Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
General Discussion (Model Railroader)
»
Need advice on adding a headlight to Atlas S-1
Need advice on adding a headlight to Atlas S-1
860 views
1 replies
Order Ascending
Order Descending
vande
Member since
October 2003
11 posts
Need advice on adding a headlight to Atlas S-1
Posted by
vande
on Monday, December 15, 2003 6:23 AM
I'm confounded by what seems to be a simple modification to my Atlas built Alco S-1/S-3. I want to add a headlight to the rear of the switcher. It's fine with me that both lights will operate simultaneously. I've tried soldering a grain of sand bulb (with a resistor that protects the voltage of the 1.5V bulb) to the leads on one end of the terminal strip. The same side as the front head light. The bulb does not illuminate. If I disconnect the terminal strip screw and thus disengage the motor, both bulbs illuminate. Can anyone help this electrically challenged model railroder? Thanks if you have any advice.
Reply
nfmisso
Member since
December 2001
From: San Jose, California
3,154 posts
Posted by
nfmisso
on Monday, December 15, 2003 10:26 AM
First; you may melt the plastic using a 12/14 V bulb, and a resistor which drops that amount of current from 12V to 1.5V will get hot. In addition, there will not be enough voltage for the light to light.
But you have other problems. I believe that you have connected both wires to one side of the motor. When you disconnect the motor, the current has to flow through your added bulb to flow through the orginal bulb. When you connect the motor, the connection completes a circuit which shorts out the leads to your bulb. I do not understand how your resistor is in the circuit.
Nigel N&W in HO scale, 1950 - 1955 (..and some a bit newer too) Now in San Jose, California
Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
There are no community member online
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up