Best way to manage 2 motors on a PF engine

[elicend]

Hi

I've got a question and i can't do the test at this time.

With the IR receiver in the PF module, there is 2 output for motors (blue and red), and on the remote controller too.

What is the best way to use 2 motors on a same engine ?

- first way :

one on the blue, second on the red

- second way

both on the same output

- Third way

one receiver by motor, and both on the same color ?

thanks for you informations ;)

[paul_delahaye]

Forth way

Both motors on the same output but with a pole reverser switch in between on one of the motors

Often required if you are putting the two motors on a standard train base. By default they would try and run in opposite directions. I don't think I've explained this very well.

Other option is to open one of the motors and resolder the cables to reverse the polarity of one of the motors so it runs in reverse

[Paperballpark]

^ Why not just turn one of the motors around?

[Hrw-Amen]

When I do this I simply add one of the switches to reverse the polarity, usually on the rear motor, but I don't think it matters which. Then plug both into the same side of the IR unit, one on top of the other. (Plugs that is, one from the first motor and the other from the polarity switch.)

Paperballpark:- Usually it is because of the wires coming out of the motor and the way the motor then wants to turn in corners. It just does not work if the wires come out of the rear (or front.) of both motors.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Hrw-Amen

[elicend]

ok thanks for informations :)

in fact my second solution is the same, without the reverse unit, and don't works with the wire :)

what is the switches used (part number i mean)?

[elicend]

Hi,

One more powering question : if you put 2 engines in one train, with 2 motors by engine? both engine a with one receiver, in the same chanel ? and both motor, on the same output on both receiver?

or do you use another way ?

[marsupilami]

Hello Elicend, if you use 2 motors in 1 engine, you'd normally use:

- 1 battery box or LiPo battery

- 1 IR receiver

- 1 polarity switch (optional, see link)

- 2 motors

The polarity switch is attached to the same output of motor #1. Motor #2 will in turn be attached to the polarity switch. The switch needs to be set to the position so both motors will move in the same direction.

The polarity switch will also take up space in your engine. Some people (including me) have reversed the polarity of motor #2. See this link for more details:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63461

Don't worry, you can still use this motor by itself later on, because you can also change the direction on the PF remote controller.

Edited December 29, 2013 by marsupilami

[AndyC]

If TLG ever do decide to upgrade the PF components, a polarity switch on the train motors would be super useful for this kind of thing and surely not much more difficult to add?

[elicend]

Thanks, i'll try to inverse the second motor.

By the way, if you have to engine? how to control them in synchronisation ?

[marsupilami]

There's no need to sync anything, because you attach both motors to the same IR receiver output (regardless of using the polarity switch or reverse the polarity in the motor itself).

[elicend]

my english is too bad.

i understood the solution for one engine with 2 motor, but for 2 engines (4 motors) ?

engine seems to be a bad word :(

i mean this :

Thanks :)

[baard]

Hi,

For 2 locomotives that run in a row simply use the same channel on both IR receivers. I have tried this on my Maersk train with 2 locomotives, works fine, even when the locomotives have waggons in between them. It does sometimes become ugly when one locomotive is in a tunnel or similar, but hey, thats what train fans love, i.e. the "hand of God" to rectify any problems on the track

Good luck!

Baard

[marsupilami]

Like baard says, you can double everything for 2 engines and put the IR receiver on the same channel and the motors on the same output (e.g. both on the red output). That'll work fine and you'll need only one IR controller.

If something is not clear you can send me a private message in French, too :)

[legoboy3998]

I build my own locomotive bases, so I build a hole at one end that allows the wire from the second motor to run through the base at the far end of the locomotive base. It works just like the hole n the middle and allows me to use unmodified motors and no polarity switch.

Sal

WFB WI

[elicend]

thanks for help, i'll try ;)

[Duq]

One thing to keep in mind is that there's a problem with putting two M-motors on one output of the V2 receiver. If you want to use 2 M-motors then you need to use the old receiver.

[elicend]

oO ?

i don't know difference between V1 and V2 receiver ?

[legoman666]

oO ?

i don't know difference between V1 and V2 receiver ?

New one can output 3x the current. It's only in 2 big technic sets but it's supposed to be released on Shop@home.

Some day.

[AndyC]

I believe TLG said at the time it came out that all V1 receivers had been used up and so buying one on S&H will get you a V2 one (you can tell because it has V2 printed on it)

Hasn't heard of any issues with using two M motors on the same channel though. Do you have details?

[legoman666]

I believe TLG said at the time it came out that all V1 receivers had been used up and so buying one on S&H will get you a V2 one (you can tell because it has V2 printed on it)

Hasn't heard of any issues with using two M motors on the same channel though. Do you have details?

I've ordered about 6 IR receivers in the past year, 1 or 2 at a time. The most recent batch was about 2 months ago. They are all v1.

The v2 has an issue where using 2 M motors on the same output doesn't work. They won't start because their capacitance is too high for the new driver chip. 2 Ms work fine on v1 though. There's supposed to be a new version of the M motor coming out, but I don't know if it ever happened.

[Duq]

See this article on Technicbricks for details.

[zephyr1934]

One thing to keep in mind is that there's a problem with putting two M-motors on one output of the V2 receiver. If you want to use 2 M-motors then you need to use the old receiver.

Are there any reported problems putting two PF train motors on a single V2 receiver output? Or two XL motors on a single output?