Hello,
I have a very frustrating problem with an older Proto 2000 USRA 0 8 0. I have put an NCE KRS-SR decoder in the tender plugged into the Proto 2000 wiring harness. It worked OK for a test run as it should. The second time I ran it the bulbs blew out, so I replaced them with LEDS. The front was very difficult to get to as there was not enough wire to allow me to get the LED leads in there. I soldered some longer leads onto the wires behind the smokebox and tested a LED, no front lights. I reversed the leads again no front lights. The LED in the tender works as it should.
Well naturally I suspected the wire connection at the Lifelike plug at the decoder. I can't even get the front lights to work holding the wires directly to the tabs on the Proto 2000 plug. Again I make sure the mode is right on my powercab, reverse light comes on, forward no lights. I soldered the wires and got rid of the plastic sleeve type holders for the front wire and the ground. Still no front light, back light works as normal.
I took the boiler off, wires look OK. I suspected the decoder and put an identical one in and the first time I held the wires to the wire leads they worked but then I could not get them to work again.
Could there be a problem with the plastic connector that connects the tender to the boiler?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
SB
OK I hooked up a Digitrax DH123PS and everything works as it should. I don't understand why the Proto 2000 0-8-0 does not like the KRS-SR. This is a weird world.
You are probably burning out the bulbs/LEDs. Mostly likely, you need to add resistors to limit the current that the decoder is feeding to the bulbs/LEDs.
Rich
Alton Junction
An inexpensive voltmeter will alleviate a lot of frustration. If the LED is not burnt then the headlight driver in the decoder is toast. And yes the draw bar wire connector can be a problem. My 0-6-0 has broken several wires already. There is just too much flexing for the tiny wires.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Since it works fine with another decoder, there's nothign wrong witht he lights or the tender wires. What I suspect is that the decoder either didn't seat allt he way on the 8 pin socket, or, since that decoder isn;t shrink-wrapped, somethign touched an exposed part of the board. The KRS is a direct plug decdoer, with pins on the bottom to go into an 8 pin socket. If it was in backwards, it shouldn;t have hurt anything, unless Life-Like connected somethign to the normally unconnected pin - normally 1 pin on the 8 pin connector is left open so that if you plug an 8 pin harness is backwards nothing shorts out.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
blabride OK I hooked up a Digitrax DH123PS and everything works as it should. I don't understand why the Proto 2000 0-8-0 does not like the KRS-SR. This is a weird world. Thanks SB
When you swapped the Digitrax DH123PS for the KRS-SR, did you use the same bulb that was not working with the KRS-SR or did you use another new bulb?
What type of bulb, and what type of LED, are you using? And, are you putting resistors in place to limit the current from the decoder to the bulb/LED?
Most decoders, including the DH123PS, require the placement of resistors on certain types of bulbs and LEDs. Not sure about the KRS-SR.
Both of these require resistors. But - if the KRS was plugged into the socket backwards - no lights!
Thanks for the reply's guys. Yes the older bulbs burned out so I relpaced them LEDS with resistors and they work fine now with the Digitrax decoder. I'm still not sure why the KRS did not. I'm beginning to think Randy may be right tin that the pins may not have been seated all the way.
I did think that the front light circuit could have gone out on the 1st KRS that is why I tried the second. But still got the same results. I guess this is where the term Ghosts in the machine might apply.