new minor issue, headlight goes out then goes on, everything else is fine

[rrebell]

I have DCC Digitrax. Engine that everything worked on before and now except for headlight. It with go on or not, flickers sometimes, goes out for a whine the goes back to normal, what you think, lose wire, all other things work fine including sound.

[Overmod]

Is this one of the systems that sends the headlight and 'horn blow' in the same packet?  It might be diagnostic at least to blow the horn when you see the headlight issue...

[7j43k]

TOP of the list:

loose wire

THEN:

something else

 

Ed

[rrebell]

Overmod

Is this one of the systems that sends the headlight and 'horn blow' in the same packet?  It might be diagnostic at least to blow the horn when you see the headlight issue...

 

No

[tstage]

A couple of intial questions...

• Is this a locomotive with just a front headlight?

• How are the decoder wires attached to the locomotive?  8-pin NMRA socket?  Or, are they held onto soldering pads with slide-on plastic clips?

If it's the latter I would - at the very least - solder the white and blue wires onto the solder pad for a better electrical connection.

Tom

[CSX Robert]

Overmod

Is this one of the systems that sends the headlight and 'horn blow' in the same packet?  It might be diagnostic at least to blow the horn when you see the headlight issue...

 

rrebell

 

No

 

 

Actually, all systems, when operating at 28 or 128 speed steps, send the headlight and 'horn blow' (FL and F1-F4) in the same packet.  When operating at 14 speed steps, the headlight is controlled by the speed/direction packet and all of the other functions are controlled separately.

This does bring up another point, though.  What speed step setting are you using, and if 14 or 28, are you sure the decoder and command station agree (if the decoder is set for 14 and the command station is set for 28, the headlight will turn on and off depending on the speed setting)?

[richhotrain]

rrebell

I have DCC Digitrax. Engine that everything worked on before and now except for headlight. It with go on or not, flickers sometimes, goes out for a whine the goes back to normal, what you think, lose wire, all other things work fine including sound. 

"Flickers" seems to be the operative word here. That strongly suggests a loose wire connection. I would check there first.

If not a loose wire, then how about dirty wheels or dirty track?

Rich

[rrebell]

I will go with loose wire as I have never even taken the shell off, but other projects come first, just wanted to see if I was missing something, engine has run perfectly since I got. Track good wheels good.