Need a lot of help from you good people

Hi, I purchased this battery loco around 9 years back and I have done nothing with it. This week I took it out for a look and to be honest I have no idea how to get this to run. As you can see the twin motors run a single chain to the wheels axle. All the wires are black and heavy gauge. My question is would it be better to scrap the current motors and control system and replace with new. If so what motor.i have looked at the motors on offer by a few model loco dealers but their prices are way over the top. Would I be better off fitting a Sinclair c5 motor or some sort of motor from a mobility scooter. This is a heavy all metal 7 1/4 loco. Plus there will be a riding car, battery or battery’s and 18 stone of me.

Terry...pictures..?

Hope these pics show

Here they are.

I'd give it a try before ripping it apart. The two doubled black wires ending in eyelets look like battery connections to me. One of them is marked Blue for negative. (Circled in Blue), the other will be Positive (circled in Red)

With the wheels free to turn, I'd try dabbing the eyelets on a car battery to see if there's any sign of life. Provided they've not been soaked electric motors are tough old birds. Any markings on the motors? I'd guess they're 24V or more rather than 12V, which effects the battery configuration.

Only a guess about the small motor dangling bottom right off a choc bloc; it might be belt driven off the shaft as a generator to drive a speedo in the cab. Or perhaps it drives an oil-pump.

Dave

As Dave said. electric motors are tough, if the loco was working before then presumably it can be serviced/repaired/titivated or whatever, I would certainly try and get is up an running before thinking of a completely new drive system.

My guess on the small motor is that it an air pump or small compressor for an air horn.

Ian P

Hi chaps, just connected a fully charged battery directly to the motors, no movement at all so looks like both motors are U/S. So the question is. Is it possible to fit a new motor and control unit without breaking the bank, if so what motor and which control system.. Or is it time to past it on to someone with more electronics knowledge and interest then I have.

If it were mine I would remove the motors (photograph all electrical and mechanical connections first) and strip them down to see if there is anything obvious. If you dont fancy that do you have a motor repair/rewind service local to you, they should be able to tell you quite quickly if the motors are shot but also if they can be serviced/repaired back into life. It could be a lot cheaper than new motors even if you can find them.

I dont think Sinclair C5 motors are man enough for the job, I think I am correct in saying that they are only 250 watt so a pair at 500 watts is not enough. As you say it is a heavy loco, from the pictures it looks very heavy plus the riding car, the batteries (there will be more than one) and yourself and any passengers. At a guess I would say it needs 2HP (1500 watts) at least.

Edited By Ron Laden on 19/08/2019 18:45:39

Ron, I think you are right the Sinclair motor is not man enough. I think that this is going to be too much for me to sort out as I am a complete donut when it comes to electronics. Sad to say that there is nothing useful in my location in the way of motor servicing. So I think I will get on with the repaint and eBay it. Thanks for your input.

Connecting the leads to a battery is ok, but the "regulator" will need to be moved to the run position. Apolgies if i'm stating the obvious.

John

What is your location? Maybe there is someone near who can help. If you are anywere near Cambridge I'd be happy tto a hve a look. Unless they have een cooked or soaked most big DC motors will respond to a clean, commutator skim and new brushes. You can then look at new control system.

Robert G8RPI.

I wouldn't give up on those motors yet, try to do some simple resistance checks first.

Maybe even a 'smell' test though rather a lot of time has passed for this to work.

Thanks Robert, I am in Somerset. Commutator skims, new brushes are way out of my knowledge. I have always been a hit it with a hammer type of guy and if that does not work, use a bigger hammer. Much the same goes for resistance checks. What I can’t get my head around is why into days world there is not a replacement 12v motor I can fit in. I would think that a lot of power would be lost with the locos old control system. Taking out and fitting in new motors I can do. Understanding what looks like 50 year old units I have not a hope.

I think those motors are WW2 vintage motor/generators. I think if you remove the perforated metal cover on the right hand end you will find there is a commutator that end that originally was the high voltage output. I can't see any brush housings that end so they have probably been removed as they are not required when just used as a motor. Another thing that might have made you think they are faulty is they are probably shunt wound (Rather than permanent magnet.) so they would need a supply to the field winding as well as to the brushes at the left hand end. I think the small motor at the bottom of your last picture is a compressor as you can see a cylinder and cylinder head on the left hand end of it.

Les.

Edited By Les Jones 1 on 19/08/2019 22:08:37

The Sinclair motor are still legendary for their capabilities, despite the C5 being a poor concept, the motors ARE very good and have along history of successful use in electric locos!

If one can pull a full grown man uphill along the road, two can shift a loco along a nice smooth track!

My loco (3 1/2" gauge) plled an 18 stone man around a level track - its motor is just just 80 watts.

Neil

My 040 battery loco runs fine on its C5 motor. Used to pull my kids round the club track and also a car load of kids up and down my portable track at fetes all afternoon without missing a beat on an old Capri car battery!

Paul.

Yeah but it was a 3 litre capri battery , not a 1300 one

Well I was fitting new brushes in motors before I was even a teenager so I'm sure you can do it.

I suggest you take the rear motor out and post some more photos of it. We can then give step by step instructions. If you can get that one running on the bench it's a start.

I will be a little blunt here, if you want to get it running to use I'm happy to help, if you just want it running to sell it (you mentioned paint and ebay in another post) then I've better things to do.

Robert G8RPI.