real "rule 17" lighting, how to?

[edwardsutorik]

By this, I mean each headlight can be switched manually to off, dim, or bright. I am wondering if anyone has set this up; and, of course, how they did it.

I have a brute force way in mind, but I'm hoping there's something more elegant. I would have two function switches for each light. One would be the dim source, one the bright. That would take 4 functions for two lights. Actually, I can live with that. But........

Any suggestions?

Or perhaps I've totally missed it, and it can already be done. I've missed things before, you know.



Ed

[bnsf971]

Ed, it depends on the decoder (you ARE talking DCC, right?). On a Lenz silent decoder, just because I recently did this, you can change CV49 and CV50 for front and rear rule 17 lighting. Function 0 turns on the lights, function 1 dims.

[edwardsutorik]

Terry,

Thanks.

Yup, DCC.

I'm not fully understanding your description. It appears that F0 is an on/off switch. And that F1 is a dim/bright switch. But the choosing of the light appears to remain with "auto-direction". I am after complete manual control for each light. For example, it appears that with the system you describe, you can't have both lights dim. All the time. Or the front bright and the rear off, in both directions.

Or am I misunderstanding?


Ed

[nebrzephyr]

Ed.....see if this is what to accomplish.
Control front headlight, independent of direction
Control of the rear light independent of direction and front light
Ability to DIM lights separately from control of the lights

Now you didn't mention the specific decoder you are using. But with most mobile decoders you should be able to control head light with F0. And then control the rear light with a different function key, say F1. Then DIM with another function key, say F6. Sound decoders are slightly more complex.

If you can reply with the specific decoder model I'm sure we can help.. Bob

[edwardsutorik]

Aug 1, 2015 16:30:21 GMT -8 nebrzephyr said:

Ed.....see if this is what to accomplish.
Control front headlight, independent of direction
Control of the rear light independent of direction and front light
Ability to DIM lights separately from control of the lights

Bob,

No, that's not quite it. Though it's close.

That wouldn't allow me to have a dim and a bright at the same time.

I think what you're describing is an on/off switch for each light. So far, good. And then another switch that says whether ALL the lights that are on are either bright or dim. That's a problem. As noted in the previous paragraph.

I am after having either light off, dim, or bright.

I've got no specific decoder in mind. I am wondering if it can be done with ANY decoder.



Ed

[jalajoie]

With NCE and TCS silent decoders it is possible, with Digitrax dimming is not possible. I must say that I only have old Digitrax decoder.
What you want to do is map the white wire to F0F. Map the yellow wire to F1. Then I use F4 to dim front light and F8 to dim rear light. This give you total control on both light.

[nebrzephyr]

Aug 2, 2015 5:08:17 GMT -8 jalajoie said:

With NCE and TCS silent decoders it is possible, with Digitrax dimming is not possible. I must say that I only have old Digitrax decoder.
What you want to do is map the white wire to F0F. Map the yellow wire to F1. Then I use F4 to dim front light and F8 to dim rear light. This give you total control on both light.

Agreed. Although on most TCS and NCE decoders you can vary which function keys you want to use. Bob

[edwardsutorik]

Thanks, folks!

So, what you're saying is that with NCE and TCS I can do it all with software. GREAT! I don't know when I'll try this out, but I'm a gonna assume it's doable.

I am hearing that two functions can control one output (F0 + F4 controls white wire, for example).

I suspect I'll be back with software questions. Someday.

Thanks again,


Ed