders and the heavy duty snaps. 2500 mah NiMH AA cells are available at Wal Mart for a reasonable price.
Secure the battery packs to the platform with nylon cable ties. Using the following picture as guide, route the wiring along top of the battery holders and down to the switch.
Using the following diagram and paragraphs as a guide, solder the three battery pack wires described below to the switch.
Cut the positive (red) wire from the left battery holder so that it reaches the left center switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire, slide a small length of shrink wrap up the wire, solder the wire to the top of the tab, slide the shrink wrap down over the tab and heat until tight.
Cut the positive (red) wire from the right battery holder so that it reaches the right center switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire, slide a small length of shrink wrap up the wire, solder the wire to the top of the tab, slide the shrink wrap down over the tab and heat until tight.
Cut the negative (black) wire from the RIGHT battery holder so that it reaches the top of the LEFT REAR switch tab. Trim a bit of insulation off the end of the wire, slide a small length of shrink wrap up the wire, solder the wire to the top of the tab, slide the shrink wrap down over the tab and heat until tight.
Note: If you have a D-sub connector crimper and D-sub, slip-on connectors, like those used on USA Trains motor block wires, they can be used to connect these wires to the tabs on the switch instead of soldering.
Two small chargers purchased from Radio Shack (now The Source) will safely charge these packs in about 8 hours.
THE RECEIVER
The small circuit board hot glued to the platform behind the sound board holds the Aristo-Craft-Craft 75 MHz receiver. The terminal blocks, the light green components on the ends of the board allow the wiring for the receiver to be inserted and held by tightening the screws in the top of the block.
To view the article on how to make this circuit board, click on the following link.
Receiver Plug-In Circuit Board
If you install the receiver without using this plug-in board, ensure your installation clears by test fitting the tender shell. You should also be aware that you may have to reverse the MU plug and rear light wires during the programming and testing stage. I would recommend using wire nuts until you are sure everything functions properly.
Using the following diagram and paragraphs as a guide, install the receiver wiring.
Attach the negative wire from the left charging plug to pin 1 next to the triangle on the receiver.
Attach the negative wire from the left battery pack to pin 2 of the receiver.
Attach one of the wires from the right MU cable (plug marked (LIGHT) to pin 10 of the receiver. Attach the other wire from the right MU cable (plug marked (LIGHT) to pin 3 of the receiver.
Attach the wire from the fuse to pin 12 of the receiver.
The rear light wires from the shell will be connected to the receiver later.
THE BLACK KAT ANTENNA
Cut a strip of plastic 5/8ths of an inch wide by 3 inches long. Glue a 2 inch piece of plastic tube to the center of the strip as shown. The tube should just large enough to fit inside the Black Kat antenna. I cut mine from the plastic shaft of a pesticide warning sign off the lawn.
Hot glue the antenna holder across the battery holders as shown. When the glue has hardened, slip the Black Kat antenna over the holder. Trim the Aristo-Craft antenna wire and slip a piece of shrink wrap tubing over it. Solder the Aristo-Craft antenna wire to the Black Kat antenna. Slip the shrink wrap tubing over the solder and heat.
The Black Kat antenna is available E Cubed R/C
http://www.ecubedrc.com/
Place the shell over the frame and test fit the antenna holder. If the antenna fits, fasten the coal load to the shell.
PROGRAMMING THE RECEIVER
If you have not already done so, toggle the switch back and charge the battery packs.
When the packs are charged, place the shell next to the frame and attach the rear light wires. Attach the black wire to pin 6 and the red wire to pin 9.
Plug in the locomotive using the MU cables marked LIGHT and SOUND. Toggle the DPDT switch forward. Link and program the receiver, as directed in the Aristo-Craft manual, using the rear light.
If both lights do not work, press and hold the F button on the transmitter for a couple of seconds. It has probably been pressed too many times during programming. Don’t ask me how I know!
If the front light does not come on when the wheels turn forward but does in reverse, reverse the MU plug wires (LIGHT plug) at pins 3 and 10 on the receiver.
If the front light comes on in forward, but the rear light does not in reverse, reverse the rear light wires at the pins 6 and 9 of the receiver.
If the locomotive and lights respond properly, install the tender shell with the four screws.
SOUND SYSTEM
Ensure there is a well charged, 9 volt battery under the water hatch on the tender. The sound board is polarity sensitive, so battery must be installed properly. Twist the sound knob on the bottom of the frame. You should feel it click on. Push the sound (red) lever on the back of the locomotive down and test for sound (chuff only).
CONGRADULATIONS! You now have a radio controlled and battery operated 4-6-0 steam locomotive.
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Last Modified 8/25/08 3:25 PM