Hi, this weekend I put in my Digitrax UR-90 infra-red receiver to try it out. Worked good, but I can see as the layout expands I’ll need to add more. Still they’re not expensive so that’s OK.
The problem is the old one that if you leave the 9V battery in the walkaround unit (in this case a UT-4) when the layout isn’t in use, it wears down the battery. So you have to remove it when shutting down the layout. [:(!]
In going thru some previous posts, I noted one or two folks mentioned adding an on-off switch to their walkaround units to cut the connection. I’d like to get some more info on this, particularly where exactly would be the best place to interupt the power flow.
Whats so hard about reversing the battery. They “should” have built in a switch to shut off the units. It’s the same with the DT400r’s. Just reverse the poles of the battery. Don’t flip the battery end for end as it will short the battery and get very hot as a new member of my club found out last week. I forget sometimes to reverse it and end up with a dead battery. Use rechargable batteries.
Remembering that the IR throttles require line of sight to the UR-9x, instead of mounting on the fascia, mount it above the layout. That’s how I mounted my UR-92. The radio, of course, doesn’t care where it is, but the IR can hit it from anywhere in the room.
I agree that the throttles should have a battery on off switch, but turning the battery isn’t THAT hard. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU FLIP THE BATTERY TO REVERSE PLUS AND MINUS TERMINALS. If you flip it to the other end of the battery you will short the battery and create a fire hazard. To minimize the risk, you can coat the springs at the non terminal end of the battery compartment with clear nail polish. Nail polish is a pretty good insulator. If you are going to install a small switch, just break one of the battery terminal wires.
If you are a member (or join) the Digitrax Yahoo group there are instructions and photos of on/off switches added both intrenaly and externally to Digitrax throttles. They can be found in the “Files” and the “Photos” sections of that group. The external method is rather simple as it just breaks the connection to one of the battery terminals and exits to an external glued on slide switch.
The document in the Files section looks to be dodgy at best.
The best solution I can think of is to piggy back a small electrical case (just large enough for a toggle) on the back of the battery cover. Wire up the switch and be done with it. This method is reversable (just get a new cover) and doubles as a throttle stand.
It’s been awhile since I had seen the page. Found this in the Links section for an internal mounted switch on a DT300R. Looks like the spring has been removed from beneath the battery to make room for the switch. DT400 would be the same. The cases are the same except for overall length. UT4 uses the same case as the DT300.
Note that the UT4 has a sleep mode to reduce batter drain when not in use. It doesn’t completely shut off, but it draws far less power than just leavign it as is.
why not just use the 12v DC ‘keep alive’ option by feeding a 12v dc wall wart into the back of one of the UP5’s??. this will stop the battery using anything until you unplug it.