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Getting this mars light to work....

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  • Member since
    September 2007
  • 35 posts
Posted by Chesticus on Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:18 PM

I don't know who you are are but major thanks and big karma to you. That did it. I went out there turned it around, turned on F28 went to f3 and "mars light came to life." I am a very happy person right now.

Do you know how manyplaces I posted, shops I went to etc... again thank you so much.

Neat neat neat !

Jim Lowery

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • 35 posts
Posted by Chesticus on Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:59 PM

Ha HA HA! Ok, I will go turn it around. So the comm is the postive and the ACC1 ACC2 are the negatives? That is funny. I will see if that works, and yes I have resistors in line.

Funny! Well lets see if it works, and I will get back to you.

Thanks

Jim

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:44 AM

 You have tthe LED backwards. And do you have a resistor on it? The Common connection on a decoder, if there are wires, it's the BLUE wire, is positive. The individual function connections are the negative.

           --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • 35 posts
Posted by Chesticus on Thursday, August 16, 2012 11:31 AM

My appologize. I did get rid of the both of the original lights. I installed 2 LED's The headlight wrks just fine. It is the Mars light that I cannot get going.

It is an MRC drop in decoder. It has, again 2 outputs ACC1   COMM  ACC2., so I hooked up the neg lead to the COMM and the positive to ACC1 (and flipped it to ACC2 at one point). I am sure there is something I need to do to activate it.

I went into the decoder functions with JMRI and turned it to Mars light to no avail.

And help would be greatly appreciated.

Jim Lowery

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, August 16, 2012 6:41 AM

 The best thing to do is ditch that hokey dual filament light bulb and use an ordinary LED. The Mars light function in the decoder does a better job of simulating a Mars light than the original circuit on the loco's board that alternates between the two filaments.

              --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • 35 posts
Getting this mars light to work....
Posted by Chesticus on Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:53 AM

I got the decoder in and working (sound) but the old light on the P2K PA mars light has 3 wires to it. ACC1 COM and ACC2. But here is no led that has three leads to work like this. I have the regular light working and responding well. But the mars light is another issue.
Does anyone have any experience with this situation?
Any suggestions would a ppreciated.
PS. I went to f28, but that did not start up the mars light.
Jim Lowery

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