Locotracteur Brissoneau et Lotz

A second test run today. Still a bit of a pig to start, flooding, hydraulic lock etc. but all part of the running-in process.

I changed the exhaust for a baffled wooden box type and still have a nice copper tailpipe.
This muffles the sound and is also cleaner in that it collects more of the spent oil.

The major difference and improvement is that of removing the clutch shoe spring.
The clutch is free on start up but immediately engages afterwards thus allowing lower revs for generating.
This tip was found by accident when the spring broke on the other model and this has successfully been employed on Troy's machine.

In the video the engine is running manually, no radio control on a slightly fast tickover.
This provides adequate volts/current to power the 2 traction motor bogies at a nice scale speed.



Only need to put the body on (it does fit...) and we're just ready for the weekend at St Aubin....

I did find that the engine was running a tad cold but this may improve with body on.

Last preparation and a run before Railexpo. I had hoped to finish off some details like the bogie frame sides and cab interior but these will have to wait now.



It was a bit of a pig to start at first as I had left it for a month with oily fuel in the engine which had congealed and I hadn't used any after-run oil.
Once it warmed up it was fine and ran smoothly at low revs for a good 30 mins on 3/4 of a tank.

I love it Carl, especially the last shot cant wait to see it up close at the expo....its going to be crazy see at least 4 diesels all in one place

Nice video, great model... Not really his locale, but I'll wager that Msr Nuncio Grissoni would love to get behind the controls of that beast!

I haven't done the cab(s) yet but I have lots of space and I shall be having 2 chaps in there as they did in Corsica and in the south of France. One sort of pretending to drive and the other distracting him.

We could imagine that Maestru Grisoni was 'exiled' for a while on the mainland near Toulon pending the vendetta against his cousins.....and he got a part-time job driving up to St Raphaël to collect more liquor.......

For the uninitiated, Mr Grisoni (correct spelling this time!) started life as a Preiser track-worker figure, his full story can be found here: http://www.cgtrains.com/t67-new-starter-on-the-cfc

Carl,

I have just read through all the live diesel posts to get up to speed.
Two things I dont understand

Instead of a 3 phase BLDC could you use a 2 phase BLDC and avoid rectifiying the output to get DC. What are the disadvantages of 2v3 phase.

Can you remember if anyone published a diagram for the 3 phase to DC rectification.

Tx

David, I blagged mine from the fourth post on this page - three pairs of diodes, feed a phase into each pair, then pick up DC on the outer tracks. No drawing I'm afraid. However I made a few spares, so you are welcome to one if it helps.

That's it Dave just as I have done but yours looks neater.

You can buy them cheaply ready encapsulated in a package but they are bigger than making your own on breadboard.

Here's the diagram:



All BLDC motors are 3 phase (to my knowledge).

3 phase BLDC motors are far more efficient than DC motors in converting mechanical force into electrical energy and vice versa.
BLDC motors seem to be able to handle very high revs, they are small, lightweight and comparatively cheap.

It's rather like in cars: the old dynamo versus the alternator.

BTW I'm waiting for a new chassis to arrive and then I'll build another......

Thanks Carl and Dave,

The article I have just read talked about 2 phase and 3 phase BLDC. I will investigate.

Well after a cursory glance of

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_13/6.html#02461.png

I am guessing that 2 phase BLDC is OK in low load start ups applications as with
computer fans. All bigger BLDCs, relevant our application, seem to be 3 phase or more.

I didn't know they (2 phase) exist....

You would still need a (bridge) rectifier if you used one as a generator.

Carl, I have a small brushless cooling fan motor that runs off a battery. If I rotate the motor, using an IC engine for example, why dont I get DC out, since that is what goes in.

Difficult to say without seeing it or putting a meter on it.

But not all motors generate or give out electricity, there maybe some cicuitry preventing it.

Also it could be that there is a controller on the input which converts the straight DC to operate the brushless motor.

If that is the case you could try putting a bridge rectifier on the connections nearest the motor and see if anything comes out.

Oh dear Carl,
what have you done, cant get the idea of a 1/6 scale live diesel out of my head. I am building 15" gauge on gauge 3 size track and trying to find drawings of Captain Howey of the RHDR, that baby will be 40" long and 8' wide and about 12" tall, was going to do battery, but you got me thinking now,loads of space in the engine compartment.
All the best,
Richard.

Can't help you with the drawings but it's an impressive locomotive and looks similar to many metric gauge diesels like Faur.

At 8" wide you could easily put a small cheap petrol engine from a strimmer or similar connected to small (motorbike) alternator.