DrStroganoff

Just now, boxbrownie said:

I think the idea was to see if there was interference on the TV when the Dukedog was run......

Ah, I see.  Apologies.  I will try that instead.  Thanks.

1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

 

If you still had an analogue cathode-ray TV, I'd be asking if you saw interference on that when running the Dukedog. I suspect that its rf suppression isn't working - is there a capacitor waving a leg in the air?

I do have an old style TV in the room,  for my Commodore 64 computer.   But it hasn't been turned on.   Hmm...   I'll take it out of the room and see if that improves things.   Great suggestion, thanks!  

16 minutes ago, Roddy Angus said:

 

Can I ask, does this only happen when you have switched the lights on to start with, i.e. they go off and then come back on, or do the lights come on if they have not been switched on by you to start with?  If the former, then the most likely cause is a poor battery connection which is breaking and then making again, if the latter then probably some sort of magnetic interference which is affecting the reed switch.

 

Regards

 

Roddy

Hi Roddy,  thanks for the info.    Yes the lights do come on by themselves when I haven't switched them on to start with.     So yes, I'm thinking there must be some sort of magnetic interference.   

@Nile  I have tried your both of your suggestions,  neither of which caused the lights to turn on/off.   

Still only happens with the Dukedog though, as weird as it sounds.   I just ran the coaches with my class 08 for 20 minutes, and the lights didn't come on once.  As soon as I use the Dukedog, happens straight away.   Though I did just try running her tender-first,  and it didn't happen quite as frequently.   

I'm stumped.  I'll try and get my hands on a compass, as was previously suggested, and see if I can detect any kind of magnetic interference that way!

Thank you for the help/suggestions chaps.  

22 hours ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

If it's a stray magnetic field, I'd expect that the lights might turn on if they were originally turned off (I.e. using the magnet supplied) — have you tried this? I wouldn’t have thought bad contacts could make them turn on in such circumstances.

@D9020 Nimbus  I've done as you suggested, and yes, the lights do come on by themselves when in motion (without using the magnet).   

Yesterday I ordered a 2nd coach,  which has just arrived,  and that is just the same.  So, something on my layout/house is causing this to happen by the looks of it...  (?)

This could just be a coincidence,  but again,  it only seems to be happening when coupled to my Bachmann Dukedog.    My only other locos are a Bachmann 08, and an old Hornby 0-4-0,  and the lights didn't come on when running behind those.

Gosh, I've only been back in the hobby for a month (after a 10 year hiatus),  and I'm already tearing my hair out !   

17 minutes ago, Pre Grouping fan said:

Could it be a dodgey solder connection on the wire to/from the battery or Reed switch? 

12 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Or just the battery contact needs cleaning or is loose?

Thanks for the replies.

Just done a bit more testing.   It's not happening in the exact same place each time.  It does seem to be random.    Also, I use the term 'layout' loosely,  at the moment is just track laid on an ikea desk.  There's nothing else around to interfere with the magnetic field (afaik).

Oddly,  it only seems to be doing it when running with my Bachmann Dukedog (which runs like a bit of a dog).   When coupled to my Bachmann Class 08 (smooth runner), lights stayed on.

I've just left the coach static, with the lights on for 30 mins and they stayed on.   I also gave the coach a gentle 'shake' to see if it affected the lights,  but they stayed on OK.

I think next step is to open it up, and investigate the battery connections etc.  

Thanks again for the suggestions.    

Has anyone experienced any problems with the lighting in these coaches?

I've just taken delivery of my first 6-wheel coach (R40124A BR Crimson).   After a brief testing of the lights, all appeared OK.   I took the coach up to the layout for a run,  and noticed that the lights keep turning themselves on and off while in motion.     When the coach is static, (eg, in a siding) then they seem to stay on OK.   But as soon as the coach is moving behind a loco,  the lights turn off after about 5-10 seconds, and then randomly turn on and off by themselves.