Hello! I have two proto 2000 Fa-1 and a B-unit to go with it. I just finished installing dcc decoders in both of them (digitrax DH127 in both dcc ready locomotives) and just know trying to install a new LED light into the A-unit. The light would not turn on, ive tried using a different LED that does work, ive tried swapping the two sides of the wires, changing the direction of the locomotive, and tried to turn off and on the light function button on the controller. Both units run fine and are running with sufficient power. Im unsure of what the problem could be. Any suggestions?
(The LEDs do have resistors to prevent the lights from burning out.)
I didn’t see it mentioned but you are using the blue (+) wire and the white (headlight F0f) wires? All my Proto 2000 FAs are older models and I eliminated the Life-Like ‘lighting board’ to eliminate all the unnecessary electronics.
Is your Digitrax DH 127 an 8pin plug in or is it hard wired to the rest of the locomotive wiring?
Parker, just a couple of wild guesses here. One, if you have JMRI look at the mapping of the decoder, maybe the function 0 has been scrambled. Second, does the decoder have any built in resistors, and did you add resistors, thereby adding too much resistance ? Both of these are probably a little off base. Thirdly, check your solder joint to the decoder, might be faulty.
I am not using the LED that came with the locomotive, the ones i am using are EDGELEC warm white LEDs with a 0.25 watt resistor with the positive wire being the brown wire and the negative being the black wire.
the dcc plug is a drop in plug, but a few of the wires had become brittle and broke off which in an attempt to not have to buy another, I had to re-solder the wires (pictures attached).
Quick note: these engines were bought from a friend of mine, he told me that these were functional but did not know if they were dcc ready. I assume that he had not opened the models incase there were any opposing issues (there werent any thankfully) however i am mot sure if the chips are still stock considering that the two dont have the same capacitors in them.
