M.T.H. PREMIER DASH-9 DIESEL ENGINE Operator's Manual - page 16
16
Premier Dash 9 Diesel Engine Operating Instructions
Self-Charging Battery Back-Up
The special NiCad 7-cell 8.4v self-charging battery in this engine improves
performance at any speed. It ensures that power to the sound system will remain on
during directional changes, or when travelling over dirty track or switches. The
self-charging battery system is automatically turned on or off whenever track power
is turned on or off.
Track power (when applied) recharges the battery, which should last for up to five
years, and the special NiCad battery is a dry battery that should not leak or cause any
damage to your engine. However, even this special battery will eventually wear
down and need to be replaced. When you notice that your 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.
• Put the engine in neutral and leave the track voltage at 12 volts for 15 minutes
• If the garbled or distorted sounds are reduced, the battery charge has run down and
can be recharged. Do this by leaving the engine in neutral with track voltage at 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). Or you can remove the battery
(as described below)
and
charge it in any standard slow charge battery recharger, following the recharger’s
directions.
• If the sounds are not improved at the end of the 15 minute test charge, it is time to
replace the battery
(see directions below)
. Contact the M.T.H. Parts Department
(phone: 410-381-2580; e-mail: parts@mth-railking.com; mail: 7020 Columbia
Gateway Drive, Columbia MD 21046-1532) for a replacement battery. 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 like those found in most convenience stores.
Figure 11. Replacing the Battery (Remove the remaining 2 screws on the fuel tank to
access the battery.)