Kernow GWR steam rail motor

[longchap]

On 15/02/2024 at 17:39, Neal Ball said:

We shall no doubt compare invoices 🙁. 

 

Well, I was expecting more than the 64,50€ and should have the SRM in a few days. The crew and passengers are still in the UK, but will be brought over by friends in a couple of weeks.

 

Hope yours is as economical Neal.

[Neal Ball]

2 minutes ago, longchap said:

 

Well, I was expecting more than the 64,50€ and should have the SRM in a few days. The crew and passengers are still in the UK, but will be brought over by friends in a couple of weeks.

 

Hope yours is as economical Neal.

 

I suppose that sounds about right @20% tax - although on the face of it, it sounds expensive.

[stephennicholson]

On 11/02/2024 at 14:18, melmerby said:

I found the body difficult to remove and even more difficult to replace*, so fitting the decoder will be the limit of intervention.

 

*IMHO the PCB could be made a little narrower which would ease the process.

I found refitting the body easier by putting the non engine end  in first, slightly offset, then sliding in and down. If that makes any sense!

[didcot]

For those of a nervous disposition I have found a way to remove the body. As you can see I cut 8 strips from some clear packaging and slide them in where the clips are. The body then comes away, but it catches on the vacuum hoses at either end, so some gentle persuasion is needed. Refitting is fiddly and the bogie end needs to go in first. 

I have fitted a Dapol imperium decoder, but looking at the CVs can't see which one dims the tail lamps.

[Butler Henderson]

5 hours ago, didcot said:

I have fitted a Dapol imperium decoder, but looking at the CVs can't see which one dims the tail lamps.

Lais decoder - setting CV53 to 44 then CV64 dimmed depending on its setting (0 to 30) the interior lights on a EFE 144.

CV53 is F3.  Other CVs are

CV49 Front lamp

CV50 Rear lamp

CV51 F1

CV52 F2

CV54 F4

 

 

[didcot]

Thank you I will give that a go.

[stephennicholson]

For those of us with sound fitted zimos (where the supplied instructions say there is no means to dim directional lighting) - any suggestions of a means to at least take the edge off the brightness with say semi translucent paint?

[Edge]

36 minutes ago, stephennicholson said:

For those of us with sound fitted zimos (where the supplied instructions say there is no means to dim directional lighting) - any suggestions of a means to at least take the edge off the brightness with say semi translucent paint?

I have found that a wash of a few layers of translucent paint (I use Games Workshop shade paints) does help to dim down LEDs, but that it is very easy to overdo it and make it almost invisible to see that there is a light at all. 
 

For my part as I have the preserved number 93, I have assumed/imagined/interpreted that modern regulations require the fitting of high intensity lights, which have in this case been cleverly disguised as GWR oil lamps :)

Edited February 19 by Edge

[stephennicholson]

1 hour ago, Edge said:

few layers of translucent paint (I use Games Workshop shade paints)

Can you make a suggestion as to which one - hopefully its one my son-in-law has! I already applied Nuln oil to the lamp body which did a good job of toning the red down.

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, stephennicholson said:

For those of us with sound fitted zimos (where the supplied instructions say there is no means to dim directional lighting

I find that hard to believe.

Do we know which model decoder is being used?

Zimo have quite comprehensive instructions for their decoders and I would expect dimming of function outputs to be one of the options.

[stephennicholson]

13 minutes ago, melmerby said:

I find that hard to believe.

Do we know which model decoder is being used?

Zimo have quite comprehensive instructions for their decoders and I would expect dimming of function outputs to be one of the options.

 

 

Details are in this pdf https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/Service_Sheets/LOCO27743-CertAndQuickRef-KernowSRM.pdf 

 

Its published by Youchoos by the look of it, with specific reference on page 3 to the directional lighting.

[Harlequin]

2 minutes ago, melmerby said:

I find that hard to believe.

Do we know which model decoder is being used?

Zimo have quite comprehensive instructions for their decoders and I would expect dimming of function outputs to be one of the options.

It's an MS450.

 

[Edge]

55 minutes ago, stephennicholson said:

Can you make a suggestion as to which one - hopefully it’s one my son-in-law has! I already applied Nuln oil to the lamp body which did a good job of toning the red down.

