mikesndbs

Hi, if you look the video you can see the original resistors and note they are marked 682. Now while 1k is only 14% increase LED brightness is not linear compared to series resistance. I'd liked to have added 2k but as explained this would have resulted in too much voltage available to the 2.7v capacitor and coach lighting. 1k a good compromise I feel

Hi, I'm sorry the video is not more clear, I do say I'm adding 1k in series with the existing resistors. Making 7k8 total, this dims the head and tail and leaves more current for the coach lighting. If you cut a track on the main PCB you would further dim the coach lighting. I explained I felt clearly what the copper strips do and how this is a minimum alteration that is easily reversible.

I posted a how to reduce the brightness and increase the coach lights about four posts back. Chech out the video. If you need some tape and a resistor let me know now tell me about this feedback controller?

Here we see the Kernow GWR Steam Railmotor having it’s showcase run. This is my second model as the original had failed head/tail lamps. This new one looked like going the same way so I dimmed them down (video guide already up) Enjoy seeing this beautiful model running with real sound and music.

How I reduced the brightness of the head/tail LED on this remarkable model. This will be a technical discussion for those with some electronic knowledge and I am not recommending you undertake any of the actions I have done, however I have sought to minimise alteration to the original model design. I can’t say it’s my best ever work but you will understand the reasons why as the video progresses. I had to send back my original model seen in the video here due to failure of the LED head and tail lights, as you can see here the white light had already failed and the rear red was massively bright heading for oblivion. Be most interested in your thoughts?

I never even knew that was possible! thanks. Got one more simple fix to try

Keith thank you, very helpful. The dcc blanking plate just has four diodes on it! I was looking at R14 on the pcb (200R) but I think this is more to do with the coach lighting than the lamps. Because we have this weird white pcb its very hard to trace the tracks to see what's going on. I've asked Kernow if they would share the diagram for the lighting at least. There must be a simple change that could reduce the brightness and protect the LEDs but so far I can't see it and of course all this SMD makes life very hard.

Bright head/tail lights. Hi guys good afternoon. I had to send my first No85 back as the head/tail lights failed :( Kernow exchanged for a brand new one and I'm only just adding passengers and crew now due to other issues at home. I have however run the model in and noticed that the head and tail lights are very bright. I'm concerned they will pop again and of course they look wrong. My plan was to add 680 ohms in series with the +pin that comes down from the roof and along with two others presses into pads on the PCB. The LEDs have 6k8 smc resistors. I don't want to fix anything so I had used a 1/8th resistor with its legs connected to two bits of foil and an insulator between the foil. The thought was that the pin would come down and press onto one and hold the other to the pad, but I'm worried if there is sufficient spring in the pin to allow this? Thoughts please? Also does anyone know if the additional resistor could be fitted to the dcc blanking plug which I assume controls lighting? If so which pins. Many thanks

YAY!!!! Your order has been shipped via Mail, Mail service.

Well be that as it may I think 7 clear days is sufficient to provide an update or at least mark it as returned on the orders?

Well I'm hacked off! Sent my faulty model back on Sunday 4th Feb, it was delivered at 13:09 on the 7th and still my order status has not been updated and no sign of the replacement. Had an email saying there was staff sickness etc but really? Or am I just being too impatient for me expensive one coach wonder?

Well that's interesting, how did they control ingress of dirt etc?

Hi John, thanks. I found this on RMweb clearly showing darker and lighter liners in use :)

Hi John and thanks. I found this company making them and they match the shade of my resprayed ones. https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/ax007-oo-freightliner-containers-card-kit-20ft-non-iso-oo4mm176-1748-p.asp And this site shows some real photos with quite a bit of variation. It seems to me that when new they were darker but near the end they were light??? https://www.imcdb.org/v001103863.html

Hi So I have had to spray two of the Triang FLs using just a grey primer, it looks good but is obviously darker compared to the originals. However I have seen variation in the real thing. Good enough or should I go to the trouble of finding a spray can with a lighter grey? Thanks

Mine was sent last Sunday and not heard a thing, maybe the replacement comes tomorrow :)

Those that have returned defective models, can I just ask what the turn round was for you? Just trying to get an idea of how long mine will take. Cheers

Whoa! stop the press, sluggish high current Booster? Check this out for the fix. Quite shocked by this one as mine has been poor from the start, guess a more solid PCB would not have done this?

Just incase this is of interest to anyone or maybe there are some good electronic techs looking in, here is what i found before sending back together with some observations made to Kernow. I’ve done extensive and careful tests and examinations of the tail/head lighting circuit on the model and can almost certainly say that the white LED section has failed. I note that the voltage from the landing pads on top of the PCB (3v) switches between + at pin 1 to pin 2 or 3 depending on direction. The LEDs are protected by 6k8 resistors in the roof pcb which should have been fine. Due to the SMC I can’t test properly but I cannot find any defect on the main PCB however given the failure there must be something amiss. All I did note was that C5 appears to be the only protection across the motor/supply feeds on the pcb and that is just 0.03NF which is incredibly small. Given the coreless motor and likely back EMF from it I do wonder if this possible spike might be the cause. If something line 0.1uF was across the supply and particularly the LED supply this might provide a more robust degree of protection. 0.1uf across the dcc blanking plug would provide protection for the model as well as making it easy for those fitting dcc to remove it. I note there are diodes D3 and 4 if diodes were across the LEDs in reverse this might also provide protection against any transient spikes.

Oh how odd! Has anyone else noticed if C16 and 16 are missing on thiers? Kernow have agreed to take it back and sort it out for me somehow. Think I'll remove the people all the same as that gives them more flexibility, however I'd not want to lose the stay alive effect lol

Yeah I absolutely get what you are saying however this has had less than five hours use and I expect the circuits to be up to the task, got it open now and am trying to trace the circuits, got a couple of missing capacitors, anyone else missing C15 and 16? PCB is double sided and the underside is hidden by the coach lighting strip. Buzzed through and I have a common via a 200 ohm resistor and both the other sides connected to track feed. There are diodes on the blanking plug which I'll check. Update: Kernow said send it back but then are unhappy because I've fitted crew and passengers :(

OH NO, I was just making a feature video of my railmotor when I noticed the tail lights are now super bright, madly so. And the front lights are now both dead Grrrrrr Just when I was well in love lol. Clearly some kind of diode or switching transistor failure and I bet the tail/reds will fail soon. Why do there always have to be these ruddy problems :(

Well I never expected this, absolutely excellent well done Kernow Model Rail Center.

00:00 Introduction 00:28 Arrival and unpacking 00:53 packing and accessories 01:06 Instructions 01:42 first close up look 02:22 Initial prototype history. 03:05 First test run 04:45 Detail close ups 06:35 Underframe details 07:25 Lighting inside and out 07:57 Initial lubrication 08:15 how to open the body and problems encountered. 09:36 LED wire concern and how to avoid breaking. 09:58 Internal details. 11:49 Destination boards 12:52 Running section and extra history. 15:22 Trailer coach operation. 16:20 what’s that pesky clicking sound? Last tip