When connecting LED's to the DCC decoder harness or board outputs, do you you merge the two wires from the led into the harness or solder pad on a DCC decoder harness or board?
Yes that information comes with the instructions for the decoder when you buy it or you can look it up on the web with google search same instructions as the one you get again when you purchase. Jim
That's the way to do it.
If you look at a pre-wired, factory installed decoder, that's the way it is done.
Rich
Alton Junction
I have never owned a locomotive that has a pre-wired, factory installed decoder. However I have installed decoders in every locomotive that I own without the extra lights.
Interessting thread here. I have paralleled LEDs with incandescents off the same lines on the same decoder. LEDs draw so little current that they do not effectively load a circuit that already has an incandescent bulb on it.
It is important to make sure that the power hungry incandescent isn't already pushing the limit on the decoder line. (refer to decoder drive line current spec.) Many modern LEDs are truly brilliant at only 10-20ma whereas older incandescents often goggle up 10 times that current or more. Naturally, if you parallel an LED onto a filament bulb's line, you still need the LED series limiting resistor.
Lots of electronic tricks can be done with some very cheap decoders to do all sorts of functions that vendors would, supposedly, sell you a "special" decoder for. This includes dual functions off one decoder line, provided you know the electronic ins and outs'.
I picked up 8 tiny N scale, bottom of the line, low current digitrax decoders at a recent train show for $10.00 each, (quantity buy pricing), and plan to scatter them all over the layout and in certain cars for lighting and off train layout, switch and lighting controls.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed