I've just discovered in a back cupboard a DCC Concept's 'Power Base' which I bought probably 6 or 7 years ago. Having just relaid a section of track which is on a slight gradient I'm interested to know if anyone has used this product and what their experience of it may be.
My new (relaid) section, with this slight gradient, seems to be handled reasonably well by any loco with 6 driving wheels but my recently acquired EB1 (which you may have seen on 'nzpauls' postings) seems to struggle, particularly when it is working a typical coal train, even of just 4 or 5 (weighted and loaded) coal wagons. This newly relaid section is into my rendition of a coal mine so important I can run coal trains - ideally with my EB1 - with up to at least a dozen loaded wagons.
Any comments (for or against) or suggestions for its use would be very welcome, particularly before I permanently fix and ballast the track.
Graeme Leary
New Zealand
DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
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Graeme Leary
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Hatfield Shed
- LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
The physical principle is sound. Similarly to adding ballast for extra traction, the magnet(s) should be positioned so that the force is exerted in the centre - or as near as can be arranged - of the model's powered wheelbase.
Is this a model with a single power bogie? If so attention to having the unpowered bogie truly free rolling will pay dividends, if it is not so at present.
Is this a model with a single power bogie? If so attention to having the unpowered bogie truly free rolling will pay dividends, if it is not so at present.
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Seagull
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
I have not tried 'Power Base' but I can give some advice about magnets/magnetism...from my dim and distant college time.
Magnetic force diminishes as the square of the distance......
In plain English if you double the distance between the magnet and the undertrack plates you will get 1/4 of the magnetic force.
So try to ensure the undertrack plates are as close under the rail head as possible and also ensure the magnets are as low and thus as close to the undertrack plates as you can get away with.
Try to fit the biggest and strongest magnet possible (bigger magnetic field) or several smaller magnets.
If using several smaller magnets ensure they are aligned N-S (they stick to each other end for end) that way they will re-inforce the effect of each other rather than nullifying each other. You could glue them in place touching end for end - in theory they will act as a single long bar magnet.
I have seen the occasional reference to the magnets affecting DCC controls. This is certainly possible, but as long as the chip is high up in the loco body and any wires between the chip and the motor are not close to the magnet(s) I would be surprised if this is an issue. The power pick up wires from the wheels won't have any effect unless they are flapping around loose.
Alan
Magnetic force diminishes as the square of the distance......
In plain English if you double the distance between the magnet and the undertrack plates you will get 1/4 of the magnetic force.
So try to ensure the undertrack plates are as close under the rail head as possible and also ensure the magnets are as low and thus as close to the undertrack plates as you can get away with.
Try to fit the biggest and strongest magnet possible (bigger magnetic field) or several smaller magnets.
If using several smaller magnets ensure they are aligned N-S (they stick to each other end for end) that way they will re-inforce the effect of each other rather than nullifying each other. You could glue them in place touching end for end - in theory they will act as a single long bar magnet.
I have seen the occasional reference to the magnets affecting DCC controls. This is certainly possible, but as long as the chip is high up in the loco body and any wires between the chip and the motor are not close to the magnet(s) I would be surprised if this is an issue. The power pick up wires from the wheels won't have any effect unless they are flapping around loose.
Alan
Playing trains, but trying to get serious
Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
The reinvention of 'Magnadhesion"? That worked quite well on steel track.
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nzpaul
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
Hi Graeme
I feel the need to weigh in here. Remembering that the motor bogie only has a small motor, I'd do the minimum to it to achieve the desired results. Give the power base things a go on some spare track layed on a piece of board and start with 1 small magnet and see how that helps, work up from there. The last thing you want to do is cause excess strain on the drive and have a meltdown. The bogie is serviceable, but replacing a burned out motor would be fiddly to say the least. I quite like the idea of magnetic traction assistance, it only works when needed and the loco doesn't have to drag extra weight around with it, good in this EB1s case I think.
Paul
I feel the need to weigh in here. Remembering that the motor bogie only has a small motor, I'd do the minimum to it to achieve the desired results. Give the power base things a go on some spare track layed on a piece of board and start with 1 small magnet and see how that helps, work up from there. The last thing you want to do is cause excess strain on the drive and have a meltdown. The bogie is serviceable, but replacing a burned out motor would be fiddly to say the least. I quite like the idea of magnetic traction assistance, it only works when needed and the loco doesn't have to drag extra weight around with it, good in this EB1s case I think.
Paul
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Graeme Leary
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
Thanks all, has given me some technical info I was previously unaware of.
Paul, will try out your suggestion first as you're very familiar (thanks again!) with the main loco I'm referring to. Then I might give you a call - which could relieve the boredom of the lock-down we're all having to endure. Certainly would not want to burn out the motor (as a trip to Wanganui to seek assistance is well out of the question right now).
Graeme
Paul, will try out your suggestion first as you're very familiar (thanks again!) with the main loco I'm referring to. Then I might give you a call - which could relieve the boredom of the lock-down we're all having to endure. Certainly would not want to burn out the motor (as a trip to Wanganui to seek assistance is well out of the question right now).
Graeme
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Hatfield Shed
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
Do you have the current rating or other data such as power draw for this motor? With that information the testing could be a little more scientific.
Is that the location where the 'Wangarti' steam coal mentioned in 'McAndrews Hymn' (Kipling) came from?
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Graeme Leary
- GNR C1 4-4-2
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Re: DCC Concept's 'Power Base'
Just an update. Thanks to nzpaul the problem with traction has been solved without having to resort to using the 'Power Base' product. Quite simple actually; despite me first misinterpreting his suggestion and adding weights to the wrong end (ie NOT above the motor and driving wheels) then transferred them to the end ABOVE the motor which gave sufficient weight to let the wheels grip and comfortably pull 8 wagons. These wagons too are loaded and weighted and I will remove some of the weights to let the EB1 pull up to the desired 10 or 12.
One problem to be solved (hopefully by nzpaul when the lockdown finishes and I can drive the 300 ks to Wanganui) is to remove the body from the underframe so the weights (50 grams using wheel balancing leads) can be fixed inside the body work. My skills do not stretch to removing the body from the brilliant work Paul did in assembling the EB1 kit for me so have fingers crossed he can sort this out.
Hatfield Shed - to answer your question, I'm not sure where Rudyard's 'Wingarti' comes from as it is not a place in New Zealand despite his cargo steamer doing round trips between the UK and here But what a brilliant poem/musing - if anybody has set words to it (like his 'The Road to Mandalay') it would give me another piece to sing in the shower - and stretch my shower time to about 1/2 an hour!
Graeme
One problem to be solved (hopefully by nzpaul when the lockdown finishes and I can drive the 300 ks to Wanganui) is to remove the body from the underframe so the weights (50 grams using wheel balancing leads) can be fixed inside the body work. My skills do not stretch to removing the body from the brilliant work Paul did in assembling the EB1 kit for me so have fingers crossed he can sort this out.
Hatfield Shed - to answer your question, I'm not sure where Rudyard's 'Wingarti' comes from as it is not a place in New Zealand despite his cargo steamer doing round trips between the UK and here But what a brilliant poem/musing - if anybody has set words to it (like his 'The Road to Mandalay') it would give me another piece to sing in the shower - and stretch my shower time to about 1/2 an hour!
Graeme