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lenz silver mini

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  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 1,206 posts
Posted by mfm37 on Monday, May 4, 2009 10:06 PM

CSX Robert
mfm37
...Use the "halves" method. Start with 128 to see what happens. Then use values that are 1/2 of that in either direction.  64 and 192. You will see the target range of settings that will get what you want. From there, it's just a little fine tuning...
Sorry, but that won't work. If you are working with a CV that is merely setting the level of a setting from 0 to 255(such as starting voltage, momentum, brightness of a dimmed light) then it would work, but if the CV uses different bits to set different options, then that method will not work.

 

 

Sorry about that. The only Silver minis I have are installed in Atlas N scale Shay's. Don't have a need to change CV60 on those.

Martin Myers

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Stockton, CA.
  • 333 posts
Posted by Truck on Monday, May 4, 2009 8:43 PM

Thanks guys. I printed this info out . I would never remember it in my head. I will reply on what works

                                                           AGAIN Thanks

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Christiana, TN
  • 2,134 posts
Posted by CSX Robert on Monday, May 4, 2009 8:44 AM
mfm37
...Use the "halves" method. Start with 128 to see what happens. Then use values that are 1/2 of that in either direction.  64 and 192. You will see the target range of settings that will get what you want. From there, it's just a little fine tuning...
Sorry, but that won't work. If you are working with a CV that is merely setting the level of a setting from 0 to 255(such as starting voltage, momentum, brightness of a dimmed light) then it would work, but if the CV uses different bits to set different options, then that method will not work.

The manual for the Silver Mini is quite sparse, but if you download the Gold Expanded Manual, it gives you a lot more information(not everything will apply, but most of it does, and it does go into more detail on the lighting). Here is what it looks like you need to do:

CV60 = 0. Any other setting for CV60 is for setting up a Mars light, Gyra light, strobe, or double strobe.

CV33 sets what output F0 forward controls, and CV34 sets what output F0 reverse controls(8 = output A and 16 = output B, add the two together for both). You want the front headlight on when in reverse, so set CV34 to 8 if you do not want to use the rear headlight, or 24 if you want both the front headlight and the rear headlight on when in reverse. If you want completely independent control of the headlights instead of having them directional, you could set CV34 and CV35 to 8 so that F0 controls the headlight regardless of direction and map the rear headlight to another function key, such as F1(CV35).

CV55 is the dimmed brightness of output A and CV56 is the dimmed brightness of output B(once you get the dimming to work, this is where you would use the "halves" method - technically called a binary search - to find the setting you would want). CV57 tells which function key turns on dimming, where 1=F1, 2=F2, 4=F3, 8=F4, etc. I do not see anyway to dim the headlights seperately, other than to modify CV55 and 56 to independently set the dim brightness.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, May 4, 2009 6:55 AM

 Actually there are only 5 options for Output A and 5 for Output B. Tip: Download and install DecoderPro even if you have no computer connection to your DCC system. You can use it to configure settings liek this and then look at the CV page to see what CVs you have to change and what value you need to put in them.

 It does not appear the Silver Mini supports Rule 17 dimming, but you can sort of fake it with, as far as I can tell, CV18 to 100 and CV57 to 1. Accordign to DecoderPro anyway, with no other changes made, this should set it up so that F1 dims the lights.

                       --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
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Monday, May 4, 2009 6:41 AM

 What I glean from the Lenz Silver Mini documentation is, you can't do that because the decoder does not support it.

However, it may be a case of poorly written documentation, which is certainly nothing unique to Lenz.

On the other hand, just think how much more confusing the documentation would be if they tried to explain what each of the 255 possible settings did.

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 1,206 posts
Posted by mfm37 on Monday, May 4, 2009 4:42 AM

 Well not that long. Use operations mode to program it so you can see the results right away.

Use the "halves" method. Start with 128 to see what happens. Then use values that are 1/2 of that in either direction.  64 and 192. You will see the target range of settings that will get what you want. From there, it's just a little fine tuning.

BTW, I have no idea what the actual setting would be but the above is how I would do it.

 Martin Myers

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Stockton, CA.
  • 333 posts
lenz silver mini
Posted by Truck on Sunday, May 3, 2009 11:04 PM

Does anyone out there know what value to set cv 60 at, To have headlight on in reverse, or to be on and dim in reverse. there little instruction paper does not help me much. IT gives me a value from 0 - 255.   It would take a long time to change that cv one number at a time to see results.

                                                                                             Thanks Truck.

                                                                                 

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