Deltic lights - anyone got any pointers?

The headcode box in my Bachie "Nimbus" has come adrift so I'm going to have to take it apart. While I'm in there, I'd like to fit some lights - at least for the headcode box. Has anyone done this?

Any help would be appreciated!

Adrian

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Adrian
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I have renamed and renumbered my deltic to 55019 which is preserved and running on the network today. I have fitted working high intensity headlight, headcode marker lights and tail lights and it was all pretty straight forward. There is plenty of room in the nose so illuminated headcode shouldn't be a problem.

Nick

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Reply to
Nick Gurney

Phil: I have just been converting mine to Dcc, and adding lights at the same time.

Their 'dcc/dummy socket' is misleading, as it does not have connections from anything other than the motor or track pickups, despite the linking of 3 pins at each end on their dummy plug.

I have added White LEDs at either end, just into the nose, to illuminate the marker lights or possibly headcode in the future (past?). I also added 2 'interior' cab LED lights, to run off the 3rd function output (green wire) on my module..... but I've only used a ZTC215 in it so far, in which that is inoperative 8-(

METHOD (Having opened the chassis - 6 screws - see exploded view) There is a dummy plug which I reused because my ZTC215's work on bare wires attached via a 9-way plug and socket at the module end.

I removed the surplus solder. This reveals the connectors to be bent wire. I made further, matching connectors from resistor leads, and fully wired the plug - including blue wire (+ve light/function supply), white and yellow leads for either end lights, and the 3rd green lead for the cab lights.

I released their PCB, and found that there were no lighting connections - only shorted links! - I used a cutting disc to isolate each pin position, (and similarly on the plug as an insurance).

I soldered yellow, white blue and green leads to the underside if their connector to make it a fully populated socket, and extended these out beyond the pcb.

I connected white(/yellow) to LED -ve, LED +ve to 1k resistor, 1k resistor to blue +ve supply. On test found this was inverted operation for the direction of travel, and therefore swapped the motor connections at the pcb - soldering them instead of their push-connectors (easier than reprogramming)

I also added 'interior lights' with 2 yellow LEDs and 1k in series with green and blue (function C) - not yet seen working 8-(

The marker lights are opaque as supplied - so I flipped out the black plastic insert, drilled out the 2 white circles, and added white paper behind with poly magic before reasembling. I positioned the white LEDs in the nose / forward of the cab seats by cutting a slot in the front centre. (cab lights are behind cab)

All joins insulated or sleeved in black for minimum visiblility.

Problem: refitting the body, seems to NOT have enough room for the decoder, and I removed the inner screws holding the fans in place - better. however I may change to a smaller module - without the plastic plug and socket adding bulk where it isn't wanted. (there is nominally space in between the fans for the decoder - as long as it doesn't slip etc.

Note: 1 sample in the shop had poorly sprayed yellow ends, and was going to be returned to Bachmann.Mine also had one end marker light 'pushed in' slightly - they are simply pushed into place from behind.

Hornby Class 50 to do next (and a backlog of bachmann steam outline which need chassis cutting around the motor terminals). The Lima 67 converted easily and runs well. - that WAS a pure dummy imitation of a dcc connector (ie 2x4 holes in the pcb)

Reply to
Phil

Thanks for the information....time to buy some white LEDs I think! I'm not on DCC, so I guess it should be fairly easy. I like the idea of cab lights too...

Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

Phil: Having got it up and running, I currently have 'spill' problems with the light downward in front of the bogie, and also through the transparent surround of the marker/headcode area.

Reply to
Phil

At in news:3ffa7be6.0@entanet, Adrian driveled:

If you're not on DCC I think you will find your leds' brightness will vary with speed.

-- If Your specification is vague or imprecise, you'll likely get what you asked for not what you want

Reply to
GbH

I would expect so - except on my Bachmann DMU they seem to have solved that problem. From about 10% power upawards, the brightness is pretty-much unchanged.

Anyone know how?

Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

mat-black paint around the inside of the headcode box??? (plus a shroud)

Any chance of a photo???

Adrian

Reply to
Adrian

At in news:3ffa9e07.0@entanet, Adrian driveled:

My guess would be replacing the resistor with a constant current source.

-- If Your specification is vague or imprecise, you'll likely get what you asked for not what you want

Reply to
GbH

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