Well, I'm still a newbie... so I have lots of questions... but I'm sure I'll have enough time to ask those as they come up... Anyhow... As of yet, I haven't made modifications to any of my locos... minus the tearing apart of Athearn drives to minimize noise... But, I've decided to take my new Athearn GP35 and install directional lighting... I know the electronics behind making it work... just not sure what kind of bulbs to get and what the rating (if there is one) on the diodes should be... any specific gauge wire? Thanks for the advice/knowledge sharing
Hey Randy. If you use the Mintronics constant intensity hedlight module I think that regular 12 volt bulbs will work best with it. Some of the DIY circuts use 1.5 volt bulbs though. Which ever one you use the instructions should have all the info in them. Mintronics makes either type of bulb so you cant go wrong there. For the wireing just use small flexible wire, size isnt too critical here....HTH.....Mike
Randy, I've put in a few home-built constant lighting modules in my time. I've built the six-diode circuit outlined years ago in the Kalmbach Electronics Projects for Model Railroaders. That circuit calls for 1.5 volt bulbs. I recommend the same from Cir-Kit Concepts. You can use small wire for this circuit, 24 gauge or even 26. As stated above, wire size isn't too critical. Make it flexible. You can use 50 piv or 100 piv diodes. You can buy them at Radio Shack. You can use epoxy to glue the bulbs in place. Just make up some of the 5-minute stuff and get the bulbs in place. Then, after the first batch of epoxy has set. Put on some more to build up a fillet and lens. It should look good from there. Good luck. By the way, if you remotor the Geep using a can motor you will need to add a resistor in parallel with the motor so that you will have enough draw on the circuit in order to make the lighting circuit work. The thing that makes the six diode circuit work with a standard Athearn motor is that it has a large enough draw so that the circuit goes on before the loco starts. A can motor will start turning when only a few milliamps are put to the rails, and the constant lighting circuit won't work. If, however, you are using a circuit using a LM317 chip, much of my discussion is moot. Good luck
hey guys I got a question thats stumped me for a long time. I got a few of the few old AHM or I.H.C diesel locos and they run well but.... The lights do light but they are so dim that it wouldn't light up the head light lens or light up the cab. What can I do to make the bulb brighter???? Besides getting a highter volt bulb??? I had alreay gotten higher voltage bulbs which did make them brighter but their still real dim. I do have a bunch of Athearn locos and Life-Like P2K and they have bright lights but when I run them together as a lash up or a consist of locos it doesn't look right. What can I do to make those lights brighter????
Hey John; Thanks for the lighting job on my Big Six. that light is better and whiter than the one Rivarossi put in it! Thanks, Mike
Mike, Thats no problem! Thats what i'm around for....... I'm glad it is better i told you it would be and since its wired in paralel it should have opened it up just a touch it ran better on my test track after I done that to it!!!!!! So it should run somewhat better then it did!
A&A, No I haven't used LEDs. The locos i'm talking about are those high nose GP-18's and the Fairbank Morse F-Liners. LEDs won't work in them to well. I need a way to cut the voltage to the motor to flow to the bulb some how. That should make the bulb brighter and cut down the juice going to the motor to slow it down! Now just to figure out what type of resistance (if any) that would do the trick......
Just an idea 7600EM_1, but how bout a resistor? Feed the track power to the lights first, then put a resistor in the motor leads. Never tried this one, maby one of the less "electricaly challanged" members could say if it would work. ....Mike
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Clifton: If, however, you are using a circuit using a LM317 chip, much of my discussion is moot.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> edit - moot point - see below [ 06 April 2001: Message edited by: yankinoz ]
Yep, John, It runs like crazy now wired parallel. And, Surprisingly, the power is a little better than before. thanks! By the way, call or e-mail me on how my Q-3 is doing. Also, check out what Watash has to say on the Rivarossi and Con-Cor string. Mike k.
Here's the diagrams on-line - but note that the colours shown on the resistors are NOT accurate (the numbers are) with the LM317 - non-directional This could be made directional by replacing the bridge rectifier with a diode - this is important because the capacitor and the voltage regulater can not take negative voltage. This would of course require two circuits (one for each end) directional circuit with diodes This is the classic diode circuit and one I am making this weekend From Rollins World Wide Web Page Thanks Mark Rollins wherever you are. Edit for clarification [ 06 April 2001: Message edited by: yankinoz ]
Mike, I'll take alook at Watash's tread. Thanks man. Oh and I told you that once it was wired in paralel it would open it up did I not? But Now i'm going to try a new trick on my Big Six to see what happens its awwwfull slow and unpowerfull too!!!! I may get rid of that paralel switch and do the same thing to mine as I did yours and see what happens and keep the switch just incase it won't run at all without it!!!!! [ 06 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Mike_C, I'll see what type resistor I'll need to do this and give it a try to see what happens and if nothing else I can make it go back to what it was orginally so....... But anyway thanks!!!! Will let you know what happens.....
6206_S1a, I'll talk to you at the station man about the Q I got a few things that I need to talk to you about and it would take me forever to type them out here or in e-mail so.... and to talk in person will be alot better!!!! So i'll hope to see you their one day of the weekend.
7600EM_1, Great news! I just talked to Athearn about the DCC wire on my Q-3. I talked to the head of production and he said to "pack it up (per his instructions) and send it to Athearn's repairs dept. and it will be fixed! I'll tell you the rest of the story tommorrow at the station. 6206_S1a
Mike, I'm looking forwards in hearing what Athearn had to say! It should be of interest on it thats forsure!!!! You missed it on Friday at the station I had me a massive derailment!!!! It looked real!! If I had schenery on my layout over their you'd almost would've swore it was a reinactment of AMTRACK!!! My B&O Cininatian looked like an acordian and it dumped the B&O frieght on the floor and my MOW (work train) was layin on its side the whole danged train!!!! I was like WOW check that out. Come to find that it was caused by a wheel journal pivot that completly wore out their was no fine needle point on the axle anymore on the first car in my MOW (work train)!!! I ran it that much it wore the point off the spindle!!!! It jackknifed the car in the track and the passenger came around and crashed into it and it in turn crashed into the freight train along the side on that siding!!!!! On the floor the freight went!! Look out here comes the danged damage control of the B&O [ 07 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Oh, Thank God, there is someone else out there who runs the beejeez out of their MOW. I thought I might be the only one. Haven't worn off any points yet, though!
Isn't it the FREIGHT or the PASSENGER train that is supposed to derail and the MOW tha is supposed to stay on the rails???!!! Yes, The MOW are some of the most interesting trains. Ever see a five year old's eyes light up when they first see a crane? I know mine did.
