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P2K Lights---Again

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  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 595 posts
P2K Lights---Again
Posted by mreagant on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 4:20 PM

Yes, I know this comes up pretty often, but usually it's part of a broader decoder question.  It will help me to get a narrow answer dealing with the light since the decoder work is done, so here goes.

I've got an early P2K E-8 with a just installed Tsunami AT-1000.  When the loco went to the installer, it had a nice, bright occilating headlight (double lights but only one occilated.)  Now, I have a steady, dim yellow beam in the lower light and nothing in the upper one.

I know this brand sometimes needs a replacement of bulbs (with resistors?), so the obvious question---- how do I get the bright, occilating light back?  I 'm willing to consider doing it myself if it does not involve undoing the decoder work he has just done.

Thanks.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 5:04 PM

Depending on how he wired it up, it could be the upper headlight is on a separate function button...i.e., F0 may only turn on the lower headlight, you'd have to hit another F button to turn the upper one on. Since real engines had this ability, a lot of people like to do it in their models. For the lower one, is it dim both when at rest and moving?? You can program decoders (some anyway) so they're bright when the engine is running, but dim when stopped ("Rule 17" dimming)...or that it's bright when going forward, but dim in reverse...or one F button makes the light dim, another makes it bright. I set up the Tsunami in my FM switcher so both headlights come on bright, but hitting F11 dims the rear headlight.

The Tsunami has literally dozens of user-programmable options, so it can take a while to get everything the way you want it.

Stix

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