BLI SD40-2 lighting

[NZRMac]

Hello, I'm wanting to put flashing ditch lights and decent headlights in my BLI SD40-2's with QSI.

There is room (just) for another decoder and led's.

Anybody ever done anything like this to a BLI?

Thanks, Ken.

 

[grande man]

Hello, I'm wanting to put flashing ditch lights and decent headlights in my BLI SD40-2's with QSI.

There is room (just) for another decoder and led's.

Anybody ever done anything like this to a BLI?

Thanks, Ken.

Sadly, we don't have any BLI locos, so it's tough to comment. I would think the Miniatronics 1.2 mm incandescent lamps would be the way to go. Digitrax recommends against using LEDs for ditch lights, FWIW. http://www.digitrax.com/ftp/fxsetup.pdf Be sure to read the last line at the bottom of the page.

 

[NZRMac]

Thanks Grande Man, I get what you mean about the LED's. they come on and off to fast to look real. The loco's you've done recently are mini bulbs?

I think LED's are just easier and produce less heat.

I'll have a look at what's at my LHS and electronics shop.

Ken.

 

[RailroadJeep]

There was a recent aritcle in one of the modeling mags about adding a Digitrax TF4 function only decoder to a BLI SD40-2 to gain some additional function outputs for the ditch lights. I'll look and see if I can round up that issue and let you know what it was.

 

[grande man]

Thanks Grande Man, I get what you mean about the LED's. they come on and off to fast to look real. The loco's you've done recently are mini bulbs?

I think LED's are just easier and produce less heat.

I'll have a look at what's at my LHS and electronics shop.

Ken.

Ken, we've had good results with the 1.2mm bulbs and 560 Ohm resistors. The resistor is where you'll get most of the heat but I now put 1/16" heat shrink on the bulbs where they go thru the shell just in case. The heatshrink looks like the outside of a light socket when installed. As for the resistor, they can be located such that they won't melt anything. Whatever you do, don't put 12v bulbs in without a brass tube heat sink. I learned the hard way on that!

 

[NZRMac]

There was a recent aritcle in one of the modeling mags about adding a Digitrax TF4 function only decoder to a BLI SD40-2 to gain some additional function outputs for the ditch lights. I'll look and see if I can round up that issue and let you know what it was.

Thanks that would be great.

Ken.

 

[NZRMac]

Ken, we've had good results with the 1.2mm bulbs and 560 Ohm resistors. The resistor is where you'll get most of the heat but I now put 1/16" heat shrink on the bulbs where they go thru the shell just in case. The heatshrink looks like the outside of a light socket when installed. As for the resistor, they can be located such that they won't melt anything. Whatever you do, don't put 12v bulbs in without a brass tube heat sink. I learned the hard way on that!

Thanks Grande, advise taken!!

Ken.

 

[grande man]

Ken, if you do plan to use any straight voltage bulbs (track voltage), I should also tell you is that some DCC users go with 16v bulbs. Our track voltage is right at 12v but some power supplies run higher. Be sure to keep that in mind if it affects your installation.

 

[NZRMac]

Yip point taken my Lenz puts out 16v, so the 12v bulbs wouldn't last long.
They will definately be decoder controlled. I want the ditch lights to flash when I blow the horn!!

Ken.

 

[RailroadJeep]

Finnaly found the issue: Railmodel Jounral, June 2005, Upgrading the BLI SD40-2 pages 17-21.

Doesnt cover it much detail I found out, but the article does mention adding a function only decoder for ditch lights. The article was mainly on doing some upgrades appearance wise to the BLI SD40-2.

 

[NZRMac]

Thanks Chris, I'll look for that mag.

Ken.