DCC....Lenz LE1014 decoder CV's program Questions ???

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I hope someone can help me with a CV programing problem. Lenz LE1014 decoder installed in a Proto 2000 FA1. The unit is working great… what I want to do is have headlight on and use F1 function to change the light to a Double strobe. When I program CV 51 with #134 it works until I turn off the power or deselect the loco. Then it reverts to headlight on bright and F1 dims the light. I’ve tried reprogramming it several times (in ops and page mode) and it always works fine until the power is cycled… What am I doing wrong? I’m using the values listed in the Lenz LE 1014 manual. CV 51 = 134 CV 53 = 24 (dimming) All other CV’s are factory default. Thanks in advance for the help :wink: Chuck Alldrin Chico, CA

2

I don’t see where you’re coming up with a value of 134 for CV51. According to the LE1014 manual I have, only one bit can be set, and if you do set more than one only the highest will be retained.

For a double strobe, set CV51 to a value of 128.

3

CV51

When set to 128 …F1 does not dim or cycle the function. (just strobe)

When set to 134… Headlight is on in forward and F1 dims it.

The number of 134 is from the chart on page 9 of the manual.

bit 7 … Output A as a double strobe = 128

bit 1… F1 used for dimming = 2

bit 2… Output A can be dimmed = 4

Total = 134

I have tried almost every possible combination… but still can’t get the strobe to work after power down :frowning:

Chuck

4

So you have 2 function outputs connected to the one light? This is actually OK since the function outputs are open collector current sinks.

If so - I think what you want is to set F1 to just be the strobe, none of the dimming or anything. You can’t use one fucntion to change the settings of another, but you CAN put two to one bulb. You would have to hit F0 to turn off the headlight and hit F1 to start the strobe. If you hit F0 and turned it back on, the light would be on solid like a headlight - F0 being on overrides the switching on and off of F1 in strobe mode. Turn off F0, and the strobe comes back.

–Randy

5

Randy,

Thanks for the great reply.

No, I do not have both outputs into one LED.

I was trying to do this using only the blue and white wires.

Maybe your idea would be the way to go… I didn’t know that it was OK to put 2 outputs into one device.

All this started because the FA has one headlight and no other lights to play with…

I wish I could find a way to install 2 LEDs into the headlight and then I could do everything I want.

Any ideas?

Chuck

6

Well, to be prototypically correct, you’d almost need to install another light casting, although there were a few options with twin lightsin one housing, one a Mars light and one steady. Check your protoype’s practice - sometimes the second light was a red oscillating Mars or other brand that only came on if the train went into emergency or was otherwise stopped unexpectedly. It would be rare indeed to have a white headlight AND a white oscillating light in the same housing, on at the same time. On EMD F units the usual method was to have a second headlight mounted onthe nose door, the stock housing at the top of the nose was usually the oscillating light and the lower one the normal headlight. Alco FAs, probably the same thing but I haven’t seen a picture of a unit so set up.

–Randy

7

Randy,

Thanks for all the information.

Here is what I’ve done.

I hooked the outputs of A&B together and it is working OK.

I can now have strobes or headlight… maybe not a real life operation… but …this is all make believe anyway :wink:

I’ll be thinking of a way to put another light on my FA, until then, I’m happy.

Thanks again,

Chuck