PS2 8.4 v Batteries

put a bcr in and forget about it.

hi the electronics are designed to charge the 8.4 volt at there rated current charge when you put a higher rated battery current it taxes the charging circuit and may damage the circuit I would stay with  the original  battery very few people have had trouble with NiCad batteries they were designed for don't argue with success. stay with what  works IMHO! 

Alan

BCR units are the best choice since finding the right load and amp rating in a non MTH battery is difficult at best. If you want to stay with the battery then for the board protection I would suggest just getting some new ones from MTH.

Thanks for the reply,  These batteries I purchase will probably outlive me, as would the BCR, but at a much lower cost than a BCR. especially when you need 20 or more. Then again, I could just make my own BCRs if I have the time.

Thanks for the replies! 

First, the higher the battery's mAh rating, the better.

Second, you can use a Lithium Ion battery as long as it's charging characteristics are the similar to those of a NiCad or NiMH battery. I verified this with MTH before placing a couple of Lithium Ion batteries  I purchased on Amazon in older PS2 engines several months ago. So far, so good.

Thanks Barry,  I'm not against the BCR although there have been warnings or cautions. I found some good prices on NiMH with a rating not too high, but then as you say the higher the better so maybe I'll get a couple LI batteries. There's a ton of choices, including the link you posted.

And thank you for all you provide to this forum on other topics as well! 

Marty,

The ones that I bought have charging characteristics that are compatible with the MTH charger and the PS2 charging circuit. I can't speak to any other Li-ion batteries.

Whatever you get, get a Li-ion standalone charger, as well, to be able to charge the batteries outside of an engine.

If I order Lion batteries, I'll order the item you displayed, funny I had same item on my list of possibilities!

Regarding the 8.4V battery, I use only the green MTH battery.  I am not a fan of the BCR.  If you choose the BCR, buy a new one and stay away from old units.   I see no issue with the new BCR that is available.   Some time ago I sold a batch of the old pink BCRs and will never do that again.  Any of the old pink BCRs that I end up with get properly disposed of.   Guys still love to charge the old white battery.  Good luck.  A new battery is not a lot of money.  A new board is a lot of money.  Make your choice and roll the dice is you wish.  Myself, I go for the sure thing.  That would be a new MTH green battery.

I would steer clear of lithium batteries and stick with the NiMh green batteries.  Obviously, you can't go wrong with the MTH replacement that Marty recommends, or you can opt for some less expensive ones, your choice.

I make my own BCR clones, that's another way to go if you don't mind a little soldering.  Those would be cost competitive with the MTH battery for the parts.

I actually ordered some NIMH at 120 mah. I'll give those a try rather than go the L-ion batteries. AFWIW, I may go the route of making my own. I do have (somewhere on this comp) the diagram for making my own as Gunrunner said. As for Marty's comment, I hear you Marty, however The MTH battery meets the same specs as what I have ordered for 1/4 the price, even less in bulk. All that said, Thanks for all the advice and I'll throw in that, these are all the 8.4 volt for either 5 volt PS2 or PS1 units, so I'll assume I'll upgrade when they fail on their own. If one fails because of a poor battery choice, Oh well, lesson learned. I have yet to blow a 5 volt except a sound issue in one and a smoke circuit in one that's going in a MTA subway unit.

Again, Thanks to all!

Anything can have the same specs as another product.  Is it made with the same quality components.  Again, I will go with the sure thing.   Being an MTH tech I pay much less than retail.   A battery is an item I would not cheap out on for my locomotives.  Because a battery is much cheaper, would not be the way I would choose a battery.

I take Marty's work for it on batteries for MTH engines.  He has the experience.  I do know that over my 42 years working at various positions in the electronics field, mostly power and telecom, the companies I have worked for have often opted for cheaper versions of a product that have the same specs of the manufacturer recommended versions.  Time and time again we technicians/engineers have regretted their "cost saving" decisions.

There's a certain amount of judgment required in cutting costs.  Sometimes it makes sense, other times it doesn't. Each of us has to make that judgment as we see fit.

Well said, John!

It comes down to choices.   

Marty

Can you please clarify with the problem with the pink BCRs.

Thanks

Bill

Hit my email.

ogaugenut posted:

Can you please clarify with the problem with the pink BCRs

Well, I'm not Marty, but I think I can hazard a guess.  While the press about supercaps is they never need to be replaced, that's not really true.  They do have a finite operating life, and if the locomotive spends a lot of time powered on, it could well be exceeded in a few years.  The supercaps will degrade and eventually fail, and thus the BCR fails as well.  In addition, if the supercaps happen to get charged over their operating voltage, they can fail very quickly, they are very touchy about their maximum operating voltage.

I always enjoy reading 'new' posts on the battery topic. Hmmmm.  . . Someone

is surely going to make a 'invincible' battery one day....why not one of you guys!!

In the meantime 'Go MTH Green'.

With a 5-volt board, I wouldn't spring for a supercap, BCR or otherwise, since the board may die at any time and there is no further use for it.  I agree with Barry that the capacity of an 8.4-volt battery shouldn't make a difference.  Marty's advice is always sound.