I installed a Digitrax DH163AT decoder last night in my Athearn SD40-2. The engine runs fine, but the white lead for the front headlight only lights the bulb barely. The function button turns the bulb on and off, but it doesn't get to full brightness. Just out of curiosity, I connected the yellow lead (for the rear light which I don't have on the engine yet) and when the throttle is in reverse, the bulb comes on to full brightness, and I can toggle it on and off. Can anybody offer any help as to why this is happening? Also I am curious as to where I need to connect the blue (common) lead. Any info. will be greatly appreciated

-- Benjamin Long (tnguy98@bellsouth.net), March 06, 2003

Answers

Hi Benjamin.

The blue wire gets connected to one of the leads of the front bulb AND one of the leads of the rear bulb. The white wire goes to the other lead of the front bulb and the yellow goes to the other lead of the rear bulb.

Since I do not know the SD40-2, in my Athearn GP60, I connected both the white and yellow wires to ONE lead of the front bulb and the blue wire to the other lead of the front bulb. My GP60 doesn't have a rear bulb. Connecting both the white and yellow to one lead of the front bulb allows me to put the only lamp on regardless of direction.

Cheers,

-- Doug Fraser (dfraser1951@rogers.com), March 06, 2003.