Question on Atlas wiring?

[rs2mike]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

There is an NMRA standard on that (S-9). When the right hand rail is positive (polarity), the locomotive should run forward.

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-9.html

The light will depend on what type it is. A 12 to 15 volt bulb should be tied in parallel with the motor. Smaller bulbs or LED's get a bit more complicated, requiring dropping resistors or being tied in series with the motor. I'd need more specifics to answer in more detail.

Thanks tom, I think a small voltage bulb will be in there for now.  2 if I am going to have directional lighting.  This is going to be  decoder equipped.  Eventually when I get over to the shack I will get some leds or get some from online.  I have resistors already but my electrical merit badge was a looooonnngggg time ago.

An early application of constant brightness lighting used a pair of diodes, joined anode to cathode on both ends, tied in series with the motor. This gave a constant voltage drop, and by connecting a low voltage bulb (1.5 to 2 volt) in parallel with the diodes, the lamp would come on before the motor started, and maintain a constant brightness, no matter what the speed. The diode's current rating had to be above the motor's stall current to prevent burnout. By connecting LED's in parallel with the diodes, you should be able to get directional switching as well.

Thanks tom.

[TomDiehl]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

There is an NMRA standard on that (S-9). When the right hand rail is positive (polarity), the locomotive should run forward.

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-9.html

The light will depend on what type it is. A 12 to 15 volt bulb should be tied in parallel with the motor. Smaller bulbs or LED's get a bit more complicated, requiring dropping resistors or being tied in series with the motor. I'd need more specifics to answer in more detail.

Thanks tom, I think a small voltage bulb will be in there for now.  2 if I am going to have directional lighting.  This is going to be  decoder equipped.  Eventually when I get over to the shack I will get some leds or get some from online.  I have resistors already but my electrical merit badge was a looooonnngggg time ago.

An early application of constant brightness lighting used a pair of diodes, joined anode to cathode on both ends, tied in series with the motor. This gave a constant voltage drop, and by connecting a low voltage bulb (1.5 to 2 volt) in parallel with the diodes, the lamp would come on before the motor started, and maintain a constant brightness, no matter what the speed. The diode's current rating had to be above the motor's stall current to prevent burnout. By connecting LED's in parallel with the diodes, you should be able to get directional switching as well.

[rs2mike]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

There is an NMRA standard on that (S-9). When the right hand rail is positive (polarity), the locomotive should run forward.

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-9.html

The light will depend on what type it is. A 12 to 15 volt bulb should be tied in parallel with the motor. Smaller bulbs or LED's get a bit more complicated, requiring dropping resistors or being tied in series with the motor. I'd need more specifics to answer in more detail.

Thanks tom, I think a small voltage bulb will be in there for now.  2 if I am going to have directional lighting.  This is going to be  decoder equipped.  Eventually when I get over to the shack I will get some leds or get some from online.  I have resistors already but my electrical merit badge was a looooonnngggg time ago.

[Johnnny_reb]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

There is an NMRA standard on that (S-9). When the right hand rail is positive (polarity), the locomotive should run forward.

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-9.html

The light will depend on what type it is. A 12 to 15 volt bulb should be tied in parallel with the motor. Smaller bulbs or LED's get a bit more complicated, requiring dropping resistors or being tied in series with the motor. I'd need more specifics to answer in more detail.

Thank you for post the link to the NMRA S-9 standard. I've always wondered about that.

[TomDiehl]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

There is an NMRA standard on that (S-9). When the right hand rail is positive (polarity), the locomotive should run forward.

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/s-9.html

The light will depend on what type it is. A 12 to 15 volt bulb should be tied in parallel with the motor. Smaller bulbs or LED's get a bit more complicated, requiring dropping resistors or being tied in series with the motor. I'd need more specifics to answer in more detail.

[rs2mike]

Yeah wire leads away from frame ok.  But I am correct with the wiring and how to hook up a light?

[loathar]

Make sure your motor leads are insulated from the frame if your going to wire directly to the motor.

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

Whichever way makes it run the right way.  Really. 

[rs2mike]

This motor will be one from mdc from their rs-3.  I got one spare from a seller on ebay who has a ton of old mdc stock that they bought.  It has dual brass flywheels, and has sealed windings but you can see the carbon sticks.

Mike

[rs2mike]

I have a frame and trucks for a rs-3 that I got from ebay to complete my roundhouse rs.  My question is simple as I want to verify what I think about wiring the motor.  Right side truck from both trucks to top of motor and left side truck from both trucks to bottom of motor.  Is this correct?  If I wanted to add a light as well how would I go about doing that as well?

Thanks

Mike