Hi guys,
This has sort of been an ongoing thing with my Tsunami SoundCar Decoder for a week or so and I'm trying to work with the them to figure it out but thought I'd see if anyone here had any ideas here.
Tsunami SoundCar, installed in an Athearn Bombardier Cab Car. Install went just as good as all my other HO DCC installs. LED's for lights, ditch/headlight/red for reverse. Wired in resistors that came with the LED's.(Streamlined backshop LED's with resistors for Athearn). Speaker and then of course wheel brushes to pick up power.Everything is in, programs fine and works fantastic! Except the ditch lights. I have it set for crossings so when I use the horn the ditch lights go from solid to alternating flashing then back to solid.
My issue is the lights are supposed to flash. OFF/ON/OFF/ON.....basically the power to the led should be 0%/100%/0% and so on. Mine aren't doing that. They are more dimming. They flash correctly rate wise and all. But they do more of a 50%/100%/50% type flash. And it doesn't look right at all. Like I said, everything works perfecftly other than that flashing. I've reset the decoder twice, clearing all other inputs and started over but each time get the same result. I have the CV's set to include the fact they are LED's. So that's not it. I know if it was set to a regular incandescent that might be it, but it's not.
Any ideas? Sort of stumpted on this one.
Mike
I see in the manual there is a Type 1 and a Type 2 ditch light, but they don't say what the difference is.
If it is the same as loksound Type 1 is on when not flashing and Type 2 is off when not flashing.
I would decrease the flash rate and see if that makes a difference.. pages 19-20
https://soundtraxx.com/content/Reference/Manuals/SoundCar/soundcar_usersguide.pdf
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Henry,Tried both of those. I can change the flash rate and it responds accordingly. But doesn't change the dumb way they flash with not going all the way out.
Only difference in type 1 and type 2 is, if Grade Crossing Logic is enabled type 1 ditchs lights go from on to flashing to back on steady. Type 2 goes from flashing to off. That's the only difference really.
Did you configure the lighting effects CVs for LEDs, as mentioned in item 3 from page 19 of the manual?
3. If you are using LED bulbs, enable LED Compensation Mode by adding 128 to the value from Step 1 (or Step 2 if using Rule 17 Mode). If you are using incandescent bulbs, skip to Step 4
This is very critical, LEDs and incandescent bulbs dim in two very different ways.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Randy,
Yes I did buddy. I thought for sure that was it but it didn't seem to change anything. But each time I've done the reset I've made sure to add in the 128 for the LED's. Still nothing. That's why I'm so confused as to what it could be?
Soundtrax support Phone: (970) 259-0690 ext. 22
or https://groups.io/g/SoundTraxxUsers
Just found this off a Tsunami LED compensation instruction::
"To see this in action, install a LED and a 1k (1000 ohm) resistor onto the white wire (F0f, Headlight) and the blue wire. "
That to me says you need to install a 1k resistor on each wire. The white AND the blue common.I didn't do that. Never have. All my Loksound only need one and work just fine. I've never had to do a resistor on both wires?
Does that sound right?!?!?!
If it does......that's my problem.
https://soundtraxx.com/content/Reference/Manuals/Tsunami2/Installation-Guide.pdf
Page 14
Pretty sure. This isn't the manual for the SoundCar but that page shows a diagram with a 1k resistor on just the cathode. Not both. So I have that part right I guess.
Nothing against Tsunami but I sure do like Loksound decoders better :)
The soundcar wiring diagram doesn't show any resistors at all.
https://soundtraxx.com/content/Reference/Manuals/SoundCar/soundcarwiring.pdf
edit You misunderstood the advice; bold print is my understanding
"To see this in action, install a LED and a 1k (1000 ohm) resistor onto the white wire (F0f, Headlight) and the blue wire."
2 leads, one led, one resistor
Henry,
Yes I thinik you're right. I did misunderstand that. Was hoping that was the solution. Dang.
Give them a call, at worst you leave a message in their voice mail. You might get a real person right off. It's not like they are going to call you stupid, that's what you have forum friends for
You might need more resistence. LEDs, especially the really small ones they would use for the ditch lights, are insanely efficient and are very bright with even minimal current, so adding some additional resistance may make the 'off'o part actually off instead of dim.
It's one resistor per LED, not one in the function lead AND one in the blue common, that's no different than any decoder.
I might try another resistor or a larger one. We'll see. Just weird this exact combo works flawlessly in all my Loksound locos. Just totally baffled.
Thanks guys. And Henry, I'm already in touch with George via email from Soundtraxx and he's perplexed as well. So that makes me feel a little less stupid! LOL!
Double them up (in series) - if it's dimmer but still not off, try replacing the resistors with something bigger, like a 4.7k. Those little LEDs are SUPER efficient. 1K is about 9ma, they probably glow with as little as 1ma. Or the LED handling of the Soundcar decoder is about as good as older Digitrax decoders. Might want to double check that it actually took the 128+ value you think you programmed in.
One would think Soundtraxx would know that and offer that suggestion.