Self Charging Battery Back-Up - M.T.H. Empire State Express Operator's Manual

Self Charging Battery Back-Up

The special NiCad 7-cell 8.4v self-charging battery recharges continuously during train
operation and should last for up to five years. The battery is a dry battery that should not
leak or cause any damage to your engine. Depending upon when your engine was built,
it may need to be charged right out of the box. If engine sounds seem distorted or
garbled at low voltages or become silent when power from the transformer is turned off,
test the battery to determine whether it should be recharged or replaced.
Test: Put the engine in neutral and leave the track voltage at 10-12 volts (high enough
for the lights to shine brightly and the engine to move steadily) for 15 minutes.
Recharge: If the sounds are improved at the end of the 15-minute test charge, the battery
charge has run down and can be recharged. There are a number of ways you can do this:
•
Leave the engine in neutral with track voltage at 10-12 volts for 6-7 hours so the
battery can fully recharge (if your engine has a smoke unit, be sure it is turned
off).
•
Use M.T.H.'s battery recharger (sold separately) that plugs into a wall outlet and
a special port under the engine to recharge the battery overnight without leaving
it on the track.
Replace : If the sounds are not improved at the end of the 15-minute test charge, it is
time to replace the battery. Available through M.T.H. Parts. A standard 9v alkaline
battery can be substituted until your replacement arrives, but since alkaline batteries
cannot be recharged, it will eventually wear down. Do NOT use a 6-cell 7.2v battery.
Unhook Wires, Remove
and Replace Battery
Figure 9: Replacing The Battery And Locating The Battery Recharging Jack
16 Premier 4-6-4 Empire State Express
AC Battery Recharging Jack