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Change Spotlight from DC to DCC?

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  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Millarville, Alberta. Canada
  • 166 posts
Change Spotlight from DC to DCC?
Posted by CPbuff on Monday, April 12, 2021 4:41 PM

I have obtained an older Burlington Northern car that has what looks to be a caboose on the back half but on the front half is a large Spotlight! This unit is DC but I want to convert the Spotlight to DCC, running of an LED instead of the current DC light bulb ad maybe hide an on/off switch underneath! Can I use a stationary decoder on this car to make the light work and skip the switch? The DC contact swipes are still in the axles...

Any ideas!

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Monday, April 12, 2021 6:26 PM

A function-only decoder would work for that. It is just a decoder with only function outputs, no motor control.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • 409 posts
Posted by ba&prr on Monday, April 12, 2021 9:44 PM

I use NCE's light it decoders. You have to buy a minimum of 3. NCE also sells keep alive caps for them. I have 2 cabooses with the decoder and keep alive to run my rotory beacon on the cupola. I did a test and lifted the caboose off the track. The beacon kept going for a bout a minute.      Joe  

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