Gaugemaster HF2 - Lights on / Lights off?

[Ray Von]

I've come a cropper with this device before, straightforward question that I can't get a clear answer for even in the product instructions: should the light be permanently "on" because it is in my case?  The PDF of the instructions says the light will flicker when we working... Is that "flicker on when working" or "the light will flicker out when working" !? 

Edited January 7, 2021 by Ray Von

[BokStein]

As I understand things, the 'light' is a neon bulb which only glows when AC is present.

 

If the track (Note: this HF gets right through to the guts of the motor so will also clean the loco's pickups, the contacts to any motor brushes and the commutator slip contacts as well) is clean, it should not glow.

 

However, if it is on all the time, there may be something wrong as I doubt your system is that dirty!

 

The High Frequency cleaners WILL NOT work if there is anything DCC present! I.e. putting a HFC between a DCC Controller and the track will screw the DCC signal. If your loco is DCC Fitted, the HFC will screw that too.

 

May I suggest you:

 

1. Wire up an independent length of track from the HFC Track Output and see what happens with no loco on it; the neon should be on.

2. Put a non-DCC fitted (DCC ready is OK) loco on this track and see how the neon behaves. If it is off or flickers, the HFC is working properly; goto suggestion 3. If not, refer to Gaugemaster and ignore suggestion 3 and beyond..

3. Put the HFC back on to your main track with no locomotives thereon. The neon should be on as you are replicating 1 above.

4. Put the same locomotive as used in Suggestion 2 above on the main track and see what the neon does. If the neon is off or flickers, that's good, no problems. If not, you have a problem with the wiring of the main track which needs investigating. Start by checking that the only wires to the track come from the HFC and that the wires from the controller go ONLY into the HFC.

 

 

[Ray Von]

It's on all the time, is that good or bad? 

[kevinlms]

If you short out the output from it, the light should go out and stay out, while the short is one.

That should show if the unit works. 

I hope that you never let a DCC device near it!