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Active Member 35 posts railheadphotog Active Member 35 posts
railheadphotog

I have a pair of second hand N-scale Kato SD-40-2's that came equipped with Digitrax decoders.  I'm assuming that they are DN1631 decoders and further assuming that they might be DN1631K1C decoders as that is the Digitrax decoder currently available for this locomotive.

I've successfully reset both of the decoders using the DV8 008 entry.  The chips went back to the default address of 003, the acceleration and deceleration settings went back to zero and I assume everything else went back to 'normal'.

As with most assumptions there are some givens that, well failed.  One unit only has a headlight when running forward, the other unit also only has a headlight when running forward, but the light is very dim.  I tried all of the function keys on my MRC Prodigy Advance Squared handset to see if the back light would come on to no avail.

I have read the literature available on the Digitrax website as well as some other posts on the internet and all I got was, well confused.

Can anyone give some simple instructions to get the rear light running and the front light on bright?

Thank you

Bob

Faithfully modeling that which never existed - The Wakefield, Houghton and Trout Lake.  N scale, DCC, Michigan Upper Peninsula shortline.
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Nelsonb111563 Moderator 2,265 posts
Nelsonb111563

Try This....

Set both CV 49 and 50 to a value of 000.  This should have reset when you wrote a value of 8 into CV8.  I would also check to see if the lights actually work and are not burned out.  Are they LED or incandesent lights?  If possible readback your CV values for 49 and 50.  If all else fails, get out your trusty volt/Ohm meter and start checking power outputs.

 

Nelson Beaudry,  Principle/CEO

Kennebec, Penobscot and Northern RR Co.
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railheadphotog Active Member 35 posts
railheadphotog

Tried That....

Thanks Nelson for the ideas.

I reset both CV 49 and 50 to 000.  No change in lighting.  So I popped the shell off the unit with the bright front light and put a volt meter to the LED leads.  The meter showed that the LED was getting juice.  A moment or so later, the LED started to shine.  Put the shell back on and the light goes out.  Pull the shell again, a little jiggling on the LED and the light came back on, put the shell on and again no light.

I think that I'll just replace the decoder with a TCS chip, I have a bunch of that brand and have had no issues with any so far.

Bob

Faithfully modeling that which never existed - The Wakefield, Houghton and Trout Lake.  N scale, DCC, Michigan Upper Peninsula shortline.
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LKandO Prolific poster 3,839 posts
LKandO

Try re-soldering the LED

Try re-soldering the LED. By your description it sounds like an intermittent connection.

Alan

All the details:  http://www.LKOrailroad.com        Just the highlights:  MRH blog

When I was a kid... no wait, I still do that. HO, 28x32, double deck, 1969, RailPro
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