Digitrax decoder wiring of LED

[forton]

DH163 wiring of LED's on Athearn

Hello all,
I am wiring my Athearn loco with the DH163 decoder with the wires. Everything works fine with my DCC. The problem that I am having is wiring LED's for the front and back. There is the common blue wire from the decoder, the white for the forward light, and the yellow for the rear. The resistors are 1K. The LED's are 5mm in size.

Question:

The short LED lead is the (+), and the long is the (-) . The blue common wire - which must be used for the switching from front to rear light with the change in loco direction...which lead on the LED should connect to which lead on the blue common wire (+)? The resitor should be on the white and the yellow leads, right?

 

[YmeBP]

If i remember correctly this video (which someone else pointed me to from the gauge ) will show you the correct way to wire.

I just completed 2 123 installations in my 2 athearns. I am going to pick up a 163 for my track cleaning car.

Hello all,
I am wiring my Athearn loco with the DH163 decoder with the wires. Everything works fine with my DCC. The problem that I am having is wiring LED's for the front and back. There is the common blue wire from the decoder, the white for the forward light, and the yellow for the rear. The resistors are 1K. The LED's are 5mm in size.

Question:

The short LED lead is the (+), and the long is the (-) . The blue common wire - which must be used for the switching from front to rear light with the change in loco direction...which lead on the LED should connect to which lead on the blue common wire (+)? The resitor should be on the white and the yellow leads, right?

 

[caellis]

Plus (+) to BLUE.

Negative (-) to Yellow or White.

Place a resistor in either lead of each LED. I recommend 1000 ohm (1K).

 

[Torpedo]

Place a resistor in either lead of each LED. I recommend 100 ohm (1K).

Looks like a typo here. I'm sure it should have read 1,000 ohms (1K).

 

[steamhead]

Hi,

Wouldn't a resistor in the blue lead do the job, since only one LED will be lit at any one time...???

 

[YmeBP]

Don't know why the links didn't show up .. weird but here they are ... part duex!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZku8qp0BBs&mode=related&search=

If i remember correctly this video (which someone else pointed me to from the gauge ) will show you the correct way to wire.

I just completed 2 123 installations in my 2 athearns. I am going to pick up a 163 for my track cleaning car.

 

[b28_82]

Nice video. It brings some interesting new ideas to the table like the styrene board with holes in it.

Hi,

Wouldn't a resistor in the blue lead do the job, since only one LED will be lit at any one time...???

That would work except if you are planning on having a function light such as a strobe and or gumball light. Reason being when your strobe is on and either your headlight or rearlight will tend to flash with it.

I've tried that by putting a 1k ohm resistor on my common and when my strobe light was on my headlight flashed alternatively to the strobe. I had to have a 560 ohm on the function lead and the headlight lead to solve the problem.

 

[forton]

Thanks,
to all for the information and the video link. All the comments were of use to me.
dj

 

[YmeBP]

I'm in debt to the guy who made that video i was a little nervous about blowing up y decoder first time out haha. Helps to have a visual.

Nice video. It brings some interesting new ideas to the table like the styrene board with holes in it.




That would work except if you are planning on having a function light such as a strobe and or gumball light. Reason being when your strobe is on and either your headlight or rearlight will tend to flash with it.

I've tried that by putting a 1k ohm resistor on my common and when my strobe light was on my headlight flashed alternatively to the strobe. I had to have a 560 ohm on the function lead and the headlight lead to solve the problem.