Stay alives - detailed advice please

[ajcooper4]

I have posted on this before and been grateful for all advice offered. I decided to experiment so when the time came to fit the sound chip to my J15 I asked youchoos to fit (normally do it myself) and to add a 17000uF stay alive capacitor to see what effect it would have - notwithstanding the key requirement for well fitted, maintained and clean track above all else.

The J15 works like a dream and will creep across any part of the layout, including all points, at the lowest of speeds. I will add a stay alive to my County Class.

Here's the thing - there isn't room - I am told - in my Hatton's (Dave Jones) 14xx to add a stay alive. Has anyone done this, did anyone finds the space and how did it work out please. I would like to guarantee the same 'creep' on all locomotives so would like to resolve this if I can.

Thanks as always for your advice and help.

[shroomy]

The man to speak to would be Legoman biffo
There are some really small powerful stay alive available
Now so worth speaking to costal dcc
Dcc concepts or digitrains

[Paul-H]

John at Youchoos has some small ones, he put stay alive in a Graham Farish Class 08 with sound so might be able to help

Paul

[ajcooper4]

Having spoken to John at youchoos (he fitted the sound chip into the 14xx as it's major fiddly with the chip squeezing into the smoke box and the sound cube under the coal) he feels a stay alive in this loco is not achievable.

Maybe I could try some other places. HAs anyone done this themselves?

[shroomy]

I think it’s a case of getting on the bench see what can be done

[ajcooper4]

Errrm I was rather afraid of that response! With my other locos I would do this but there's so little room on the 14xx

[shroomy]

Lol that’s what a dremmel is for

[teedoubleudee]

I tried experimenting some time ago with supercaps but failed miserably. Perhaps better components are yet to be designed.

[shroomy]

Another alternative is to permantly connect a truck
The the loco and fit something in that

[Steve M]

It may have been suggested before but as Shroomy said a permanently coupled truck would give you space.
But as the 14xx is often seen with an auto coach I would pick one of those and just add additional wheel pickups rather than a stay alive (no time for them personally) which also gives you an ideal opportunity to add lighting to the coach itself.