I am having a similar problem with the same decoder, and in three locomotives! Everything works right, but the headlight goes out when the throttle is turned down. All works okay when the decoder is set to default (address 3), but when a new locomotive number is programmed, the headlight acts up again.
I am a longtime model railroader and author of the book "Changes-A Model Railroad Comes to Life". You can visit my website at www.modelrailroadphotography.com.
OK, then you have the light bulb connected to the wrong end of the decoder. The atlas format decoders have a pair of tabs at the front and a pair at the rear. One is the equivalent of the white wire and blue wire, the other pair is the yellow wire and blue wire.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
There's a chance you have something backwards and that's why they suggested reversing.
The reverse direction feature of CV29 was designed for this type of problem.
Springfield PA
Randy and Cacole,
I reversed the motor wires and now the headlight comes on bright in FORWARD, but the engine moves in REVERSE.
I'm sure I have the decoder oriented correctly. There's a marker for FORWARD and I've been careful to align the decoder as shown in the directions.
I haven't changed the value in CV29 or any other CV for that matter because I can't read the CVs on the programming track using a PowerPax booster with my NCE Power Pro system. I usually set the engine number on the programming track and all the other CVs on the main, especially for Tsunamis since they are so hard to read on the programming track. But I can't even do that with this decoder.
Reversing the motor wires and changing CV29 to switch FORWARD and REVERSE just don't seem to be the right way to handle this problem. Yes, I'm sure it will work, but it's a bit like treating the symptom rather than the underlying cause.
Don't mean to seem unappreciative, I am grateful for your help, just perplexed by this problem,
Jeff
You say the motor runs in the right direction, but what value do you have programmed into CV 29 to get it running in the right direction?
If the motor wires are reversed, CV 29 can be changed to correct it but the light functions will still be backwards.
If you reverse the motor wires as Randy Rinker suggested, the lights should function correctly but you'll then need to change one bit in CV 29 to correct the motor direction.
Double-check your Tsunami decoder -- you may have it installed backwards; i.e., make sure the front of the decoder is facing the front of the engine. If you have it backwards, your lights are connected to the wrong end of the decoder.
You have the motor wires backwards.
Could have a defective decoder. Try performing a factory reset and see if that clears up the problem.
I'm trying to install a Soundtraxx TSU-AT1000 decoder (for Alco 244 engines) in my Lifelike PA and the headlight isn't working right. The motor runs in the right direction, the sound works just fine, but the headlight comes on very dim in forward and full brightness in reverse.
I replaced the bulb in the headlight with a Miniatronics Yeloglo White LED. I wired the supplied 470 ohm resistor to the LED's anode. The lead from the anode with the resistor is attached to Tab #2 on the PCB and the other LED lead is attached to Tab #3. If I reverse the wires, I get no headlight at all. I won't be using FX5 or 6 so I have nothing attached there.
I've hit F7 (dim headlight) repeatedly but it's no help.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your help,