Changing lighting output directions?????

[soo]

Sup,

Why do tech manuals and certain web sites have to be SOOOOO hard to find the info that you are looking for.

All I want to do is change the direction of the lighting outputs. It just dawned on me that the motor is probably upside down. But the lokie is running great, so I don't want to mess with the mechanicals. I just want to change the lighting out to match the direction of travel. I am using a decoder made by a certain company that is headquartered out of Georgia,, begins with a D and ends with X.

WHY CANT THEY MAKE THEIR FRIGGING MANUALS EASY TO UNDERSTAND!!!!!

I feel like driving to Ga and firmly planting my foot in their rear end!!! I am to the point of where I might just burn my manuals and mail the ashes back to them,,, and ask them if they understand them now!!!!!!

I know it is CV 49 and 50,, but what are the values to enter to change direction of the frigging lights?!!!???!!!??

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

Wyt

[mmyers]

Change NDOT. Normal direction of travel in CV29. Read CV29, add 1 to the value and write it. Either that or swap the grey and orange wires.

Martin Myers

[soo]

Martin,

 Just wrote CV 29 39 from 38.

Yes the direction of travel changed,, but the headlights are still opposite.  I have 2 GBW Walthers RS-2's. These are the PNP version both using the DN163K2.  I just checked both decoders,, CV 49 and 50 are both set to 0, which is the factory setting. For one unit it works correctly and for one unit it does not. I am stumped

I re-wrote 29 back to NDOT,,,38. So both decoders are exactly the same,, headlights still jacked up on one unit... SUPER FRUSTRATING!!!!

Wyatt

[soo]

Issue fixed by re-mapping functions.

Wyatt

[peteski]

Yes, the direction bit in CV29 is misleading.  It basically reverses the response of the entire locomotive (not just the motor's direction).  This is so one can make for example RS-3 run either long or short hood forward (as far as the indication on the handheld throttle goes).

You might be better off swapping the motor leads to the correct polarity. Yes, you fixed it in "software" but the next time that decoder "blows its brains" like it happens from time to time, will you remember what you did to it a year ago to make it run correctly?  If you are using JMRI and have all the decoder settings stored on a computer, this is not as much of a problem. Still, I don't like workarounds or patches when there is an easy way to fix things right.  But that's me...

[mmyers]

Unfortunately, remapping the functions is about the only way to "fix" your PnP decoder. I originally thought you had a wired decoder. In that case, the best way is to swap the motor wires or flip the motor. Flipping the motor may still be possible with your installation but it will require swapping the brass brush contacts as well. Your decision. Lots of work  V a little programming. Of course if you are using JMRI, just save that engine as a separate roster entry with its unique settings in case they are needed again.

Martin Myers

[peteski]

Unfortunately, remapping the functions is about the only way to "fix" your PnP decoder. I originally thought you had a wired decoder. In that case, the best way is to swap the motor wires or flip the motor. Flipping the motor may still be possible with your installation but it will require swapping the brass brush contacts as well. Your decision. Lots of work  V a little programming. Of course if you are using JMRI, just save that engine as a separate roster entry with its unique settings in case they are needed again.

Martin Myers

This situation could only occur if the model was shipped from the factory with a flipped motor (motor contact assembled incorrectly when it was initially assembled).  If that was the case, then the model would have ran in the wrong direction (compared to other models on the layout), even in DC mode.  I'm not saying that this is impossible, but I have never seen that.  I suspect that this would be very rare problem.

[jdcolombo]

This situation could only occur if the model was shipped from the factory with a flipped motor (motor contact assembled incorrectly when it was initially assembled).  If that was the case, then the model would have ran in the wrong direction (compared to other models on the layout), even in DC mode.  I'm not saying that this is impossible, but I have never seen that.  I suspect that this would be very rare problem.

No, the OP has RS-2's.  I suspect that the PNP decoder is set up to run short hood forward, and he wants to run long-hood forward.  When I hard wire a decoder in my RS's "correctly" (orange to bottom brush, gray to top), it runs short hood forward.  The NKP ran long hood forward, so usually I just switch the wires.  But if you have a PNP decoder, it isn't "wrong" from the factory; it's just that the factory setting is short-hood forward.  Combo of CV29 and Function remap fixes things.   Write a note if you don't have JMRI (of course, then you'll have to remember where you put the note!).

John C.

[peteski]

No, the OP has RS-2's.  I suspect that the PNP decoder is set up to run short hood forward, and he wants to run long-hood forward.  When I hard wire a decoder in my RS's "correctly" (orange to bottom brush, gray to top), it runs short hood forward.  The NKP ran long hood forward, so usually I just switch the wires.  But if you have a PNP decoder, it isn't "wrong" from the factory; it's just that the factory setting is short-hood forward.  Combo of CV29 and Function remap fixes things.   Write a note if you don't have JMRI (of course, then you'll have to remember where you put the note!).

John C.

That makes sense - good point John.

But  if the loco in question was an F3A... 

[lajmdlr]

soo
Why do you want the headlights to change when your loco(s) changes direction? That's not done on the real RRs.