Just purchased 2 S1’s and was ordering the decoders when I notice that there is a short problem with the S1’s, can anybody give me more info and work around on this. Thanks Carl
Yes see my web page, or go directly to my webshots gallery
http://community.webshots.com/album/163958178NgaXTy
I have step by step pictures of adding a new wire to elminate the short potential and installing a decoder. If you use a different decoder, don’t forget to change the light bulbs. There really isn’t room for the resistors that would be needed to keep the original bulbs. Also check the TCS web site, they have pictures of an install as well.
–Randy
I used Randy’s site and was able to Get It Done. And I’m as green as barley grass extract.
Carl,
Welcome to the forum!
I just installed a Lenz decoder in my S1 a couple of weeks ago. I used Randy’s pictogram and found it VERY helpful. It’s a bit of a challenge but not too bad. I would encourage you to replace the 1.5v burbs with LED’s. Wow! What a difference! Feel free to fire off any additional questions you might have - while it’s still fairly fresh in my mind.
BTW, good choice in switchers. They are sweet! I hope you bought them from Trainworld?..
Tom
Thanks for the info on fixing this problem. Also thanks for the tip on the lite change. One other question, what receiver did you use? I’m getting a DH163P or DH123PS, good or not??? Once again Thanks for your help. Carl
I think you’ll find them a bit too big to cram in there, there’s not much space. A DZ163, or maybe one of the new DN143’s will probably be a better fit. If you aren’t stuck on using Digitrax decoders, the TCS M1 fits in real nice - see the TCS site, they have pictures of it.
–Randy
Carl,
I used the Lenz LE0524 - made to fit N and Z-scale locomotives. It was a bit more than I would have cared to spend but I took it on a recommendation because of another issue. This particular decoder is also NOT silent-running.
On the topic of LED’s. You’ll need to put in an in-line resistor so that you don’t overload the LED. Worth all the extra effort. No comparison to the 1.5v bulbs.
Tom
I used the DH163, no short problem, silent running. I am intrigued by the LED option, but clueless on even where to begin!
Craig,
You can pick up the LED from Litchfiled Station. (You could probably find it at Radio Shack, too.) I used a 3mm T1 LED (golden-white) WITH a 750 Ohm resistor. (Someone inforrmed me later that the “sunny-white” LED would actually look more prototypical for the S1 than the golden-white. Maybe I’ll change it to that at some point.)
Anyhow, all you need to do to install an LED as a front headlight is to:
- Solder one end of the resistor to your decoder’s BLUE wire, then
- Solder the other end of the resistor to the LED’s anode (the longer lead on the LED), then
- Solder the decoder’s white wire to the LED’s cathode (the shorter lead on the LED)
(The same would hold true for a rear light installion, except you would use the yellow wire instead of the white one.)
It’s good to insulate the two sides of the LED from one another with heat shrink. Black heat shrink over all but the front section of the LED will help concentrate and direct the LED’s beam more through the lense of the front headlight. It’s really not that bad of a conversion.
Craig, If you can solder a decoder into a locomotive, you can install an LED. The two things that are important and essential for proper installatin of an LED are:
- The need for an correct-sized resistor (Otherwise, you LED goes POOF!)
- Correct orientation of the LED, as described above. (Current can only travel through an LED in one direction. If the LED is wired backwards, it won’t light up.)
I replaced the “green” LED in the 2-8-2 Mike below and it was easier to do than my S1. Wow! What a difference! Craig, if you install it correctly, I guarantee you that you won’t regret it. Let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Tom
Na, I think the Golden-White is just perfect for first-generation diesels and steam locos with electric lights. Older lights like that were kind of a dull yellow color just like the GW LED. FOr modern power, they have halogen sealed beam lights and so forth, and the Sunny White and/or the regular white LEDs with the slight blui***int are more correct.
The only problem comes when the LED is directly visible - the yellow color when it’s turned off becomes apparent then. But so far all the ones I’ve done have light pipes or plastic lenses in front so the LED isn’t directly visible when it’s turned off.
–Randy
Well, I’m gonna give it a shot, I will report back when complete!!!
I’m not sure if the P2K S1 has more space available than the P2K S3, but the S3 was extremely cramped. I could not fit a DHxxx and needed to use a DZxxx.
Same size. Difference is in the trucks used.
Tom,
I’ve been trying all afternoon to replace headlight bulbs in a Proto 2K FA1 with Golden White LED. This iteration of P2K has black(ain’t blue unless P2K had some navy blue wire in their bins!)and yellow wires running to headlight. I know the convention is to have blue(+) and white wires to headlight. So I assumed(use of that word makes me nervous) black would go to anode of LED and yellow to cathode. I put 1K, 1/4 watt resistor in line with anode-I know from reading the forum it doesn’t matter which lead you put resistor in line with. So that being done several times over and checking hook up I wind up with LED with a barely visible glow. Not what replacement of bulb was supposed to yield.
I used the DCC ready plug with a Train Control Systems DP5X decoder. Replacing bulb was idea weeks post putting decoder in. With LED in, unit runs per usual decoder excellence but as cited above LED is worse than original bulb. So, I’ve got this unsettling feeling that the LED install isn’t quite as straight forward as I thought. Is there something on the original Proto board that may be impacting LED performance? As I’ve stated before on the forum I’m a plug-n-play type hence stayed with original P2K board and plugged into the eight pin connector.
Gotten to the point where if I had any straws in the house I’d grasp at them. [:D] [sigh]
I’ve done a search of archives but haven’t uncovered any specifics on impact of original P2K board on LED install. Ran across your S1 thread obviously and thought there might be something you ran into with the LED into S1 that was comparable to what I’m getting re LED performance. So, any help will be really appreciated.
Jon [8D]
Jon,
Wow! Here’s a thread from the past.
If you re-read the longer post that I wrote, I used a 750ohm resistor with my 3mm LED. Give that a try and see what happens. My guess is that the 1K resistor is too restrictive. Let me know if that works for you.
Also, remember blue (or whatever P2K uses) is the common for BOTH front and rear headlights. White is the other wire for the front; yellow for the rear.
Tom
I took the whole thing apart and installed a cab-end LED headlight instead of the silly thing with the plastic light-pipe, which was barely visible, even in the dark. I put the LED right behind the end of the cab, where it belongs. With nice bright bulbs at both ends, I can see what’s going on even with the lights out.
It was a bit of work to get the cab-end hood off, but it was worth it to have the headlight. Also, side glow from the LED lights up the cab nicely.
Hi, Folks,
As long as we’re discussing LED’s here I was wondering if anyone has used an LED for a Mars Light application? I have a Life-Like Nickle Plate Berkshire that I’m planning to use the Mars light and didn’t know if it is OK to use an LED. I have had beautiful success with other Mars lights using GOW bulbs but these were in Diesels so the size of the bulb wasn’t an issue, exactly.
From what I’ve learned about LEDs the varying voltage that a simulated Mars Light depends on does not work for LEDs…
Any input would be appreciated! Thanks,
ED
Tom,
One of the things that’s weird with this P2K FA1 is the wiring color to the headlight: yellow and black(my prior note, maybe Proto had some navy blue wire? [:D] Navy blue sometimes being almost indistinguishable from black.). There is no stock rear light. The unit has not been rewired, completely stock which means it was completely a PIA to get to stock bulb. Getting to stock bulb was an instance of some things really aren’t designed to be taken apart.
I will pursue the resistor value avenue although I’m thinking right now there isn’t much “juice” coming forward to drive LED. The fact that there is enough “juice” to drive bulb but not enough to drive LED will be explored also. Back to Ohm’s Law I guess. Maybe after reacquainting myself with same I’ll use terms more appropriate than “juice”. [:D]
Jon [8D]
Tom,
Aha, something to measure(1.5V). Ran across an entry dated Dec’04 from “Vampire” where he cited voltage expected to be seen to drive headlight on Proto units. Then was rereading this thread and saw your above quoted entry. Be nice if manufacturer’s fleshed out their info packages a bit. The parts drawing/list for FA1 has entry “FA headlight bulb”. Hmm, I don’t think the GE 60 watt softlight is going to fit. [:D]
Have an Atlas GP7 with early Soundtraxx unit in it with non-functioning head and rear lights. If I get the FA LED thing sorted out the GP7 will be next LED exercise. Really looking forward to it. [;)]
Jon [8D]
Jon,
And when you do, we want to see pics…[:)]
Tom