# Converting an AC powered unit to DC



## JCIS4ME (Jan 4, 2016)

First of thank you for the Add, 
Im new to this hobby and want to make my lay out go around the ceiling just above the top of the door line in my garage. My question is I want to use the 12 volt system I am currently using for my slot car track for powering my new lay out. 
It wont need to go in reverse just one direction, with a variable speed control. Any one convert a power unit to dc?
Ive been researching several engines and can see a dc motor that I used in rc boats, and have a box full of those motors. 
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Marty


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The easiest way is to buy a modern engine that has a DC motor in it. Since it runs on AC you remove the reverse unit that is electronic. You are limited on what engines you can buy so your research will pay off. Technically the ac motors postwar, will run on DC in one direction only. Whistle tender run on a DC pulse.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can run the AC motor on DC as well, so pretty much any engine would do the trick. Since it doesn't need to go in reverse, the uni-directional capability isn't a problem.


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

T-Man said:


> The easiest way is to buy a modern engine that has a DC motor in it. Since it runs on AC you remove the reverse unit that is electronic. You are limited on what engines you can buy so your research will pay off. Technically the ac motors postwar, will run on DC in one direction only. Whistle tender run on a DC pulse.


No, sir in both direction.
You just need a diode bridge.
AG.


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

I would be surprised if a slot car power pack had enough current power a pullmore engine. If it had a mechanical E Unit then you wouldn't even need a diode bridge. The engine would change direction as long as you cycled power. It wouldn't change direction if you reversed the DC to the tracks though. That said the OP would be better off with a DC motored engine and replace the electronic E unit with a bridge just because there would be a better chance the slot car power pack would be sufficient.

Pete


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

Here is the diode bridge diagram.







AG.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

JCIS4ME said:


> My question is I want to use the 12 volt system I am currently using for my slot car track for powering my new lay out.


What is the problem you are trying to solve? You are proposing a lot of work for something that appears to me as totally unnecessary. Does the slot car power pak even have enough wattage to power a toy train?
A gently used AC transformer for your new layout would be very inexpensive and provide sufficient power. 

As GRJ says, AC motors will run on DC so there is no reason to replace them. However postwar Whistles and Bells will sound continuously if you try to run your engines on DC.


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## JCIS4ME (Jan 4, 2016)

Hey Thanks for the replies,
I have a solar charging system for the 12 Volt battery I use for the slot car track, and was going to rig the power to the track so as to run it at a constant speed to go around and around to have a "fun" hobby room, trains planes and automobiles!!! I build and run scale RC tug boats, fast electric boats, I built a slot car track and race 1/32 cars, now I want to build a railway just above the door line on a 1X6 shelving, gonna use pre war and recent girded bridges and trestle bridges between the shelves for added effect. Paint scenery on the walls etc.
I grew up not poor but couldnt afford these kind of things, now I can and Im going back to my child hood!!!:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:









I havent taken any recent pics but this is from last year
so i guess what Im asking is, will it be a pain to rip out the insides and just run dc power to the train? Almost maybe like using a Tyco or some other type of transformer as an alternative way to power the train? I know DC very well its the AC part I am not understanding YET.
Marty


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

JCIS4ME said:


> Im going back to my child hood!!


I never left mine!

Seriously, you are making this too difficult. Just get an inexpensive used Lionel transformer, connect it to the track and play away.

Converting can be done. I've done it. Some of my AC trains have been converted to DC. Now they can be reversed without an e unit. I just reverse the DC in the track. It's nice sometimes not to have e units, switches and accessories buzzing.


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## Tallaman (Oct 23, 2012)

I have run my Carrera slot cars using an HO train transformer and did that to govern the power each individual track gets when kids were using it, and prevent cars from flying off track. It works pretty well. It's worth a try, but I don't think the slot car transformers have the power to run trains, especially large O gauge motors. Seems like a solar power charged battery will run down pretty quickly if it have to run large electric motors in trains. Let us know how that works out.


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## JCIS4ME (Jan 4, 2016)

[QUOTE=. Seems like a solar power charged battery will run down pretty quickly if it have to run large electric motors in trains. Let us know how that works out.[/QUOTE

I'm using a Deep cycle marine battery it take weeks if not longer to drain the battery in no sun light, in some of the pictures I have seen, the motors in the trains are a generic 12-24 volt 5 pole mabuchi made in China brand that I buy in bulk for @ a buck a piece. I use them in my smaller tug boats and run them on 6 volts ALL DAY LONG, with minimal battery drain.
I use a reostat I made myself to lower the voltage for the wee ones to have fun without damaging the slot cars. 
I love to tinker with dc voltage making my own gadgets like the solar powered race track now I want to make a reostat device to control the speed of the train. I know some make think I'm nuts for doing this but that is who I am! 
That is why Im asking all these questions about converting to dc.


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## Tallaman (Oct 23, 2012)

Nuts? I don't think so. The only way to improve things is to try outside-the-box thinking.


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

JCIS4ME said:


> I know some make think I'm nuts for doing this but that is who I am!
> That is why Im asking all these questions about converting to dc.



Whatever toots your whistle!

FWIW a rheostat is an inefficient way to control the speed of a motor. In my 1/8 scale train, I have a digital controller. 2 12v batteries carried my 1000 pound train (including my skinny arse) all day. I took the train to our club track to see how long the batteries would last. They outlasted me.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

A post-war loco will run on DC power and the E unit will cycle although not as quickly it seems. I have tried a modern tender and it does not sound but my post-war tenders do.


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