I replaced mine with LEDs when I installed the decoder, at both ends. If you like to run at night, this lets your engineers see what's going on in front of the engine.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Could be 1.5V, whichever they are, they are the same as the Geeps, since the same Digitrax decoder with built in resistors for the stock light bulbs worked in the S1. So, 3V or 1.5V, they are whatever the Geeps use.
Mine all get replaced with LEDs when I install a decoder, I don't use the DH163L0 any more.
Digitrax manual for the decoder (now the DH165L0) says 1.5 volts. Never did trace out the circuit but there are 6 total diodes, and it appears the bulbs are connected across 2 of them so 1.5 volts would be right, they'd get a constant 1.2-1.4 volts wired across a diode pair. the extra diodes I think are to drop the motor voltage a bit so theoretically the lights can come on before it moves.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Tom,
I have five of those little suckers.
Here is what the instruction sheet says:
Because DCC systems operate at different voltages than Standard electrical systems for HO trains, you will need to replace the existing lightbulbs with bulbs rated at 12 volts/50 milliamps.
Not sure what that means for the rating of the bulbs that shipped with the DC version. I took the original bulbs out and replaced them with 12 volt incandescent bulbs for my DCC layout. I still have the original bulbs, but I do not know how to measure for voltage or milliamps.
No resistors were required for DC operation and, of course, no resistors are required with the 12 volt bulb.
I added NCE D12SR decoders to these locos.
What road name do you have?
Rich
Alton Junction
Steve,
It's DC and my layout is DCC. I could hook up a power pack to a piece of track, place the unit on the track, and test it with a DMM. That would take some effort so I was hoping that someone could just tell me - if they knew right off hand.
I'll just go ahead and hook things up and test it with a DMM. Thanks...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I looked at someof my proto units i change out and it looks like some are 1.5 and some maybe even 12 volts.That being said indications are some are indeed 3 volts from reading other posts elsewhere.You could put a meter on the contacts and see. If its 12 volts you could put a 1K resistor in and soft white LED. Or if its less than 12 volts put the correct resistor in.Not sure if your unit is DC or DCC with a decoder?.Steve
Randy,
If they are indeed 3V then I might just install a 3-4V LED, which is a plus. if it goes *poof* then that answers that question.
I thought some were 1,5 volts. maybe wrong on that.. Steve
Pretty sure they are the same 3V ones used in the Geeps. One one of mine I made a DH163L0 decoder fit and it worked fine, if the bulbs were higher voltage they wouldn't have lit and if they were lower they would have flashbulbed. I may have a few spares from taking them out of my Geeps.
Does anyone know what voltage the incandescent front headlight of a Proto 2000 S1 switcher is right off hand? I need to replace it in a unit that I'll be selling at some point. Thanks for the help...