Subject:
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Re: First Trains
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 9 Feb 2001 21:53:29 GMT
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Viewed:
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2028 times
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In lugnet.trains, Jason J. Railton writes:
> In lugnet.trains, Rich Thompson writes:
> > I have been looking for examples of wiring a train motor to supply power to
> > the RCX from the transformer, while still allowing the RCX to start and stop
> > the train. If anyone has any links, I would love to see how this can be done.
> > I have seen a web page where the RCX was wired to a motor, but no instructions
> > were provided. I will probably dive in soon and try to figure it out myself.
>
> Hmm. I tried powering my train motor off a battery box, connecting to the
> electric studs on the top, and it belted around the track. I guess you're
> using slow speed mode from the RCX? I'd be a bit worried about how much
> power the RCX can put out, though I guess they're fairly tough little
> beasts. Of course, this has the side effect of electrifying the whole track
> and anything else on it too.
>
> What you need to do is break the connection from the train wheels, and
> divert it down wires into a substitute battery pack in the RCX. Then you
> can route an RCX output into the top of the train motor to drive it, without
> shorting to the wheels or powering up the track. Trouble is, this means
> dissecting a motor.
>
> There is another thing to remember. Your trains may say 9V, but they're not
> running on that. The controller is a rheostat, or potential divider. It's
> a simple voltage regulator. You only get 9V when it's at full power.
> Usually you'll be operating trains at about 1/3 power, or 3V.
Wait a minute, that Capicator (i think thats how i'ts spelt) can give around 3V!
> Thus you'd
> have to supply full power to run the RCX, then have it control the speed.
> You could also find that with the mains supply connected, your motor draws
> more current through the RCX than its circuits can handle. It's not just a
> matter of flattening your batteries, but of melting something vital.
Now that would be cheep...
Josh
> There
> may have been a good reason for LEGO taking the power jack out for RCX v1.5.
>
> Jason J Railton.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: First Trains
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| If I run my trains at 3v, then two Lego Solar Panels can provide ~3v. Looks like I have another project after this one. As for powering the RCX through the train track, I had not thought about having to run the controller full tilt to power the RCX. (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-01, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: First Trains
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| (...) Hmm. I tried powering my train motor off a battery box, connecting to the electric studs on the top, and it belted around the track. I guess you're using slow speed mode from the RCX? I'd be a bit worried about how much power the RCX can put (...) (26 years ago, 9-Feb-01, to lugnet.trains)
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