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Headlight Direction-What am I Doing Wrong?

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  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 3:45 PM

 Haven't tried the lates ones since I am more than happy with TCS for my non-sound locos, but the previous ones, 163 and 165 series, have HORRIBLE BEMF. Big jumps at a couple of speed steps no matter what you do, because they gather all the 'error' you get when doing calculations in binary (rounding errors). The latest ones supposedly improve the BEMF, but I've settled on TCS as my standard for motor only, and Loksound for sound, no other decoders will go in my locos.

                         --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 25 posts
Posted by Iansa on Thursday, May 22, 2014 7:15 PM

Having been op DCC 19yrs and fitting decoders on a commercial bassis I think I know a little about decoders and the fitting/programing  of them.

Early Digitrax decoders were often a problem in one way or another.

The newer  ones may be different but once bitten twice shy as the saying goes

I have retired from fitting decoders on commercial basis but am often told of problems with Digitrax decoders by fellow modelers.

The only non sound decoders I use these days are DCCconcepts or TCS.

Cheers

Ian

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Duluth, MN
  • 343 posts
Posted by htgguy on Saturday, May 24, 2014 9:49 AM

Today I finally had the time and material to experiment a bit more on this loco. I ripped everything out down to the feeders, and reinstalled the decoder with the orange and gray leads swapped. That did the trick, I now have a "front" headlight that lights when the loco is moving forward, and goes out when direction is reversed. At least I got some more decoder installation practice. The installs seem to get neater the more you practice. 

Thanks for all the suggestions. 

Jim

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, May 24, 2014 10:56 AM

Doggone it, David, you were right again.   BowBowBow

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 693 posts
Posted by woodone on Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:29 PM

Hard to belive that it took us 37 replys to swap two wires.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:42 PM

woodone

Hard to belive that it took us 37 replys to swap two wires.

 

Yeah, but just think if that swap didn't solve the problem.  Laugh

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Saturday, May 24, 2014 5:08 PM

If all else fails, just follow instructions.

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.

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Christiana, TN
  • 2,134 posts
Posted by CSX Robert on Saturday, May 24, 2014 6:39 PM

woodone

Hard to belive that it took us 37 replys to swap two wires.

 

Not really.  About halfway through the frist page the original poster said he would swap the wires when he had time.  Then the thread veared off into a discussion about how DCC color codes aren't always right and DCC Ready isn't always DCC Ready, and a little bit of Digitrax bashing to top it all off.

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