Flashing ditch lights on DCC

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

hey everyone

Im finishing up most of my decoder installations. How do u do ditch lights on locomotives using boads. The ones im talking about are Kato SD90, and AC4400. I put a NCE d14sr. Can any one help me? Any pitcures around on doing this too?

Thanks

2

Caso,

Do you know if the NCE D14SR decoder has mars lights or FX function capability?

Tom

Just double-checked the specs on the NCE D14SR. Looks like it’s a 4 function decoder so it should have that capability. I’m sure someone will be able to pipe right in about how to set it up. I have a Digitrax DH163IP in a GP38-2 so I’ll be interested in finding out myself. [:)]

3

The Kato SD90s dont have the ability to have flashing ditch lights unless you have modified the lighting in the loco. I cant tell you about the Ac4400s I dont own any of them. As for the abilities of your decoder I dont know if it has that ability I dont own any of that type at the moment.

4

Both the KATO SD90 and AC4400, use two bulbs mounted on the electronics board to provide all lighting, front and rear. Plastic tubes carry the light to the various lenses. You will have to install seperate ditch lights and wire them directly into the decoder (a job on my own “to do” list). Yes, I believe the 14 series decoders have both ditch light and mars light functions, check the installation instructions for wiring.

Tilden

5

quoted (verbatim) from the NCE D13SRJ Manual (I don’t have the D14SR)

Somewhere in the manual, it mentions that the instructions apply to all NCE v 3.5 decoders.

CV Mapping Table:

Output Number

4 3 2 1

CV 33 F0 FWD 8

6

The D14SR has enough functions, and it does do ditch lights. Unless I am mistaken there is a picture of how to wire them in the instructions, and even possibly the CV settings to make it work. You need one function for each light, and as part of the CV configuration there is the concept of a phase A and phase B - if the lights are to alternately flash then one has to be phase A and the other phase B. A is on when B is off, and vice-versa.

–Randy

7

So I but one ditch light to each function.

Then my next question is, how do you get flashing then?

Set certain CV’s

and how do i get them to come on together.

Thanks

Caso

8

All the information you need about wiring and programming flashing ditch lights with the NCE D14SR decoder is provided in the instruction sheet that comes with the decoder. You can download that manual from NCE if you don’t have one available.

http://www.ncedcc.com/d14sr.pdf

This manual even has a diagram showing where to connect the ditch light wires, and explains which values to program into which CVs to enable flashing ditch lights.

9

thanks for the help everyone

10

can anyone explain this to me?

Recommended Lighting:

If you use LEDs we recommend a 1K ohm 1/4 Watt series resistor in each function lead

➙ Miniatronics #12-310-05 Yellow Glo White LEDs.

➙ Richmond Controls (or equivalent) Golden White LEDs.

➙ Miniatronics #18-712-10 (12v) or #18-014-10 (14v) incandescent bulbs

11

It means that you will need a resistor to drop the voltage from 12 volts for your LEDS. Most LEDS that come with resistors are intended for 12volt usage…

2 wires go to each LED. The LED will have 2 leads…one long (positive lead) and one short (negitive lead). The positive lead will go to your BLUE wire and the negitive lead will go to your OTHER wire (be it White, Yellow, Green or Violet). You will ALSO need to put the resistor on one of the leads…doesnt matter which one…If you dont, you will FRY the LED.

David

12

so the bulbs they suggest i still need to add a resistor to this?

well thats great

what if i have two bulbs coming out of one function?

what do i do then?

13

However - for ditch lights you probably want bulbs, and you need SMALL ones, unless you have figured out a way to keep the light source up in the body and use the light pipes to conduct the light to the actual ditch light castings. There are some very tiny 1.5 volt bulbs that can be fit into the actual ditch light (might require some drilling), if you go that route. 1.5 volt bulbs also need resistors to work on a DCC decoder, the value will be determined by the characteristics fo the bulb.

There are also some tiny surface mount LEDs available from Richmond Controls and others that would work - but these are NOT easy to solder wires to.

If you are going to keep the light pipes, small LEDs like the 3mm Yelo-Glo would work, although a more white LED would be more appropriate. The yellow-white types like the Yelo-Glo are more appropriate for steam loco and older diesel headlights. Modern high-intensity lights are more like the Sunny WHite type of LED.

–Randy

14

the bulbs that NCE recommends, do i need to add resistors to them?

Im kinda confused at times with electronics and stuff, it never was my thing more my dads thing to do.

15

Go to the Digitrax site and read the DIGITRAX DECODER MANUAL.

David

16

David - Check the original post! He’s using a NCE decoder. So why check the Digitrax Decoder Manual???

As a previous poster stated go to the NCE website and printout the manual for your specific decoder. The manual will tell you exactly what value resistor to use for the type of bulb you are using. You will need to know the bulb’s voltage and amp draw. The manual also explains what resistor to use with LEDs. To install ditch lights so that the will flash alternately you will need a separate bulb for each light. A small 1.5v bulb works best. Each bulb is connected to a separate light function. For example

F0 = Front Headlight

F1 - Rear Headlight

F2 = Left Ditchlight

F3 = Right Ditchlight

Once you have everything installed the NCE decoder manual will walk you through programming the specific CVs, and their values, so that the ditch lights will flash when the proper function button is pushed, usually the horn. The manual will also explain programming the CV that allows you to select how long the flashing sequence lasts after the F button is pushed.

The NCE decoder manual does an excellent job of explaining how to program their decoders for various light functions.

jktrains

17

The Digitrax Decoder manual covers more than just Digitrax decoders…it contains the information that he was seeking (and by his other posts, he is using the Digitrax SFX decoders in his other locos). That is why I recommended the read.

David