Anyone had any problems with the BCR battery eliminator?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I was prepared to order a BCR for my volt-amp gauge on my ZW transformer when I saw a post on the other forum warning about the BCR and the possibility that over time “a capacitor can blow up with a very loud bang”. Holy smokes!!![:O] I have NEVER heard of this happening with a BCR. I wondered if anyone else has heard of this or is it something that is possible but extremely unlikely? I’d hate to lose an expensive loco or my rare transformer gauges because the dang BCR exploded. I am gonna e-mail J & W and ask if they have ever had a case of this happening.

Dep

2

A capacitor can explode but that is very rare. Every electronic circuit has capacitors. How many have you heard explode? I have seven BCRs, no problems so far. However using one in that meter is new unexplored area. Remember it takes sixty seconds in a engine to charge. You might blow the meter charging circuit.

3

Hmmmm…I asked J&W and they said it “probably would be okay” in the gauges. Guess I will end up with a hi-cap NiMh. The gauges are just too expensive and too difficult to locate to risk them blowing. I have one Proto 1 loco that I want to switch to a BCR. I haven’t heard of ANY of them exploding. I think if one ever did, J&W might be in for some problems. Especially if someone got permanently injured because of it (like plastic shrapnel in the eye).

4

Batteries explode too.

5

Yep…and we might get hit by an asteroid and no more toy trains. I think the chances are almost equal for both events. [(-D]

6

Here is the letter from J&W Electronics concerning the thread at OGR about the possibility of exploding BCRs.:

Mike,
I can see your concern, but it is not even an issue. There are zener diodes manufactured in the BCR circuit to protect the capacitors from being over charged. Zener diodes act as a switch to turn off the current to that capacitor when it reaches the rated value. The power supply board in your engine regulates the circuit to charge the BCR to 9 volts. The BCR has the capacity to charge up to 10.8 volts, which it never reaches and further protects the BCR. If the charging circuit fails then the processor and other components in the engine will be permanently damaged.
As you can see from the other post, the BCR is a much better way to operate your engine.

Wayne Renga
J and W Electronics