Digitrax decoders and installing LEDs for lighting


H

Hank4014

Member
I successfully installed decoders in my Proto 1000 R22 subway car and Athearn F7, the latter after having a lot of trouble soldering the left rail lead to the frame. In both cases, I tried installing a new 5mm LED headlight with a pair of 330ohm resisters wired in series. This didn't work.

I used a Digitrax DH165A0 for the R22, and a DH163D for the F7. The locos both operate properly, but because of my trouble with the LEDs, they have no headlights.

I'm not sure if the issue was that I did the install wrong, or that the DCC controller (Bachmann EZ Command) isn't cut out for the job. The headlight issue is more of a concern with the F7 than it is with the R22. If it would help, I can post pictures of the installs.
 
Can't post pics because the lady of the house and my kid cleaned up and put everything away, but I'll describe...
radio shack 5mm white LED connected to F0 and F0+ with a pair of 330ohm resisters in series. Tried it first with the DH165A0 (which I had to swap out for a DH123D when it didn't fit under the car body).

With the R22, I tried soldering the factory headlight leads directly to the decoder. This unit has a light board in it that I left with one set of leads connected for the interior lighting, but the headlights are connected only to the controller.
 
Here is the R22. 2013-06-14 18.41.02.jpg

Like I said, neither headlight works. As for the F7, I may have accidentally killed the decoder. Whenever I have the loco on the track with the decoder installed, the controller indicates overload. And with the decoder installed, my continuity tester shows a complete circuit (power off) between the rails. Since I don't have any other decoders with the same connector, I can't test that out.
 
Got the wedding stuff out of the way (for the moment) and went back to this. I only worked on the F7 tonight. I absolutely killed the DH163. SO I'll be in touch with Digitrax tomorrow for a warranty replacement. I replaced it with a DH123, which I ordered several of for the remainder of our fleet. STILL can't get it to light a bulb, or a 5mm white LED with a 1k ohm resistor in series. I tried measuring the voltage off the white and blue with my multimeter, but got no reading whatsoever. So it looks like I'll have a group of locomotives with DCC motor control, but no headlights. I'm following all the videos, instruction sheets, etc. I'm going cuckoo.
 
After some more hair pulling, and contact with tech support at Digitrax, who was fantastic, I got everything working exactly the way it should.
 
All they need to do is add one more diagram showing how to hook up LEDs and they could save people a lot of trouble. None of the manufacturers do it. I know the information isn't too hard to find but why not make it a little easier for the non techies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top