Nuln oil is good, but Seraphim sepia or agrax Earthshade are probably best for what you want it for. They will tone down the strength of the light while adding a slight yellow/brown tinge. Lots of light layers will work best - don’t try and do it in one or two thick layers 

[Free At Last]

On 19/02/2024 at 12:02, stephennicholson said:

For those of us with sound fitted zimos (where the supplied instructions say there is no means to dim directional lighting)

As others have said, they can be dimmed. I have done mine but I don't know the cv numbers as I did it using Decoder Pro.

[stephennicholson]

24 minutes ago, Free At Last said:

As others have said, they can be dimmed. I have done mine but I don't know the cv numbers as I did it using Decoder Pro.

 

I am not sure I have seen a post from anyone with the fitted zimo sound chip who has successfully dimmed the directional lights - but happy to be corrected!

[Free At Last]

39 minutes ago, stephennicholson said:

 

I am not sure I have seen a post from anyone with the fitted zimo sound chip who has successfully dimmed the directional lights - but happy to be corrected!

Using Decoder Pro the setting is in the Function Output tab.
Perhaps someone with more knowledge of Decoder Pro can decipher it into what actual cv values are being changed for those who don't use it

 

 

Edited February 20 by Free At Last

[melmerby]

What CV controls the voltage depends on the decoder manufacturer and how the output CVsw have been mapped

e.g. on a Lenz decoder CV55 and CV56 values control the brightness of f0 (head & tail lights) and f1 interior lights. (factory default setting)

 

On a Zimo they are different.

Edited February 20 by melmerby

[stephennicholson]

1 hour ago, Free At Last said:

Using Decoder Pro the setting is in the Function Output tab.
Perhaps someone with more knowledge of Decoder Pro can decipher it into what actual cv values are being changed for those who don't use it

 

Do you have the Zimo Sound Chip fitted? If so your solution seems straight forward and I just need to get Decoder Pro and get to grips with that.

[sjrixon]

On 27/01/2024 at 17:16, jwd said:

Got mine today, superb :

 

DCC sound version, interior light brightness needed turning up (I thought they were broken), Whistles are a bit too loud so needed turning down, other than the chuffs no more CV tuning.

 

Very impressed, only slight gripe is a very slight low level hum out of the speaker when nothing is switched on (except power to track) but as its never quiet in the loft not really an issue for me.

 

Well done Kernow

 

 

Could you share your CV tweaks? - Mine arrived today YAY.. But yes, my internal lights don't work, but I guess they need to turn them up.

[Free At Last]

1 hour ago, stephennicholson said:

 

Do you have the Zimo Sound Chip fitted? If so your solution seems straight forward and I just need to get Decoder Pro and get to grips with that.

Yes, I have the factory fitted sound decoder.

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, sjrixon said:

my internal lights don't work, but I guess they need to turn them up.

Are you sure they are not on?

They are very dim as standard, which is prototypically correct.

It's the front and rear marker lights that are like searchlights and need reducing - a lot! I'm now down to a setting of 32 (out of 255). 

They should really only be a glimmer.

[peterfgf]

I've found the lights are bright.  The accompanying instructions from YouChoos says the lights can't be dimmed, but a look at the Zimo MS sound instructions suggests CV60 is the one that will change the intensity. It gives the following examples for values of CV60
      Full voltage   0 or 255

      2/3 volts       170

      80% volts     204

Mine was received with CV60 set to 50, so well down at 20% full voltage.

I haven't had a chance to change the value yet , so "buyer beware"!

Peterfgf

[sjrixon]

Now it's actually got dark.. You are correct, they are on!

[Kaput]

Bare in mind altering CV60 will likely change all the lights.

If you want to try and dim the directional lights separately from the interior you'd need to use the swiss mapping and map out the functions and dimming levels there.

Easy (if a bit hard to wrap your brain around) with Decoder Pro but a bit of a nightmare with manual CV changes.

[cctransuk]

44 minutes ago, Kaput said:

Bare in mind altering CV60 will likely change all the lights.

If you want to try and dim the directional lights separately from the interior you'd need to use the swiss mapping and map out the functions and dimming levels there.

Easy (if a bit hard to wrap your brain around) with Decoder Pro but a bit of a nightmare with manual CV changes.

 

I seem to recall, way back, reading "Wonderfully simple, this DCC - just two wires needed"! 😄

 

(For the sensitive - only kidding)!

 

CJI.