lighting a class 57

[Forfarian]

Hi all
I have a Bachmann Class 57 running DCC with a Zimo decoder, but I can't seem to get the lights to work!
The sheet supplied says there is a switch on the battery box, but I can't find it!!. The loco runs smoothly in both directions using my NCE controller, when i press 0 for lighting nothing lights up.
Any suggestions?

[Brian]

Hi
If you cant see the switch as shown in pictured below, then are you sure the loco actually does have lights? Not all do!
F0 usually turns on directional lighting where fitted, once the switch is On.
If you've seen the actual LED lights when fitting the decoder and Bachmann use a 21 pin decoder which is very hard to fit the wrong way around, its well worth taking a very close look at all the pins the decoder fits onto. If one has been bent over it may be the cause? The pins should all be visible sticking through the decoder sockets.
Lighting switch....

[Forfarian]

Hi
If you cant see the switch as shown in pictured below, then are you sure the loco actually does have lights? Not all do!
F0 usually turns on directional lighting where fitted, once the switch is On.
If you've seen the actual LED lights when fitting the decoder and Bachmann use a 21 pin decoder which is very hard to fit the wrong way around, its well worth taking a very close look at all the pins the decoder fits onto. If one has been bent over it may be the cause? The pins should all be visible sticking through the decoder sockets.
Lighting switch....

Thanks Brian, there definitely is no switch, there are LED lights fitted and wired to the PCB, would the fact that it is an eight pin decoder be the problem?

[brian1951]

I always use the Headlight button on my power cab.

[Forfarian]

I always use the Headlight button on my power cab.

I am afraid F0 does not switch the lights on, so out with the multimeter and check all the circuits, i have printed out a circuit diagram from a Class 57 web site, it shows a 21 pin decoder but there are still only 8 pin connections so i'll check it out. Wet and windy up here today so a good day for railway work!!!

It says that CV31 should be set to 16 (def) so i will check that also.

[Brian]

<SNIP>
Thanks Brian, there definitely is no switch, there are LED lights fitted and wired to the PCB, would the fact that it is an eight pin decoder be the problem?

Just spotted the reference to an 8 pin decoder in your text in reply #3.
8 pin decoder in a Bachmann loco? Have you tried turning the decoders 8 pin plug around by 180 degrees? This should restore lighting functions where an 8 pin decoder is used.

[Forfarian]

Problem solved!!!!!
The No1 pin on the DCC socket is not the red wire, the pin with R is the red wire, I took Brian's advice turned the decoder round, hey presto lights!!!
I think I will go back to bed and rest for a while

[Forfarian]

Thanks for your help guys, normal service resumed.

[Rog (RJ)]

The orange wire of the decoder is pin 1 and is one of the motor feeds and should go to the number 1 pin of the socket. The red wire is on pin 8 and comes from the pickups on the right hand side of the loco.