MARS Light

[genelbradleyjr]

Anyone ever have problems with a LL Proto 2000 "working Mars Light"?
I have 3 E units. (Two E8's and one E6) All have the working Mars Light. One of them works beautifully and sways back and forth, and directs a strong beam. The other two just kind of blink, no beam on either and one on them blinks really fast. Any ideas?[?]

[AntonioFP45]

My good friend Cmarchand just picked up a Proto E6 for a bargain price at our LHS. A disgruntled customer had returned it, after having "rough handled" it. This locomotive had similar problems as what you are describing. Mars light acting strangely, one blinking very quickly.

After carefully checking it, he noticed that two capacitors on the unit had some factory solder material on the leads and they were just barely touching each other, causing a short. After carefully cleaning it up, the Mars unit now function's normally.

Tip: Check all connections carefully and make sure that wire connections or excess solder build up is not making contact with other connections. Make sure that there are no broken leads from resistors, capacitors, etc.

[;)][tup]

[AntonioFP45]

Forgot to mention.

The Mars light on the Proto E-units doesn't give the true effect.

My friend, who I mentioned above, installed a Minatronics Mars light on his Westside brass SP GS-4 (converted to DCC). He recently let me run it on the Suncoast Model Railroader's Club pulling a passenger special.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE! I was like a kid eating candy! I actually stopped the train several times just so I could look at the Mars light effect which wobbled exactly like the prototype. Like the prototype, the wobble speed is adjustable. I plan on installing these on my P2K E-7s.

For those of you that like Mars lights, this is the way to go! You'll really like the effect.

Cheers![C):-)][tup]

[jwr_1986]

AntonioFP45 could you comment on the effect that is generated by the digitrax decoders. It is quite neat but I wondered how realistic it really is. Thanks

Jesse

[cacole]

When you install a decoder with Mars light function into a P2K with mars light, you must either add resistors to the leads of the dual-element bulb and wire both elements together so it becomes the same as a single bulb, or replace the bulb. This information was provided to me by Tony's Train Exchange.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jwr_1986

AntonioFP45 could you comment on the effect that is generated by the digitrax decoders. It is quite neat but I wondered how realistic it really is. Thanks

Jesse

Hello Jesse.

I'm not an electronics expert so I can only comment as to what I saw. The effect actually came from the Miniatronics unit. I don't know how my friend hooked it up in combination with the Digitrax unit in his steamer. He does recommend getting rid of the stock light in the P2Ks.

When I'm ready to install my units, he's willing to teach me the steps involved. While I'm electronically challenged, I am very handy with tools.

When I see him, I'm going to ask him to post a thread regarding Mars Lights with DCC.

I'm sure if Joe Fugate reads this he'll likely post information.[;)]

[bowlingtraindude]

I have a E7A and E6A and I have used the Digitrax DH123 decoders in both. For the Mars light I took out P2K's lamp and used a 12 volt 30 ma lamp from Miniatronics. The Digitrax funtion generator produces a very realistic effect that looks GREAT. There's no need to buy extra electronics to install in the locomotive, that's one of the big points of DCC.