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?: First Athearn RTR DCC conversion. Question about bulbs

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  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 602 posts
Posted by NP01 on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 8:43 AM

The 1.5v common is on the long side, next to function 5/6. I just installed an AT1000 in an Athearn P42 and burned the bulbs by wring them to the 12v common.

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  • From: Western, MA
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Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 2:01 PM

The AT boards I have shows two 1.5 volt connections, very clearly. Just follow the instructions that come with the decoder. That has always worked for me.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 1:35 PM

jrbernier

Reference you Tsunami Instalation Manual:

http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/tsuinstallation.pdf

  On page 25 is the information you will need for using  1.5v lamps.

Jim:

I saw this same information.  However, I also saw on the instructions for an AT-1000 that:

"Tsunami includes four outputs for SoundTraxx' Hyperlight lighting effects to reproduce the most popular warning beacons.  A special added feature - hardware is already on the circuit board to accommodate the easy use of 1.5 Volt bulbs without the need for external resistors or other electronics."

See: http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/1000at.php

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Posted by jrbernier on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 12:14 PM

Dan,

  Reference you Tsunami Instalation Manual:

http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/tsuinstallation.pdf

  On page 25 is the information you will need for using  1.5v lamps.  Soundtraxx suggest a 560 ohm resistor for their own 1.5v lamps.  Myself, if I was going to tear the engine apart for an install:  I would use LED's with the resistor  Evans Designs even has LED's pre-wired with the resistor and a rectifier - you just hook them up.

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

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Posted by Train Modeler on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 11:19 AM

Keep in mind the DCC outputs of the board are not necessarily 12 volts, but more like 1 or 2 less than whatever your track voltage is.   For a lot of us that would be more like 14 or 15 volts.  Important to know when calculating your ohm value for voltage drop.

I am not sure but believe that loco has 1.5 volt bulbs.   You can certainly test with a 1.5V battery if unsure.  

Richard

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    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
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?: First Athearn RTR DCC conversion. Question about bulbs
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 10:52 AM

I'm using a Soundtraxx Tsunami AT board as the replacement.  The outputs look like they are 12V on the lighting functions.

I assume the Athearn bulbs are 1.5V aren't they?  (This is an Athearn GP35 RTR)

 

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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