New lighting package

Discussion in 'DCC' started by Iantha_Branch, Apr 2, 2011.

  1. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Hello forum, long story short a while back I was working on my Athearn SD45 and had to remove the light board and all the lights and hard wire it. I tried reinstalling lights using resistors, but I couldn't make that work. Well I got the supplies of a TCS T6X and a VR 1.5 in Thursday and worked on it yesterday evening and got it all fixed up. Attached is a short clip of the lights in operation.

    View attachment 20110402162157(1).wmv

    Ethan
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 2, 2011
  2. bob_wintle

    bob_wintle Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Ethan:
    Which decoder did you use? I can't tell you how proud of you I am. It just thrills me to see you jumping in and learning things. Excellent job. With young fellows like you the future of our hobby is in good hands.
    Bob
     
  3. Rick McClellan

    Rick McClellan 2009 Engineer of the Year

    AND he did the video . . .
     
  4. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Hard to show motion with a still picture..... :p

    Bob, I had an NCE D15SR in it, but I switched to a TCS T6X because it and the T4X (I needed the extra function) are the only decoders compatible with the VR 1.5, which is what made this possible.

    Keith Robinson pointed out a couple things that I will go work on and when I get it fixed I will post another demo.

    Ethan

    EDIT: PS The VR 1.5 is something by TCS that acts as a resistor. It's roughly the same size of a resistor, but provides enough mA of 1.5 volt power to run 8 1.5 volt 15mA bulbs (120 mA total) which is how many I used on this project.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 2, 2011
  5. Bruce Adams

    Bruce Adams Member

    Lighting / animation always impresses me - great job, Ethan!
    I'm not good at getting into the tiny areas for putting in the lights - did you do all of that installation yourself?
    BTW, I appreciate details you posted, such as the specific decoder.
    Nice work!
     
  6. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Thanks, B.A.

    Yes, I did all of the drilling and installing my self. The Roof beacon from the factory came installed with a light in it, but I replaced it. The gyro light came installed as well, but had to remove a lens and drill a hole. The class lights are just a simple dimple in the molding from the factory, but I drilled through them and installed light bulbs.

    Ethan
     
  7. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

  8. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    Great work - Ethan.
    The lighting sure makes the model "come to life".
     
  9. renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013)

    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013) Passed away March 8, 2013

    I think VR 1.5 stands for 1.5 Volt Voltage Regulator. Very nice job, those are the brightest 1.5 Volt bulbs I have ever seen.
    Richard E. Napper
     
  10. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Richard, they were really dim when I installed them, but I cranked up the brightness from 16 out of 30 (factory default) to 28 of 30.

    Ethan
     
  11. FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018)

    FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018) Passed Away April 12, 2018 Frisco.org Supporter

    For those of you that are not familiar with the lighting functions in a TCS decoder, Ethan's well done video is a testament to the fact that they are the best in the industry. After having the A6X's in my GP38's replaced with Tsunami's I really know how much I miss them. For those of you not aware of how the effect is achieved, they use multiple CV's that allow the user to adjust the time that each step from off to total brightness and back to off and the actual time each step is on to achieve the desired effect. Therefore the roof beacon and the nose gyra-light can be adjusted differently to obtain different effects.

    Ethan has his as close to perfect as one can get in my opinion. Good job!
     
  12. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I haven't heard back from Keith, any one know what a prime stratolite is or how to program it in on a TCS T6X?

    Ethan
     
  13. FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018)

    FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018) Passed Away April 12, 2018 Frisco.org Supporter

    Ethan:

    It is a brand name for the roof beacon. A quote from another website:

    "The Stratolight beacon simulates the Prime Stratolight beacon used on Santa Fe, Missouri Pacific, Milwaukee, Southern Pacific, Montana Raillink, and post 1988 Burlington Northern Diesels.
    The Western Cullen beacon simulates the beacon used on Union Pacific, Chicago and Northwestern, pre 1988 Burlington Northern, and some Rio Grande diesels."
     
  14. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    The Prime Stratolite is the name of the rotary beacon used by the Frisco. In Soundtraxx Tsunami decoders, it is named as such. In other decoders, it may just be "rotary beacon". The light of the Prime Stratolight would appear to step up in brightness in visible steps and then back to off as the four individual bulbs (each facing 90 degrees perpendicular to the other) were turned on and then back off in a circular pattern.

    You would set the CV corresponding to the wire for that bulb to 38 in a TCS T6X decoder.
    For the Gryralight, set the CV corresponding to the wire for that bulb to 7 in a TCS T6X decoder.

    Richard, the bulbs to use are the 1.2mm 1.5v 15ma bulbs from Miniatronics. They are perfect for headlights, class lights and all the rest. Some decoders like the Tsunami (light board type) and the TCS A6X have built-in 1.5v power sources that eliminate the need for dropping resistors when using the 1.5v bulbs.
     
  15. renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013)

    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013) Passed away March 8, 2013

    Where does one find this TCS T6X decoder?
    Richard E. Napper
     
  16. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

  17. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Richard, if a light-board style decoder would work, I would highly recommend the TCS A6X, especially for Atlas locomotives, since it is the one with built in 1.5v power source as well as built-in drive circuitry (resistors) for LEDs.
     
  18. TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020)

    TAG1014 (Tom Galbraith RIP 7/15/2020) Passed Away July 15, 2020 Frisco.org Supporter

    I think Ethan's lighting project and video ought to be a TV commercial for the product!

    Tom
     
  19. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Terry, yes a sound decoder is a little expensive. I don't have any currently, but am looking at getting into it. Also if I didn't use a TCS T6X this project wouldn't have happened.

    Ethan
     
  20. renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013)

    renapper (Richard Napper RIP 3/8/2013) Passed away March 8, 2013

    Terry,
    What would you like to know about Electronics, etc. I am a retired Electronics Engineer, I do everything in DC and DCC. E-mail me at renapper@centurylink.net.
    Richard E. Napper
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 5, 2011

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