Bringing it back from the dead to supply an answer(I tried to find it but had no luck was searching for something else just now)
Decoder was 100% good to go, the lights were simply turned off. Now that I have my own at home DCC setup I can check stuff a lot easier.
The one installed with the Soundbug has never worked right headlights wise from day one(from mockup work until final testing with speaker fitment etc). This one never made it to the club layout since the sound install wasn't completed in time.
The second one was completely normal from day one. Everything works correctly etc. It did run and check out on DCC when I took it to the club just to give it a show to see if everything worked.
JEREMY CENTANNI ...DC only at the house, so cannot do anything else until I go to the club layout...
Have these decoders ever been run on a DCC layout? When current Digitrax decoders are run on DC, the headlights take on their last states when ran on DCC, i.e. on if ran on DCC with headlight on and off if ran on DCC with headlight off. The decoder with non-working headlights in DC may just need to be ran in DCC with the headlights on.
Not so fast. If you are only testing on DC, it's possible the light CVs aren;t at their defaults for normal directional headlights. It would need a CV8=8 reset to reset this to be sure it's defective or not.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi Jeremy!
Congratulations on your first post!
Based on the testing that you have already done, I would agree that it is a bad decoder.
Decoder warranties are pretty good so you should be able to have it repaired or replaced at no cost, other than maybe shipping.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Need a hand.
2 identical P2K GP30s DCC ready. Plus one SFX006 Soundbug.
Pretty straight forward install, dcc socket wiring was verified per nmra standards on each engine.
No headlights(forward or reverse) on the engine I ended up using the Soundbug on. Triple checked everything, verified no shorts existed and disassembled piece by piece to verify install. No problems found.
Swapped original P2K light board back in and lights check out ok. Remove soundbug from decoder, still no headlights with decoder. Verify headlights on second engine work with original light board. Swap decoders between the locomotives and low and behold I have forward/reverse lights on the formerly dark engine.
Reinstall the Soundbug and all is good. Further tested questionable decoder in the other engine as well and again, no forward/reverse lights.
Still new to all this but it would seem to me I have a bad decoder. DC only at the house, so cannot do anything else until I go to the club layout.
Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks