hello my name is Wil
I am new here
I have a question about a digitrax decoder
digitrax DH165KO with SFX004
According to the manual the function outputs F1 toF4 are 12 volts
the bulbs (1.5volt/15mA) 1.3mm connected with a resistance of 820 ohms nothing happened
If I remove the resistor,lights burn very weak You can hardly see them
What am I doing wrong
Study the instruction sheet that came with the DH165KO decoder – you don’t need resistors on some of the light function wiring because they are built into the decoder.
You must also program some of the CVs in order to make the ditch lights operative – simply connecting bulbs doesn’t do anything until the decoder is programmed to turn them on.
But i did programming the cv for special effects
cv49 104
cv50 120
cv51 106
cv52 107
cv62 196
cv63 064
cv36 12 (remapping F1/F2
The effects are working If I press F2[:D], but barely visible[:(]
It seems that the decoder does not provide enough voltage
Where did you connect the common side for the ditch lights? Pretty sure the end connections between the track pickups are only for the forward and reverse lights, which are limited. There’s a pad in the middle for an alternate blue wire connection.
And are you sure the bulbs are what you think they are?
–Randy
one lamp on F1, the second on F2, the commom wires on the common blue pad in the middel of the decoder
The bulbs are sondtraxx 1.5volt 15mA according to the leaflet
What leaflet are you referring to ? Soundtraxx does not make bulbs.
You seem to be confusing two different decoder manufacturers with your comments – first you said you have a Digitrax decoder and now you’re mentioning SoundTraxx, which is a totally different product.
I don’t know what bulbs he actually has, but yes it appears that Soundtraxx does offer bulbs: http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/wiring.php . Look under lighting products.
The decoder is digitrax DH165KO, the bulbs are soundtraxx 1.3mm Microbulbs 6pack 1.5Volt 15mAmp
Leaflet included in the pack
After looking carefully at the board I’m not sure I trust the instructiosn that say only the F0F andf F0R are limited, all the connections for the ‘blue wire’ both on the ends and that pad in the middle, connect to the same place on the decoder by the trace that says cut to change it to 30ma. The blue wire in a dcoder is the source, the + common for all lights, the actual function lines are the grounds, so I’m not sure how the decoder could be set up based on what I see on the traces and not limit ALL functions.
That brings in problem #2. Current limiting is touchy on incandescent bulbs. Slightly too much resistor and they are very dim. Or if the bulb actually draws closer to 20ma instead of the listed 15ma.
–Randy