True2scale
Train modeling components
Boxcar Charging System 3
The Boxcar Charging System 3 is a set of electronic components
designed to work with Aristocraft components as mentioned below to power your G
or O scale radio controlled locomotive using a boxcar of gel cell
batteries behind the locomotive. It gives you the following
advantages:
- Since the Loco pulls its own power source there is no power required
on the track thus eliminating a host of track wiring concerns.
- A warning beacon lets you know when your batteries are getting
low. Three levels of warning are given
- A simple, accessable method to recharge the battery boxcar without
removing it from the rails
- A single easy to reach cutoff switch to shutdown power to the whole system
when operations are finished.
- During recharge batteries are switched to parallel
mode so recharge occurs in 1/3 the time it would normally take.
- By using two boxcars, one can recharge in approximately the same time as
the other will run making it possible to have nearly 100% operation time for
as long as you like.
The system is sold as a kit and is relatively
easy to install in a G or O scale boxcar with a few simple tools. It involves
drilling four 6 millimeter and two 3 millimeter holes at carefully measured
locations plus predrilling and screwing a charging jack assembly to the floor of
the boxcar. The kit consists of the three components described
below.
The system was designed to work with the Aristocraft
power supply CRE-55480 and their Crest CRE-55494 charger.
Those components were designed to work with Gel Cell batteries
and to switch them to parallel mode with a common positive for recharging. If you
anticipate using different batteries you must have a charger for the battery
type you use.
Email me with any questions concerning the feasability of use in other environments.
Note: These products are not pre-built. They will be custom manufactured as
needed. If you wish to purchase,
email me to let me know. I will begin manufacturing and
let you know when they are complete. (Generally, two to three weeks). The product can
then be shipped immediately upon receipt of payment.
Components
Warning Beacon Circuit Board
The warning beacon circuit board has the
controller that monitors battery level and the warning beacon that
flashes when batteries are low. The warning beacon is a high intensity white
LED to simulates a strobe light like those used on top of school busses. The
light indicates three levels of warning by flashing faster when when batteries
are getting lower. This unit plugs onto the connector on the charging jack
assembly inside the boxcar. It also has a master switch to power down the system
with a power on indicator LED.
Charging Jack Assembly
The battery harness and charging jack assembly
are installed in the boxcar. It provides connections to the batteries and the
connections for locomotive power. It also provides a connector to supply power
to the battery warning beacon circuit board.
Charging Plug Assembly
The charging plug assembly connects to your
aristocraft charger. When it comes time to recharge the boxcar batteries, the
charging plug assembly plugs through three holes in the boxcar to the charging
jack assembly already installed in the boxcar. When charging is complete, unplug
from the boxcar, turn on the boxcar power switch and you are ready to run. If
you will be using more than one boxcar equipped with batteries you will need
only one of these components. However, you could use up to three of them for
simultaneous re-charging of three boxcars.