This question may have been asked before...if so I apoligize. I have an HO scale Atlas MP15 with factory equipped QSI decoder and sound. Is there a way to program the decoder so that the headlight in the direction of travel is on bright and the other headlight is on dim, and they change depending on direction of travel? I've been told it's common for switcher type locomotives to do this with their headlights. I've looked at the manual that came with the locomotive and don't seem to find any info on how to do this if it's even possible. If anyone could give me a simple explanation of how to set the decoder to accomplish this I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
Here's a link to the manual. Try around page 114-115 http://www.qsisolutions.com/pdf/quantumdccrefmanual_4_6_0.pdf
Springfield PA
davidmbedardDidnt it do that out of the box? I thought that was the default for QSI decoders.
David:
I have an Atlas B23-7 with QSI decoder. I looked at the instructions and the way the decoder works (on this unit) is that the rear light is off and the front light is bright if the unit is going forward. If the unit is moving in reverse, then the rear light is bright and the front light is dim. My instructions refer to the QSI Quantum reference manual version 3, which is here: http://www.qsisolutions.com/pdf/q-dccman30.pdf I think on page 138 they discuss lighting, but I cannot find anywhere in this instruction where they discuss the ability to change anything.
Getting back to the OP's Atlas MP15, I looked in JMRI and found the unit in the QSI version 6 listing. I created a dummy entry and opened the comprehensive programmer. The lighting tab is greyed out, so I'm assuming that this means that there are no CV changes that can be made to change the lighting effects.
You're smarter than most of us on this topic, so maybe you can look and see if you concur.
The next question that I suppose could be asked would be if one of those upgrade chips would get the OP what he wants.
It appears that the lights were functioning as QSI intended them to. This didn't seem to be correct for Rule 17 lighting as understood it. I had a Stewart VO1000 (can't remember what decoder was in it...don't own it now) and it was programmed so that in the direction of travel that headlight was on bright and the light on the opposite end was on dim. It appears that this locomotives lighting is functioning as intended...just different than I was used to.
What's it actually doing? The manual description of Feature 70 sounds liek what you want, headlight bright in forward, dim in reverse.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker What's it actually doing? The manual description of Feature 70 sounds liek what you want, headlight bright in forward, dim in reverse. --Randy
I believe that he also wanted to have the rear light dim in forward and bright in reverse. If you take a look at the links I referenced above, it does not appear that this can be made to happen (the rear light is off in forward).
If the MP15 is moving forward the headlights will be bright in the front and off in the rear. If the unit is moving in reverse the headlights will be bright in the rear and dim in the front. Also if you are moving in reverse and stop the rear light goes off until you open the throttle again. My understanding of Rule 17 lighting was that the light in the direction of movement was on bright with the light on the opposite end on dim. It's not a world ending deal. It's just different than other locomotives I've had, and I guess I just didn't understand the way QSI programmed it.
Look on page 125, there's a listed option to set the rear light to DIM in FWD.
sisf1 try to set it. If you are not able to figure it out post it and I'll look it up and give you the individual cv settings.
Hamltnblue sisf1 try to set it. If you are not able to figure it out post it and I'll look it up and give you the individual cv settings.
It would be helpful, at least to me, if you could link to where you might find the CV setting info. I'm trying to learn, also. However, as I posted above if you look up this engine in JMRI and go to the comprehensive programming screen the lighting tab is greyed out, not allowing the tab to open.
In addition, I looked at the page that Randy referenced and there is an asterick under the table that says "if light is dimable, otherwise off" or something similar. It would probably also be helpful if the OP could tell us which version QSI decoder his engine has. When I went to the QSI website it seems that there are different diesel decoder reference manuals. My Atlas B23-7 has a version 3 decoder (http://www.qsisolutions.com/pdf/q-dccman30.pdf), and so far as I can determine from reading it there is not an option to change lighting effects.
Thanks
I just breezed through the version 3 manual and it does look like the option isn't there
You can get an upgrade chip to get the additional features.
http://www.qsisolutions.com/products/q-chip-upgrade.html
HamltnblueI just breezed through the version 3 manual and it does look like the option isn't there
Thanks for looking. That answers my question. Now all we need to do to answer the OP's question is for him to tell us what version came with his MP-15. It could be different in his case.
Thanks again.
The QSI site also notes that not all loco's will acquire dimming headlights with the chip change. You'd have to call them to confirm for your specific loco.