Hello all,
I have an IHC GG-1 and I was looking to upgrade it to DCC. I found a set of instructions but I'm still a little confused on one part (this is my first attempt at wiring DCC like this). This is what i was planning to follow: www.wiringfordcc.com/ihc_gg1.htm . The step I'm a little lost on is the wiring for the lights. Can i just let them go and not attach them to the decoder and they'll behave like they would in DC? I'm just looking for basic operation on a layout with other DCC locos, nothing fancy and over the top with light functions. Thanks for the help guys
You could, but it's not hard to hook up the lights properly.
One lead of each light needs to go to the blue wire from the decoder.
The white wire fromt he deocder goes to the free lead of the light in teh front (GG-1's are double-ended, but one side was always deisgnated front, if IHC put the decals on there shoudl be a little F down near the frame to indicate the front end)
The yellow wire from the decoder goes to the free lead of the other light bulb.
That's all there is to it.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks Randy! I checked and there is no specific "front" so I'm good to go with that. I did have one oter question though concerning the lights. They attach directly to the motor feeds and then a single line goes into the motor, should i completely disattach both of the lights wires or keep one attached etc? and also if i do disattach both, does it matter which wire gets the blue and which one gets the yellow/white?
Do you have a pic of it with the frame off? Also do you have a meter so you can verify that the motor/brushes are isolated from the frame? Your description of the wiring suggests it's old and may not be isolated.
Springfield PA
PenguinsFan14 I checked and there is no specific "front" so I'm good to go with that.
I checked and there is no specific "front" so I'm good to go with that.
According to the following website, there is a specific "front": http://queensofelectricengines.blogspot.com/2010/07/gg1-glossary-technical-curiosities.html
It is the end with the steam boiler equipment.
Well if IHC declined to put the little F decal on - pick one.
They are 12V bulbs if they are directly across the motor. Youw ant to disconenct BOTH wires, the light circuit and the motor circuit are two seperate things on a decoder. Pick one and if the light turns on opposite the direction that the loco moves, it can be fixed by adjusting the decoder CVs.
If this is an older single motor version, the electric circuity grounds through the frame making it quite dificult to fully isolate the motor from then rails as is necessary for DCC. The motor mount design, kind of an odd-ball vertical mount, does not permit just putting tape betwen the motor and the frame and running a wire to the associated brush. I gave up trying to do this. A note of caution, if you try running this version as a zero address on a DCC system you may well burn out the motor. It may appear to operate properly at the start but may overheat therafter.
If you can get a twin motor version, one motor and front and one at back, the frame is not a ground and a decoder is fairly easily installed. Just make sure you keep track of all the pick-up wires. They run very well on DCC. The twin motor versions may have been marketed by other firms along with IHC.
R. Vollmar
It is a dual motor one, and it seems like i would be much better off buying new LEDs with resistors etc. Any suggestions on brands or anything like that? also, im assuming the decoder has only one blue wire so ill have to split it off to both headlights or attach both lights to the same common wire?
it is a dual motor, and im thinking that it would be just easier and better looking to get new LEDs with capacitors etc on them. Any suggestions on brands? also im assuming that the DCC harness only has one blue wire so do i just attach both negative ends of the LEDs to the same common wire?
Here's a good source of LED's
http://www.richmondcontrols.com/
PenguinsFan14 it is a dual motor, and im thinking that it would be just easier and better looking to get new LEDs with capacitors etc on them. Any suggestions on brands? also im assuming that the DCC harness only has one blue wire so do i just attach both negative ends of the LEDs to the same common wire?
Yes and other functions if you use them.
Joe
Sounds good! thanks a bunch guys!