locomotive lights

[ClintOHenry]

I just wired my first dcc loco, it runs well. Then i tried to install front and rear lights. I can't make them work. I'm using Prodigy Express. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[Iron Horseman]

I just wired my first dcc loco, it runs well. Then i tried to install front and rear lights. I can't make them work. I'm using Prodigy Express.

Yes lots of ideas.

1. What type of lights are they? LEDs are polarity sensitive. Low voltage lights could have been instantly burnt out as soon as it hit the rails.

2. What brand/model of decoder? Different decoders have different settings for having automatic lights and/or manual control of them. They also have different voltage outputs for the lights depending on how you installed it.

3. Which wires did you hook the lights to? Normally a headlight would be white and blue and the tail light would be yellow and blue.

4. What commands did you issue from the Prodigy Express?

 

[ClintOHenry]

3mm Led's with 1k, 1/4 watt resistor. polarity checked and rechecked. color of wires to Led checked. Decoder NCE D13srj. Here is problem: MRC booklet with my prodigy does not tell me how to operate lights. Decoder info talks about this function and this cv. I have tried to follow as best I can but I'm not sure I am pushing the right buttons.

 

[bnsf971]

Function "0" turns the lights on and off, and you can add lighting effects using CVs.

 

[RCShadow]

3mm Led's with 1k, 1/4 watt resistor. polarity checked and rechecked. color of wires to Led checked. Decoder NCE D13srj. Here is problem: MRC booklet with my prodigy does not tell me how to operate lights. Decoder info talks about this function and this cv. I have tried to follow as best I can but I'm not sure I am pushing the right buttons.

If all else fails, give Larry a call at NCE. He is the most patient man I've come across in a long time and will surely be able to help you with NCE decoders.

 

[dinwitty]

blue wire common (both lights) white front, yellow rear. most decoders use 12 volts, so they need the resistor, often the common is actually the positive while white/yellow are ground voltage, happens to me a lot, try reversing the LED's.

If you have a standard 12v lamp give it a test or a volt meter to check for voltages between the wires when light command is on.

but some decoders are arriving with adaptive lighting, meaning depending how its set it will allow no resistors for LED.
Sounds like you've been very careful.

normally the decoder front/rear lights work by default. but you may try resetting the decoder.
That often wipes out buggers. Which has happened to me. The lighting functions have various settings, constant, flashing, mars etc or even off, so checking that helps.

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Did you try reversing switch the leads of the LED's?

LED's are polarity sensitive.

Thanks.

Greg

 

[Iron Horseman]

MRC booklet with my prodigy does not tell me how to operate lights.

Yes it does. Page Operation 2-1 near the bottom - "To toggle the headlight (F0) on or off, press 0"

 

[bnsf971]

If this is an 8 pin plug and play decoder, you may have the plug reversed. The engine will still run, but you will have no lights.

 

[dinwitty]

The engine will run reversed if the plug is reversed. some cases the headlights will work, but not always, reversed, it depends on the model circuit design.