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Loksound 3.5, no ditch lights

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  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Greers Ferry, Ar
  • 13 posts
Loksound 3.5, no ditch lights
Posted by lynchgj on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 7:17 PM

I have an Athearn Genesis HO SD70MAC, BNSF [ATHG64758] (no DCC/Sound) equipped with a DCC Quick Plug ( 8 pin medium plug). I am in the process of installing a Loksound 3.5 # 82408, equipped with a DCC 8 pin medium plug harness.

I was informed by a friend to separate the feeds for the working ditch lights, so they would flash separetly, and solder them to the 2 separate pads on the existing Athearn board, which should be Aux 1, green wire off decoder, which I did. With everything put together, I cannot get the ditch lights to function at all. I tried mapping it off of F4 for Aux. 1, but nothing.

Any ideas, I tried this through my Loksound programmer, as well as my MRC PA2. Cv’s need to be modified?

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Greers Ferry, Ar
  • 13 posts
Posted by lynchgj on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 8:06 PM

Thanks for the response. I'll remove them from the soldered pads sometime tomorrow. You would think LokSound would state that somewhere. Am I correct in using the green wire from the decoder?

Any idea what size resistors would be correct?

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Posted by wholeman on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 8:43 PM

There is already resistors installed for all lights including ditch lights. 

I have two of these units, but I don't have sound in them yet.  I do have two Loksound decoders installed to two P42s. 

Here is some info someone gave me regarding ditch lights.

Incidentally how what is the firmware version of the Loksound v3.5 decoder.

Early Loksound v3.5 firmware did not support alternating ditchlights.

Firmware update version 0.0.5969 will support alternating ditch lights.

 

Information for the Ditch lights:

Change these CV's: CV113=127, CV114=127, CV115=223, CV116=239, CV141=13,

CV144=14, CV153=48, CV156=16

Ditch lights come on when headlight is on. When horn sounds ditch lights

flash out of phase for 5 seconds.

Ditch light lamps are connected to the auxiliary one ( Green wire) and

auxiliary two (Purple wire) leads.

Will

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Greers Ferry, Ar
  • 13 posts
Posted by lynchgj on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 11:04 PM

I'll check out the Firmware version in the AM, but I know the "check Firmware update"  'pop up' says the Firmware is up to date as of yesterday.

Any CV 112 changes, I read that should be set at 18 ???

Exactly how do you wire up the ditch lights off of the decoder> green wire; purple wire; common to blue ??

Green is already running to the 8 pin medium plug (pin # 3); and the purple is not, I have it taped up and not in use.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Posted by wholeman on Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:55 AM

lynchgj

I'll check out the Firmware version in the AM, but I know the "check Firmware update"  'pop up' says the Firmware is up to date as of yesterday.

Any CV 112 changes, I read that should be set at 18 ???

Exactly how do you wire up the ditch lights off of the decoder> green wire; purple wire; common to blue ??

Green is already running to the 8 pin medium plug (pin # 3); and the purple is not, I have it taped up and not in use.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

You will need one resistor for each bulb.  I am not sure of what value of resistor you will need.  With bulbs which ever wire (blue (common) or green/purple) can have a resistor.  The bulb is not polar specific as an LED is. 

Another solution is to cut the green and purple wires right at the plug and splice them to the green and purple wires to the decoder.  This way you can power the ditch lights and not have to worry about the resistors.  They are already on the board.  I have never installed a decoder this way, but I don't see why it couldn't work.

Will

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2 posts
Posted by MICHAEL PINTO on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 9:23 AM

Will - How do you move the ditch light function from F2 to F5? Using old 3.5 to run alternation christmas light on train. Easy on v5 but cant figure it out on 3.5

The lights cone on on F5 but dont flash until F2 is pressed.

 

Thanks - Mike

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,014 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 1:27 PM

Hmmm, let's see now. It has only been 13 years, 8 months since we last heard from Will. ConfusedConfused

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    May 2020
  • 1,056 posts
Posted by wrench567 on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 3:10 PM

  Another ancient post regurgitating to the present.

     Pete

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