[chriswright03]

Hi I have been trying to fit a decoder to the Alco RS3 and have hit a problem with the lights. Mainly through lack of knowledge I fear. OK it is a Lenz decoder and it is fitted and the loco runs fine. Only problem is when I have come to look at the lights there is the PCB circuit connecting the lights I assume to the motor pick ups. Do I need to cut that first before wiring in the lights? Also what about the resistors do they need to be seperated somehow and linked into the common (blue) and yellow and white wires? It looks to me as though the resistors areboth connected and certainly both lights worked at once under analogu. I have looked on the Wiring for DCC website under the RS 3 but it only realaly discusses replacing the entire PCB board witha digitrax replacement which of course I don't want to do.

Chris Wright

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Chris,

A couple of questions;

1 - what is the problem with the lights? - if they are simply not working, it could be that the decoder is plugged in the wrong way round.
2 - what manufacturer is the RS3 from? Different manufacturers have different solutions to fitting DCC. You shouldn't have to just replace the whole board with a specified decoder make if you don't want to.

VM

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (Victor Meldrew @ 20 Apr 2007, 08:08) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Chris,

A couple of questions;

1 - what is the problem with the lights? - if they are simply not working, it could be that the decoder is plugged in the wrong way round.
2 - what manufacturer is the RS3 from? Different manufacturers have different solutions to fitting DCC. You shouldn't have to just replace the whole board with a specified decoder make if you don't want to.

VM
1.Hi the problem with the lights at the moment is I haven't even started to fit them as the PCB looks like a nightmare to me. I don't want to start cutting wires before I know what I am supposed to be doing.
2.It is an Atlas RS3 which I think is also known as an Alco.

I have fitted lights before to Bachmann British Diesels but this has resisitors hardwired into the board and I don't know if I am supposed to use them chuck them out or what.

Cheers Chris

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Chris,

Does the loco not have an 8 pin socket for the decoder to plug in to?

If not, and you are 'hardwiring' the decoder, as long as the existing bulbs are 12v (Proto 2000 for one have a habit of putting lower voltage ones in), you can bypass the resistors and just connect one side of each bulb to the blue wire, the other side of the front light to the white, and the other side of the rear light to the yellow wire. Just make sure all these connections are isolated from each other as well as the track and motor supplies!

VM.

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (Victor Meldrew @ 20 Apr 2007, 11:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Chris,

Does the loco not have an 8 pin socket for the decoder to plug in to?

If not, and you are 'hardwiring' the decoder, as long as the existing bulbs are 12v (Proto 2000 for one have a habit of putting lower voltage ones in), you can bypass the resistors and just connect one side of each bulb to the blue wire, the other side of the front light to the white, and the other side of the rear light to the yellow wire. Just make sure all these connections are isolated from each other as well as the track and motor supplies!

VM.
No it does not have a socket so it is a hardwire. I have done the loco and it is OK but the lights seem to be connected to the resistors and then to the motor or track pickup. I assume I have to cut the link between the track?motor and the lights and then wire themj in as per normal but through the resistors. I just am not sure and don't want to fuse the lights or even worse the decoder with meddling. I am not sure if they are 12 volt lights or not.

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (chriswright03 @ 20 Apr 2007, 15:19) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>No it does not have a socket so it is a hardwire. I have done the loco and it is OK but the lights seem to be connected to the resistors and then to the motor or track pickup. I assume I have to cut the link between the track?motor and the lights and then wire themj in as per normal but through the resistors. I just am not sure and don't want to fuse the lights or even worse the decoder with meddling. I am not sure if they are 12 volt lights or not.
OK I have tried to wire it as per normal. Yellow front White rear and blue common. Both lights work but all the time so they cannot be turned off or change with direction. Is it something to do with the CV settings of the decoder?

Chris Wright

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Sounds strange - if you have both yellow and white wires, this suggests it is a 2 function decoder, in which case the lights should only be illuminated in the direction of travel, not both on at the same time.

This should be the default setting, but have you changed any of the CV's in the decoder - some times it may be worthwhile doing a 'reset' and trying again.

Which Lenz decoder are you using?

 

[chriswright03]

I am using the Lenz LE100E but I can't find anything on th eimformation sheet that tells me how many functions it is. It does mention function output can be dimmed but it does not mention direction of travel.

It is beginning to do my head in I must be honest. I have emailed Mackay Models where the guy purchased the decoder from but as yet have not had a reply from them.
Chris

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Chris,
Do you mean an LE1000? If so, this is a one function decoder you are using, so you cannot have directional lights. You can only switch the lights on or off with F0.

To get directional lights, you need a two function decoder. These will have a yellow wire for the feed to the rear light (white to the front, and blue is common). Try an NCE D13SR from Digitrains - I have had good results in some Proto 2000 locos that have similar mechanisms to Atlas.
VM

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (Victor Meldrew @ 23 Apr 2007, 20:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Chris,
Do you mean an LE1000? If so, this is a one function decoder you are using, so you cannot have directional lights. You can only switch the lights on or off with F0.

To get directional lights, you need a two function decoder. These will have a yellow wire for the feed to the rear light (white to the front, and blue is common). Try an NCE D13SR from Digitrains - I have had good results in some Proto 2000 locos that have similar mechanisms to Atlas.
VM
Victor sorry that should have read LE1000E but it still has the white yellow and blue wires.

Chris

 

[Victor Meldrew]

Chris,

This can't be a Lenz 1000 if it has a yellow wire - the pics on the Lenz website only shows white and blue. Even if it is another type of decoder, you should still be able to get directonal lights by connecting the white to the front, yellow to the back and blue to common.

Have you checked that you don't have any 'false feeds' on any wires? How about resetting the decoder to factory defaults - the instructions to tell you what to put into CV8. This may cure any accidental remapping that could also be a cause of your problem.

VM

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (Victor Meldrew @ 24 Apr 2007, 13:16) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Even if it is another type of decoder, you should still be able to get directonal lights by connecting the white to the front, yellow to the back and blue to common.
VM

It's only necessary to connect the blue if there is no "common" through the chassis - also a point to watch out for - the output "voltage" is higher across the lamps/bulbs when you use the blue connection.

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 24 Apr 2007, 15:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It's only necessary to connect the blue if there is no "common" through the chassis - also a point to watch out for - the output "voltage" is higher across the lamps/bulbs when you use the blue connection.
Brian they are disconnected from the chassis and just wired in via the decoder now. Still no directional control though. I am beginning to suspect it may be the decoder.

Chris Wright

 

[chriswright03]

QUOTE (chriswright03 @ 24 Apr 2007, 18:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Brian they are disconnected from the chassis and just wired in via the decoder now. Still no directional control though. I am beginning to suspect it may be the decoder.

Chris Wright
OK thanks every one who has offered valuable assistance. It was a faulty decoder on both locos that was the cause of the problem. It is easy to suspect one but not two at once. Problem solve so once again thank to all.

Chris Wright