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Alternate flashing of front AND rear ditch lights

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  • Member since
    March 2014
  • 13 posts
Alternate flashing of front AND rear ditch lights
Posted by Archipapa on Friday, October 9, 2015 4:52 PM

I can't find this information anywhere.  I have an Athearn Genesis GP-15-1 with a soundtraxx Tsunami in it.  I want the front ditch lights to alternate flashing back and forth when moving forward and the horn is sounded.  I want the back ditchlights to do the same when in reverse.  I understand there be some re-wiring involved which is fime, I just need to know how and how to set the CV's.  The Tsunami only has the F5 and F6 ports on it with their associated common ports.  How do you get this kind of operation out of 4 ports when you have 8 wires coming into it??? 

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: S.E. Adirondacks, NY
  • 3,246 posts
Posted by modelmaker51 on Sunday, October 11, 2015 3:05 PM

You can't. You need at least a 6 function decoder.

Jay 

C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1 

Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums 

  • Member since
    March 2014
  • 13 posts
Posted by Archipapa on Monday, October 12, 2015 8:37 AM

Yah, I came to that same conclusion over the weekend.  I managed to get the lights to alternate back and forth but both the front and back do it at the same time.  Thanks for the reply.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, October 12, 2015 9:12 PM

Just a thought, you could use a cheapie low current SPDT relay parallel to the rear headlight.  It would only pull in when running in reverse, wire the relay contacts to swap the front and rear ditch light common (blue) wires.
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: City of Québec,Canada
  • 1,258 posts
Posted by Jacktal on Monday, October 12, 2015 11:24 PM

TCS make "function only" (FL2/FL4) decoders for these purposes.They're hard wire types.However,they do use the same CVs as Tsunamis,so you may need to disconnect one track lead from the TSU to program the TCS so you don't mess up the Tsunami settings.

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