Control panel lights with DCC

[fender777]

Hi.I am getting ready to attach my new Dcc unit to my old panel.I broke the layout up into 3 sections for now.My 14 gauge bus arrives at the panel and i connect them to my double pole center off swiches'I solder them on also.But I had littel red lights from radio shack wired to each switch with a resistor that lit up when that block was on.Will the DCC AC  current blows them.They worked and looked great using DC.I can just clip the wire if it would be bad for the DCC unit.Also guys I went for the Nce power cab not the Zepher.Thanks BOB

[maxman]

What voltage rating are the bulbs?  Full DC voltage is normally 12 volts, but the DCC system will put about 14 volts to the track.  So you could burn them out.

In addition, the bulbs will draw current away from the track, so less will be available for the trains.

Finally, with DCC you will normally have all the tracks powered, which means that all the block toggles will normally be on.  So all of the panel lights will also normally be on.

I'm not sure if those little bulbs care if they are AC or DC.  Someone smarter than I would have to answer that question.

[Seamonster]

No, incandescent bulbs don't care if they are fed AC or DC. But, Maxman makes a good point. You won't be using blocks any more. Your entire layout will be powered at all times with DCC so there is no point in having lights showing which block is on--they're all on.

[maxman]

Seamonster

Your entire layout will be powered at all times with DCC so there is no point in having lights showing which block is on--they're all on.

 

I suppose, though, that if the block toggles are going to be retained there is always the possibility that someone could inadvertently turn off one of the blocks.  If the little bulbs are there that might save hours of looking for why the engine has suddenly stopped running.

[floridaflyer]

Some like to be able to have a dead block when storing engines even with DCC,. a light  could be usefull to indicate power to the storage or siding tracks..

[Seamonster]

Okay, I see your point. The lights could be operated from the DCC power by re-calculating the resistor value for the DCC voltage. But wouldn't a lot of bulbs be a significant drain on the DCC buss?

[rrinker]

 Good way to do panel lights to indicate power to a track section with DCC is to get a bicolor LED for each section, and a 1K resistor. Especially if you have a DCC system that can run an analog loco - the LED will change color from red to green as you use an analog loco on address 00. Well, more like from orange to more red-orange and more green-orange, but anyway.. A bicolor LED with 1K resistor wired across the trakc section will draw 10ma or so - hardly significant. Incandescent bulbs of 14-16V rating will work without resistors, those will usually be around 30-50ma. A big panel light is going to suck quite a bit of power - stick with the LEDs - hardly any power plus they'll never burn out.

                                                           --Randy