Has anyone had experience with running a battery-powered train in really cold weather? I’ve heard that batteries do not like the cold, and I don’t want to spend the money to convert one of my locos, only to find that operation is unsatisfactory.
SandyR
When plowing snow, I can expect about half the warm weather life out of my battery packs. Same results for running at temps below 20F. Usually, I freeze out before the battery pack dies.
JimC.
RCS and batteries worked just fine at the North Pole.
Jim, I am the same way…probably wouldn’t last more than 20 to 30 minutes outside! Tony, that is absolutely amazing, running a train at the North Pole. So I ought to be able to use battery power here on the shores of Lake Ontario, for certain. Thanks guys for the replies!
SandyR
Plowing snow does require quite a bit more power which will drain the batteries faster than if the loco was running normally.
All I can tell you is the North Pole loco had 14.4 volt 1200 mah NiCd batteries that Dave Goodson sells.
They are never ram charged. Only trickle charged using an RCS overnight trickle charger.
Batteries don’t like being cold, but so long as you keep them indoors when not in use, you probably won’t notice much of a difference on the railroad itself. If the batteries are somewhat insulated from the cold, such as in an enclosed in a box car or something like that, then you mitigate the effects of the cold even further. While it sounds silly, you can keep batteries warm by placing a hand warmer in the box car to provide some heat. (Hand warmers are often used to keep electronics warm when being used in cold environments.)
Later,
K
Kevin, that’s a great idea! I had thought about insulating a following car, but the handwarmer…hmmm…I probably would keep that for myself!
SandyR
It’s not really that batteries don’t like being cold, but they store when cold. Basically what this means is that they won’t give up power as easily as when their warm. This effect combines with the fact that the loco and cars will be harder to move in the cold. Not letting the batteries cool or otherwise keeping them warm will keep them more active.
The estimate of about half the life in cold over warm weather is about right. Keeping the batteries warm will pinch a little more out of your batteries. Of course your battery capacity should be set up to get good operation time before getting weak.
I run my trains year round (except for this year, which is just ridiculous). My battery powered locos sit in a train shed year round. In the dead of winter, with the sun shining, but cold, they run fine. I haven’t really noticed a problem. They probably lose their charge faster sitting in the cold than in the hot, but other than that run time is fine.