New question: can an LED be wired directly from DCC track power (asuming a curent limiter) as a power to track indicator?
RicZ
Yes but you should either use a bi-color LED or hook an ordinary 1N4001 diode anti-parallel to the LED to protect it from excessive reverse voltage.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Scroll down about three quarters of the way. Loads of good info.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/gorhlite.htm
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I wired 1 Amp diode bridge rectifiers to the track using their AC input contacts. Then the DC output goes through a 1K Ohm resistor to 3mm green LEDs mounted on the layout. If something derails or otherwise causes a PSX-AR to trip, a quick glance at the LEDs shows us which train is at fault.
Randy, when you state anti-parallel, do you mean cathode to anode in series with a resistor like this?
Flip D around. It can go there, or you can connect the anode of D to the cathode of LED, and the cathode of D to the anode of LED.
Like this:
Except D1 would be a 1N4001 instead of a green LED. As shown, it's essential the internal circuit of a bi-color 2 lead LED.
Got it, thanks for the clarification.