I guess what I’m asking is when I put my multi-meter across my rails on DCC, what signal wil I get? 12 volts? 16 volts? AC? DC? Do I need a decoder in every car I want light? If so, Can I control the light intensity through the decoder?
Can I control the brightness of a loco light through the decoder?
Thanx
Voltage varies by the system, I would say check it to make sure. The way to get around using decoders to light the cars is to either wire in a rectifier with LEDs or just use old incandescents. If you do it this way however you cant turn them off. To control the brightness simply adjust the resistor value.
bump
Loather,
If you’re doing HO, you’ll probably get 12-14v across the rails. Do not use incandescents, as they all add up and draw too much current. Use LED’s with a resistor, usually 1K works fine for each LED. I wouldn’t waste money putting a decoder in each car but if you want the ability to turn the lights on/off, you could use a reed switch and magnet. Miniatronics sells a package of four or five with small round magnets. Personally, it’s not worth the trouble, as with LED’s you can “leave the lights on” and you’re not going to burn out bulbs.
Dave
I’ve installed small Miniatronics slide switches in the floor of a couple of my passenger cars so I can shut off the lighting. These are old cars with incandescent bulbs, so I did that to reduce power load and to keep the bulbs around longer. I have a couple of other cars I might try putting LEDs in. Remember that LEDs are highly directional, so you might want to put in 2 or 3 of them and bounce the light off the roof of the car.
I think some TCS decoders have options for dimming locomotive headlights without turning them all the way off.
If you put a voltmeter across your rails, you will see 12-16 volts AC. You don’t need a rectifier for LEDs, but if you don’t have one you will only be using half the available power. Usually LEDs are plenty bright anyway.
Thanks, Is that 12-14v DC or AC? (I would assume DC?).
It is AC!
DCC Lighting for passenger cars???
Everyone sure seems to want to make things complicated these days.
I just put lights in my passenger cars. Micro Disconects between cars. and but a Bettery in the Baggage Car. with an On Off Switch in the floor. Or is that to “1950s” for everyone now?
James
I was going to make that suggestion myself. The diaphrams will hide the wiring.
It makes me feel better that Im not alone. Isn’t simplicity grand?
James
James and Smitty: Where do you get these Micro-Disconnects? That sounds like exactly what I’m looking for. My idea was to put a decoder in one car, and put something like these disconnects in between them, but the reed switch sounds like the way to go for that.
Greg
DCC isn’t AC or DC. So using a voltmeter across the rails won’t give you the proper voltage. There’s a special tool designed for measuring track voltage and current for DCC systems. If you want it, I’ll look it up for you.
As to lighting car interioirs, it all depends how you want to do it. Real passenger cars really didn’t have variable intensity lighting.
If you want to do it yourself, there are efficient diodes available to adjust your voltage and keep them at a constant light level for both DCC and DC… They are more effective than resistors. There are articles on the web how to do this.
However there is a much easier way. There are multiple lightning kits available for passenger cars. Bachmann heavyweights come pre-lit. And Walther’s heavyweights have DC & DCC lighting kits available for them.
MRR did an article about 5->6 months back about adding lighting to passenger cars using decoder function outputs. If you want to see it in action, a video is available on this website. Pretty nifty stuff.
~OneOfTheseDaysI’llLearnToGoBackAndReadWhatIWrote
~SoIDon’tSoundLikeAMiddleSchoolDropout
~D
Im also very interested in where you get micro disconnects. All my acela cars pick up power, if I link them all together electrically, no dirty track can stop me![:D]
I got mine from a bulk electronics store back in Jr. High. They are the same connectors that you find connecting the batteries to the reciever unit in Cordless Phones. However when I ran out. The store that I purchased them from had moved or gone out of business. (I don’t know which) I have not had much luck finding them online. And Radio Shack looks at me like I am nuts. But I know that they have to be available some where.
If anyone can direct me to some online suppliers or know where these connectors can be located. I to would appreciate this info.
James
I’ll try Synergy in Oklahoma City, other than that, my uncle worked in electronics for 25 years or more, so he’ll know a good source.
Greg
Miniatronics makes some, but they aren’t cheap. Also look for “Deans Plugs” in the R/C section of the hobby shop. I got a pile of the 3-pin ones for $1 a set from the “Tool Lady” who comes to all the local train shows and has all sorts of useful bits like Dremel bits, knife blades, etc. I picked them up to use for putting DCC decoders in locos where the lights are mounted in the shell - 3 pins is perfect for the white, yellow, and blue decoder leads, but they make 2 and 4 pin versions as well.
–Randy
If you find out could you email me so I can get some to.
James
Me too[:)]
Connectors:
Search through these: http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=189&type=store
Thank you Nigel.
Everyone. These are just about exactly what I on my passenger cars. The only difference I can see right now is the the ones I bought had a male and a female in a set and mine were white.
But this is what I use.
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item/CON-230S/189/2-CONDUCTOR_CONNECTOR,_FEMALE_.html
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item/CON-230P/189/2_CONDUCTOR_CONNECTOR,_MALE_.html
Thank Nigel for solving our problem.
James