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In another thread title Battery Trouble, one other poster and I mentioned using 14.4V Li-Ion from all-battery.com
http://www.all-battery.com/li-ion18650148v2200mahrechargeablebatterypackwithpcbprotection.aspx
These packs have a protection circuit board (PCB) on them to keep the pack from being over charged or over discharged. The voltage density and size of the packs make for a very useful setup. But I've run into a problem and hopefully someone might have an answer.
Here's the background-
We have three different locos using the packs- a old Bachmann Porter, an Aristo RS3 and a USA NW. All manufacturers' electronic boards have been removed and RCS EVO E3 systems have been put into place to run the locos. My freind's diesels started having problems when just puttering around his and my layouts. We'd set the speed using the transmitter, turn the transmitter off(you can do this with the RCS system) and let the loco go motoring along. After a while (at least 15 minutes) the loco would take off at full speed. (you can do this with the RCS system). Control can be regained but its pretty hairy for a bit there.
I've been testing one of the diesels this morning and noting the pack's voltage and its well above 15V. At no time has the pack been overamped (pack rated at 5A output and the loco drawing under 1A). I've even put the loco on its side on the bench, run it up and stalled the wheels and it pulled only a bit over 1.5A. So I know the loco isn't beating up the pack.
After having the loco go crazy a couple of times and checking voltages to make sure that the it wasn't suffering from a voltage drop (it still is at 15.7+V under load) I figured I'd drop it (the PCB equipped pack) into my Porter. The Porter has never done this. I have been running the Porter NiMh's and just started using some Li-Ion's that I put together with no PCB.
Sure enough after a couple tours around the layout it took off like a shot.
Now I need opinions. It seems that the PCB might be causing the problem. I'm sure how but my Porter has never took off at full throttle and I've run packs down pretty low it. Has anyone using one of these packs with the PCB had a problem. I know Bill Sharron mentioned he's using them with no problems..
I am running the Li-Ion I made that has no PCB to make sure it runs the loco ok. The RCS system worked perfectly with NiMh's so I'm confident its not the problem. The only other thing I can think of if the battery is not the problem is that I have not put chokes into the system to clean up signal.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Dave
http://www.all-battery.com/li-ion18650148v2200mahrechargeablebatterypackwithpcbprotection.aspx
These packs have a protection circuit board (PCB) on them to keep the pack from being over charged or over discharged. The voltage density and size of the packs make for a very useful setup. But I've run into a problem and hopefully someone might have an answer.
Here's the background-
We have three different locos using the packs- a old Bachmann Porter, an Aristo RS3 and a USA NW. All manufacturers' electronic boards have been removed and RCS EVO E3 systems have been put into place to run the locos. My freind's diesels started having problems when just puttering around his and my layouts. We'd set the speed using the transmitter, turn the transmitter off(you can do this with the RCS system) and let the loco go motoring along. After a while (at least 15 minutes) the loco would take off at full speed. (you can do this with the RCS system). Control can be regained but its pretty hairy for a bit there.
I've been testing one of the diesels this morning and noting the pack's voltage and its well above 15V. At no time has the pack been overamped (pack rated at 5A output and the loco drawing under 1A). I've even put the loco on its side on the bench, run it up and stalled the wheels and it pulled only a bit over 1.5A. So I know the loco isn't beating up the pack.
After having the loco go crazy a couple of times and checking voltages to make sure that the it wasn't suffering from a voltage drop (it still is at 15.7+V under load) I figured I'd drop it (the PCB equipped pack) into my Porter. The Porter has never done this. I have been running the Porter NiMh's and just started using some Li-Ion's that I put together with no PCB.
Sure enough after a couple tours around the layout it took off like a shot.
Now I need opinions. It seems that the PCB might be causing the problem. I'm sure how but my Porter has never took off at full throttle and I've run packs down pretty low it. Has anyone using one of these packs with the PCB had a problem. I know Bill Sharron mentioned he's using them with no problems..
I am running the Li-Ion I made that has no PCB to make sure it runs the loco ok. The RCS system worked perfectly with NiMh's so I'm confident its not the problem. The only other thing I can think of if the battery is not the problem is that I have not put chokes into the system to clean up signal.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Dave