Adapting a controller...

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OddDuck
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Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:00 am
Location: Somewhere south of Mt. Katahdin
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Adapting a controller...

Post by OddDuck »

A question for the group, I am trying to switch the motor and controller in my switcher loco. I have the motor swapped out no prob, I tried figuring out the controller today and I'm having trouble.
I bought the motor and controller as a set off Amazon, decent price and seemed to match what I needed. When I got it there was no documentation with it, not even a pinout diagram. I was able to figure out power in and out, but there are a bunch of extra built in connectors that may be why I can't get it to work.
The extra connectors are charge, 2 indicator lights, a "3 speeds", 2 brake, and an "electric lock". I'm wondering if I need to add a resistor across the leads of the electric lock connector, or across one of the brake connectors.
I'm including a picture of the controller. Has anyone adapted something like this to a loco?
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"If you took the bones out they wouldn't be crunchy!" -Monty Python's Flying Circus
OddDuck
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:00 am
Location: Somewhere south of Mt. Katahdin
Contact:

Re: Adapting a controller...

Post by OddDuck »

Figured it out! All I had to do was to jump the electric lock connector, seems to be working fine now.
"If you took the bones out they wouldn't be crunchy!" -Monty Python's Flying Circus
Fastadam
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Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:34 pm
Location: Tustin, Ca.

Re: Adapting a controller...

Post by Fastadam »

I recently built a 24v galloping goose for my son to run. We used a very similar controller from a Chinese made scooter. Although it did a good job at moving it along at higher speeds, there were a few draw backs. The lowest speed was not at all. It spun the wheels on take off. My controller did nothing to slow the train regardless of throttle settings. Our track has some hills and it picks up speed quickly. Another down side for me was no reverse. This was solved by adding a relay designed for motor reversing. This week I purchased a new controller with reverse and regenerative braking. Some testing will tell if all my problems have been solved. I hope your controller works better than mine.
Adam
OddDuck
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:00 am
Location: Somewhere south of Mt. Katahdin
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Re: Adapting a controller...

Post by OddDuck »

The last controller I had on this did something similar. When I first hooked it up to the motor without it being permanently attached it controlled the speed fine, with no load. I had to extend the wires for the potentiometer, and after that it was either on or off. I checked my work on the connections (soldered) and there wasn't any more resistance than there originally was. So, not sure what happened to it. It did have a built in reverse, which was nice.
This one was listed as having a reverse, it doesn't. I'm wondering if they "goofed" and meant that the motor was reversable. I set up a simple DPDT switch setup between the controller and motor using as hefty a switch as I could find. I'm hoping to test it this afternoon after little work on the engineer car.
"If you took the bones out they wouldn't be crunchy!" -Monty Python's Flying Circus
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