Hoping someone can help me figure out a problem with decoder fitting.
I have just fitted LED 'spot' lights to a MPV. The power car was fine taken power from contacts on the board. BUT the nonpowered car is causing me some issue. I cant get a decoder to work. I have put in rail pickup wires.but have so 2 issues:-
1) a very old ZTC4005! appears to work I can read/programme but the led's are way to dull and I cant find any info on how I to increase the brightness to the white wire that I am using off the decoder.
2) No other new 4 function decoders Bachmann/Laisdcc or gaugemaster works. I am connecting the red and black to the power but the prodigy 2 or ESU programmer will not read the chip nothing. I find that the old ZTC is readable connecting the wires to the rails directly but the others no chance......If I put one of the later decoders into a loco on same test track etc they can be read and be used etc no problem which confirmed not faulty chips, Its when out of the 8 pin slot and just using the power red and black wires only to power them with no other connection.
I am trying to power the decoder set up functions for the white or green wire to enable me to connect the LED's.
Am I missing something here? or do I need a different decoder.... totally lost and its stopped me finishing the project. I always thought you cold just get a decoder and connect the red/black wires to the rails and read/programme them but have never tried until now
PS don't want to use power car to pick up wires as its sound and don't want any risk of short etc...power car works fine lights/sounds and all.
Thanks for any help appreciated.