Is the battery supplying power all the time or how does this system work?
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It only supplies power when the track power is not present, just like TMCC. Did you see my thread titled: TMCC Battery Replacment with Charger. I have several working prototypes, just waiting on a production slot to whack out some of these. No more leaking batteries, and you never have to open it up to replace the battery. 
John
Any idea or guess on when these will be available?
Larry
Since we do not run anything in conventional, I have begun removing all the 9volt batteries from all the Sunset/3rd Rail and Lionel models.
Larry Sr. posted:John
Any idea or guess on when these will be available?
Larry
Waiting on a production commitment from the assembly house. They can't do anything until January.
I put some in a few engines now I take them out. Why? I didn't note which engines I put them in. Don't want a battery acid engine. I also take them out of the controller(s) for the same reason. I did have one of them leak but was able to clean it out. The alkaline batteries were still working but leaking. They were that well known copper top battery, It seems they have a problem with leakage.
Jim, that's the very reason I got started on my battery replacement project. I wanted a leakproof battery that you never have to replace.
Hot Water posted:Since we do not run anything in conventional, I have begun removing all the 9volt batteries from all the Sunset/3rd Rail and Lionel models.
Unfortunately it seems some Lionel Legacy steam engines have tenders where the chuff stops if they loose power over switches and do not automatically restart as TMCC engines do so you need a battery. Waiting on John to save us again.
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How does it know the difference between a momentary power interruption and shutting the engine down? John, I want some of your battery replacement devices when you get production up and running.
Well, my battery eliminator doesn't care. You wire the two leads to track power for charging power to enable the battery replacement to function. It has the battery power always available, when the sound board needs power from the battery, it simply draws the power on demand. The RailSounds board determines it's a shutdown based on the amount of time power is gone. This current version of the TMCC battery will support the sounds for at least 15 seconds before it runs out of juice. It takes it less than a minute of track power to initially charge to 80% of capacity, more than enough to do a full shutdown. The TMCC battery eliminator maintains it's charge on as low a track voltage as 6 volts, so it's ideal for conventional operators.
As you can see, the whole package fits into a space smaller than the standard alkaline battery, so it should fit into any locomotive that has a battery provision. Other solutions typically have a battery sized capacitor bank and a separate charging module.
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Sounds great where do you pick up the track power from inside the tender? I run legacy but at slow speeds over Fastrack switches you get power interruptions.
GRJ,
Awesome, I am in for some!
John,
Sounds like you should talk to Lionel about making these standard in every Legacy locomotive...
BradFish1 posted:Sounds great where do you pick up the track power from inside the tender? I run legacy but at slow speeds over Fastrack switches you get power interruptions.
Yep, typically there are a couple of wire nuts with the track pickups connected. Just add the wires for the battery eliminator.
J Daddy posted:John,
Sounds like you should talk to Lionel about making these standard in every Legacy locomotive...
Maybe, let me get them into more than two locomotives and get some miles on them. They work great on the bench and on my test track, when I get a few examples, some "field" testing ensues. I don't see any issue, but then I've been surprised before.
I am confused, how does your unit differ from this one? https://www.dallee.com/9-Volt-...-systems-9vBRLT--598
I have several and they work great.
even used them in a sound box car (the happy birthday car).
bigdodgetrain posted:I am confused, how does your unit differ from this one? https://www.dallee.com/9-Volt-...-systems-9vBRLT--598
I have several and they work great.
even used them in a sound box car (the happy birthday car).
I made mine in the 9V battery form factor so that it could directly replace the 9V battery, even in a small locomotive of cramped diesel where there isn't space for an odd shaped battery. I also wanted it to charge on 5-6 VAC track voltage so it works well for conventional running. I initially started with two supercaps in series like it appears they use. However, that ran up the cost and size, so I went a different direction. The net result was the package you see.
I'm sure that one works fine, just didn't fit what I was trying to accomplish as far as form, fit, and function.
Dallee says they only connect one lead to the pickup roller. Is that how your circuit ended up? I went back and reread the link and am confused about the parallel diode diagram and subsequent discussion. Just wondering.
To answer the original question, the battery does not feed the train, or keep the Engine boards powered. It only keeps the sound board powered so there is no loss of sound, especially in conventional. The circuit board does the work when track power drops the battery is present to keep power available for a set period of time as directed by the processor chip (assumption). G
cjack posted:Dallee says they only connect one lead to the pickup roller. Is that how your circuit ended up? I went back and reread the link and am confused about the parallel diode diagram and subsequent discussion. Just wondering.
I connect the ground, though the circuit works without it through the RS board grounds. However, I'm a bit nervous about sending all the charging power through the internal diodes on the newer RailSounds boards, hence the parallel diode. The peak charging current is close to half an amp, so the ground lead is just a safety net.
How kit-y will the kit be? Board populated and then attach the leaded parts and heat shrink?
John, is there a modification to the battery eliminator that will allow it to be installed in modular Legacy diesels?
cjack posted:How kit-y will the kit be? Board populated and then attach the leaded parts and heat shrink?
I'm currently looking at a fully assembled unit, I'm pricing out the assembly and parts now.
Matt Makens posted:John, is there a modification to the battery eliminator that will allow it to be installed in modular Legacy diesels?
What's a "modular Legacy diesel"? It will go into anything that currently has a 9V battery provision.
Modular Legacy is the early ones with Mother Board and Modular R4LC. G
OK, no reason this wouldn't work with those, they have a common AC and DC ground I believe. Of course, if they have a bridge rectifier like the new RailSounds, this should also work.
Batteries in Legacy or TMCC engines are not needed if you run them in command mode. You are risking a battery leak acid inside the engine. Purpose of battery is the sounds do not kick off when cycling through forward and reverse in conventional operation.
I NEVER install any type of batteries in my Legacy or TMCC engines for that reason. Besides, I always operate them in command mode.
As for MTH, I've installed BCR'S in all of them and John does make a compatable BCR.
No leaks with my new TMCC battery replacement. 
John, what do you charge for your BCR-like battery replacement for MTH engines?
Buy John'S BCR replacementS. I did for a proto 2 engine and it works fine.
Are these batteries for lionel and the mth ones still available
Yep, still available.
Does this work for all mth engines as well? Ps1 and ps2??
@Francostrains posted:Does this work for all mth engines as well? Ps1 and ps2??
No, the battery circuit in MTH products is totally different than with Lionel RailSounds. This is strictly for Lionel RailSounds.
So do u make one for mth as well
J&W Electronics makes the BCR for 9V MTH applications.
