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garyd8004
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Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice if at all possible. I have an old Bachmann Class 158 2 car unit in Regional Railways livery. I wanted to convert it to DCC and at the same time ad an Express Models lighting kit. I have used a 4 function Hattons decoder on the motor unit. That works well. For the non motor carriage I have a  TCS-FL4 function only decoder.

 

I have removed the old light fittings, drilled holes and fitted the new light fittings into both. The new light have 3 lights in each of the 2 clusters per carriage.

 

Everything has been connected up as per the (excellent) Express models instruction sheet, however, the instructions state: 

 

'Disable the directionally controlled lighting & assign the white lead to function 0 (1) and the yellow lead to function 1 (2). These two functions control the marker & tail lights at each end.

Set the green lead to function 2 (3) and the lilac lead to function 3 (4). These functions operate the day & night headlights at the forward end.

 

For anybody who is reading this and hasn't yet realised, I am a complete novice. That said, I have converted several other of my old DC locos to DCC and I am relishing the challenges that building my layout etc brings with it, but !!

 

I have an ESU ECoS 50200 and try as I might I do not know how I 'assign' the different coloured leads to functions, and specific functions at that. Can this only be done with the ESU Lokprogrammer or is there another way  ?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Thank you in advance

Gary

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There are a few ways to reassign the functions. 

The most cumbersome way is to look up the relevant CVs that need changing; these can then be programmed using your ECoS unit.

Easier ways involve linking the ECoS and programming track to a computer. You can then use JMRI's free Decoder Pro software to reprogram the various functions by the simple expedient of ticking and unticking checkboxes on screen. This is probably your best, and cheapest option.

Another way would be to use an ESU LokProgrammer, also linked to a computer - similar abilities to select checkboxes.

Some people use SPROG programmers - I have no experience with this one.

I am not entirely sure, but your ECoS unit may also have the ability to reprogram without knowing the necessary CVs; the answer to that will also have to await someone else with better knowledge of the unit than mine.

I have included some of the alternatives here because other people with similar problems but different equipment may find something of use to them too. Hopefully I haven't confused the issue too much.

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It was either the 158 or a 170 that I put an Express Models lighting unit in. For the price I was not that impressed with what was actually supplied and had for example hoped for a simple slot lights to have featured. As for the directional issues I decided to ignore the instructions requirements to use function controls and wired a relay in worked by the decoder so that as the unit changes direction the lights alter correctly at each end.

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  • RMweb Gold

A 4 function decoder obviously has 4 functions. F0 usually directional lights is function 1 (white wire is forward).  F1 usually lights or something and is F2 (yellow wire).  F3 on the controller is Aux 1 (function 3 green wire) and F4 is Aux 2, function 4 (purple wire).  Either Aux 1 or Aux 2 will control the day or night lights.  I fitted the express models lights to my Voyager with a similar arrangement for day and night running.  You must ensure the function mapping for both decoders is the same although the CV's may not be the same.  I think the express models instructions refer to Lenz decoders.  So you should check your instruction sheets for both decoders to match the CV's.

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There are a few ways to reassign the functions. 

 

The most cumbersome way is to look up the relevant CVs that need changing; these can then be programmed using your ECoS unit.

 

Easier ways involve linking the ECoS and programming track to a computer. You can then use JMRI's free Decoder Pro software to reprogram the various functions by the simple expedient of ticking and unticking checkboxes on screen. This is probably your best, and cheapest option.

Another way would be to use an ESU LokProgrammer, also linked to a computer - similar abilities to select checkboxes.

 

Some people use SPROG programmers - I have no experience with this one.

 

I am not entirely sure, but your ECoS unit may also have the ability to reprogram without knowing the necessary CVs; the answer to that will also have to await someone else with better knowledge of the unit than mine.

 

I have included some of the alternatives here because other people with similar problems but different equipment may find something of use to them too. Hopefully I haven't confused the issue too much.

Hi SR Man,

 

Thanks for your helpful thoughts and apologies for not replying before now but work commitments got in the way.  I've downloaded Decoder Pro.... it seems like an excellent piece of software... made even better as it's free of course !!

Just in the process of getting to grips with it but I seem to be making some headway.... 

Gary

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A 4 function decoder obviously has 4 functions. F0 usually directional lights is function 1 (white wire is forward).  F1 usually lights or something and is F2 (yellow wire).  F3 on the controller is Aux 1 (function 3 green wire) and F4 is Aux 2, function 4 (purple wire).  Either Aux 1 or Aux 2 will control the day or night lights.  I fitted the express models lights to my Voyager with a similar arrangement for day and night running.  You must ensure the function mapping for both decoders is the same although the CV's may not be the same.  I think the express models instructions refer to Lenz decoders.  So you should check your instruction sheets for both decoders to match the CV's.

 

Your succinct explanation has confirmed to me the absolute rightness of my decision not to adopt DCC. "F1 ... is F2"??? Dear God: what a mess.

 

Paul

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The white and yellow wires are very often worked interactively on commercial models, with the white wire supplying the headlights at end 1 and the tail lights at end 2, while the yellow wire supplies the headlights end 2 and the tail lights at end 1. This combination is usually worked by function 0 on the controller, but actually constitutes two functions of the decoder, and (usually, set to work in one direction only for each wire (white for forwards and yellow for reverse). 
 

All function wires use the blue wire as the common return.

If you want independent light controls, then the tail lights have to be separated out from the wires controlling the headlights, so you have to use the other available colours (e.g. green and purple on a 4-function decoder). The headlights, still on the white and yellow wires separately, can still be operated directionally from Function 0 on the controller, but other function buttons have to be used for the tail lights at each end.

It's really not as complicated as it sounds.

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  • RMweb Gold

Your succinct explanation has confirmed to me the absolute rightness of my decision not to adopt DCC. "F1 ... is F2"??? Dear God: what a mess.

 

Paul

The functions are really quite basic, it's only a "mess" if you don't read the instructions.  If you care to check you will see that F0 to F28 is clearly indicated on all dcc throttles/controllers but I think garyd8004 was looking for help regarding function mapping as the above posts have attempted to do.

 

Mike

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The functions are really quite basic, it's only a "mess" if you don't read the instructions. If you care to check you will see that F0 to F28 is clearly indicated on all dcc throttles/controllers but I think garyd8004 was looking for help regarding function mapping as the above posts have attempted to do.

 

Mike

Mike, I wasn't getting at you - I'm sure your reply was most helpful to Gary and was appreciated by him.

 

It's the principle. "F1 is F2". How on earth could any reasonable human imagine that such garbage makes sense? It's the same crap I have to wrestle with in my working life, which also features JavaScript errors, "fatal" errors, and an alphabet soup of gibberish written by computer people.

 

Some may love it. For me, I can't imagine how it would have any part to play in my relaxation time.

 

Paul

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