Adding a seperate light.

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
Hello!

I have a U34CH locomotive (with a loksound v3.5 decoder), and today i tried to add the nose marker light by hooking up a light and a resistor with the rear headlight. As it turns out, I didn't read the part where you needed to reprogram that out put to be lower so that the smaller Athearn Genesis light would work.

I don't feel like dimming my rear headlight for that.

My question is, How do i get a second light in there? There is a mysterious purple wire that serves no known function to me than to just poke out of the decoder, and only show up in diagrams ( not even in writing) labled AUX2. Is this a seperate auxilary out put thing i can use? I only have one bulb left that i can use, and i don't want to blow it up to...

Thanks!
Chris
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Chris:wav: , Loksound recommends using no lower then 19v bulbs:eeki: , however i use 16v and have had NO problems:up: . bulbs are cheap, i hate to say it, but i wouldn't even consider using any bulb under 16v:winki: . by using a 16-19v bulb, you have eliminated the use of a resister:winki: . if you want the auxiliary lights to come on at the same time as the headlight or tail light, i would solder right into them, that would be the EASIEST thing to do:winki: .

if you want the axillary lights to come on separate from the headlight and tail light, and adjust the brightness, then i would use the purple OR green wire(makes no difference) on your Loksound decoder:up: . REMEMBER, no matter what way you decide to go with the lights, the BLUE wire is the common wire for ALL LIGHTING:winki: . in your Loksound book that came with your decoder, on page 13 and 18 you will find how to set up the lighting with the purple or green wires. in the back of the book is the CV chart, this will tell you how to turn on the lighting effect, and how to adjust the brightness, if you choose to go this route:winki: . hope that helps:smilie: -Deano
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
yeah, i think the purple/ green route sounds best. I just solder one end of the light into the blue wire?
Correct!:up: one end into the blue wire, one end into the green or purple:smilie: . you could use a 1.5w bulb, but you would need a 100 Ohm/0.5 watt resistor with it, like i said though, i use ONLY 16v bulbs:winki: . :smilie: -Deano
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
alright, i have the resitors, i just need to hook up the right bulb, and then hope i can program that stuff right.
Chris, i pulled the info on the resistors right out of the Loksound book page 13. like i mentioned though, they recommend 19v lamps just in case there is a power surge at takeoff:winki: . since i ONLY USE 16v lamps, i can tell you i have NEVER had a lamp blow out with those:up: . good luck! :smilie: -Deano
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
yeah i originally had read that (which is how i knew to get the right resistors), but i didn't read to the part about also reprogramming the decoder right. even once i figured that all out, it was still a bit confusing as there was nothing that seemed specifically to say "connect extra things to the purple wire" and such. Right now i only have the small 1.5 volt lamps on hand. if i can find a similar sized one for a higher rating later on i might use that.

I just put in an order at walthers before this problem, so i'm reluctant to order anything else until i have lots of things i need again.

Is there a good brand of light i should buy?
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
yeah, Loksound got back to me the other day. they said put a 850 ohm resistor in it, and they gave me the complete steps i need to program the light!

man, as expensive as loksound is, i'm seriously considering using their decoders. they have excellent service.
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
shoot, looks like the lights are being a problem again. the nose light started to melt the shell! luckily, i caught this before any real damage occurred (Its actually hard to notice there is a problem at all), but it looks like i better attach a limiting resitor or something to it. How can i insulate the heat from the light bulb?
 

woodone

Member
shoot, looks like the lights are being a problem again. the nose light started to melt the shell! luckily, i caught this before any real damage occurred (Its actually hard to notice there is a problem at all), but it looks like i better attach a limiting resitor or something to it. How can i insulate the heat from the light bulb?
Can't you use a LED, for a light source? They don't put out very much heat. Just a thought, What do you think Deano?
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
it sounds like you have put the bulb where a plastic piece that simulates the light would go....:confused: . i haven't ran into this problem, every engine i have INCLUDING old Athearns came with a simulated light that covered the light hole, what i have done is placed the bulb a little behind the simulated light, like in the cab, or nose/hood of the engine, the light is bright enough to shine through the simulated light emitting a nice glow from it:winki: . i NEVER use the bulb as the light itself:winki: , it does produce some heat that if left on for a period of time WILL melt the plastic:eeki: . i have put 16v bulbs in most all MY engines, engines that i have converted over to DCC for my dad, and the 2 F units i had done up for Steve, NONE of us are experiencing problems, i guess the key is to put the light a little ways back from the simulated light, and not right up on the plastic:winki: .

There are other options:winki: , yes, you probably could put a resistor in there, and yes you could go with LED's, etc. , i haven't tried any of those things as i haven't had ANY problems with the 16v bulbs:winki: , thus, i am not sure how to advise you on those options:frowns: . Lets hope someone who has went that route chimes in:smilie: .
:deano: -Deano
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
no, i did't put the light in there (to big, lol), i used Micro Krystal clear to make a lense, and mounted the light on the roof of the nose. apperently though, taping the light to the top of the nose behind the hole was a bad idea. I'll probably still use the light. THis time though i might mount is lower, and tape it to the metal weight. the weight might serve as a better "heat sink". In the meantime, some gloss black paint will keep the light from shining through the thinned section of the nose. Might wad some construction paper in the slit i made in the nose weight so that the light doesn't escape through the cab.
 
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