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Power levels on programming track

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PED
  • Member since
    April 2016
  • 571 posts
Posted by PED on Saturday, April 14, 2018 4:15 PM

Thanks James. Useing the 4PDT switch, the LED picks up the power it needs from the main while the programming track is set to program.

Paul D

N scale Washita and Santa Fe Railroad
Southern Oklahoma circa late 70's

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 73 posts
Posted by santafe5000 on Saturday, April 14, 2018 3:38 PM

Take a look at this DCC Wiki topic and it explains how to set up your programming track with LED indicators.

https://dccwiki.com/Programming_Track

James in TexasCowboy

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Posted by peahrens on Saturday, April 14, 2018 3:30 PM

I don't know why the LED will not function when program output is applied, but wonder if it did, whether it would affect reading CVs with or without a program track booster.

Anyway, perhaps use a 4P2T, center off preferred, toggle.  Then use one half (6) of the terminals to route Operations mode power to the Prog track, much as you planned.  For the other terminals, use the other terminals (6) to power a bi-color LED.  That requires power from any source for the LED (appropriate resistor, of course) with the output reversed by X-wiring the contacts.  There are diagrams somewhere(?) for this, such as a bi-color LED wired to a Tortoise switch machine.  That way, you could have a lit indicator (say, green) for Opers mode and a different color (say, yellow) when the toggle is thrown to Prog mode.  

The LED power source can be any that works for the LED (e.g., DC 12v) as it would be independent from the program track connections.  I don't know how Opers mode DCC power would work across a LED.

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

PED
  • Member since
    April 2016
  • 571 posts
Power levels on programming track
Posted by PED on Saturday, April 14, 2018 3:14 PM

I wanted to have my programming track to be able to be part of the main or a seperate section of track for programming. Switching between the two via DPDT switch. I also wanted to have a LED light up when DPDT switch set for the programming track.  To my surprise, I cannot get the programming track to light up an LED like I can for the main track. Is that due to lower voltage or current available in the programming track or is it something else?  Whatever the reason, how do I get the programming track to power up a LED?

Paul D

N scale Washita and Santa Fe Railroad
Southern Oklahoma circa late 70's

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