E-6 First.
OK, want to make sure I get the right decoders so I don't burn out the stock lighting. On the E-6, it is Proto 2000, it will run in a consist and will be the led engine. I want the Mars lights to work. Digitrax site says to use either a DH 163 P or a DH 123 P. I know I have to re solder a few wires. I will be using the stock board. I would like to use the 123 because of cost and have been told I should not use the EMF when running in a consist so why spend the extra for something I won't use.
Will the stock lighting live with either decoder? Reason I asked is on the Digitrax site it said a DH 163 would work with my F-3 PK 1000, soon as I turned on the headlight it blew up real good! On my SD-7 PK 2000 both decoders worked with stock light.
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Erie Built PK 1000 same question. I think it is a bulb not a LED, with the stock board and a DH 123 or 163 would it be OK? Again it will be part of a Consists so I will not need EMF.
Thanks for the coming answers.
DCC Dumb Ken
I hate Rust
BEST way? Replace the headlight with an LED. Replace the silly dual filament bulb with a standard bulb, a 14-16v one should be ok since the Mars light flashes and ins't on solid, but you could use a 1.5 volt bulb and a resistor. Junk the silly board that comes with the loco, and use the Mars light function effect on the decoder. The Mars light will look better than just enabling control of it through the stock circuit board.
You don;t even have to remove the stock board, the deocder can sit on top of it so if you ever want to change the loco back to stock you cna clip off the wires and reattach them to the tabs on the stock board.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
First, just because a manufacturer recommends a specific decoder for a specific locomotive doesn't mean that you won't have to do a little work like changing out light bulbs. The recommendation usually means that the decoder will either plug into the socket on the mfg board or is a replacement for the mfg board and will fit within the shell.
Second,top being cheap and buy the better decoder. You can use BEMF in a consist, just all units in a consist should have it so they're not fighting each other.
CudaKen strikes again!
cudaken E-6 First. OK, want to make sure I get the right decoders so I don't burn out the stock lighting. On the E-6, it is Proto 2000, it will run in a consist and will be the led engine. I want the Mars lights to work. Digitrax site says to use either a DH 163 P or a DH 123 P. I know I have to re solder a few wires. I will be using the stock board. I would like to use the 123 because of cost and have been told I should not use the EMF when running in a consist so why spend the extra for something I won't use. Will the stock lighting live with either decoder? Reason I asked is on the Digitrax site it said a DH 163 would work with my F-3 PK 1000, soon as I turned on the headlight it blew up real good! On my SD-7 PK 2000 both decoders worked with stock light. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Erie Built PK 1000 same question. I think it is a bulb not a LED, with the stock board and a DH 123 or 163 would it be OK? Again it will be part of a Consists so I will not need EMF. Thanks for the coming answers. DCC Dumb Ken
Ken,
I found the following link on Digitrax's website about getting the Mars lights to work. There isn't any information on their website as to whether they are bulbs or LEDs. I've never had any of my P2Ks come with LEDs but mine are all freight diesels (i.e. SD60s, SD50s, GP38-2s etc...)
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Thanks for the answer Jeff. My Proto 1000 F-3's came with LEDs.
Cuda Ken
cudaken Thanks for the answer Jeff. My Proto 1000 F-3's came with LEDs. Cuda Ken
Actually, now that I think of it, it really hasn't mattered for me. I've used all DH163 and DH165L0 decoders. They all have built in current limiting. So whether Lifelike put 12v, LEDs or lower voltage bulbs in, it wouldn't have mattered. It's one of the reasons I prefer current limiting decoders.