Hey all, I am trying to determine which digitrax decoders to get. I am trying to avoid putting in new lights or soldering in resistors. P2K 2-8-8-2 Ath Genesis SD70m Riv 4-8-4 late model Riv Allegheny Will the DH163LO work for most of these? Thanks a ton.
Yes, but you're not going to get around replacing the lights and putting resistors in series. DC provides 17V, and when you max out the resistor you get maximum speed and maximum brightness to you bulbs. DCC provides AC current, not DC, which is translated through the decoder into the DC current that the motor requires. The lighting circuits provide a constant current, and that's why you have to change the bulbs and use resistors to step them down to 1.5V. There's no way around it, except to allow your bulbs to blow up and from that point run without lights.
Actually the LO series decoders will eliminate the need to change bulbs or add resistors to at least the LifeLike locos, that is what they were designed for. Now I can't say what other brands they make work on, it depends on the rating of the bulbs, and I'm not sure what most of them use. And I can't say for sure that all the LifeLike locos are the same either. Sorry I can't be of more help. You may want to just email Digitrax. Gary
With the SD70M you can use a North Coast Engineering DA-SR. It's a replacement board for the original light board. You'll need to put in resistors for the lights (560ohm - 780ohm). I've done two thus far, it's a hour or so project.
