wiring between cars for lighting

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has added carriage lighting to a Bachmann Class 105 three car set. I will be looking at adding some strip lights ( LED's ) which I assume come from the six pin decoder and are just looped from carriage to carriage somewhere around the coupling area.


Any comments on the above including any problems incurred in either the wiring or removing the body shells would be appreciated.


cheers


Toto

Take a look at this : http://www.dccconcepts.com/pdf_downloads/flickerfree_two_instructions.pdf

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Gary,


A great link and another excellent product from DCC Concepts. They seem to hit on a lot of ideas that puts things within the reach of people who's skills are still at beginners levels.


Really good. not just for DMU's but general carriage's as well. I'll be looking further into this and may do a trial shot on one.


By the way My thread title should have read 3 car Class 108…….. not 105 as the 105's that I have are 2 car versions. Not that it matters as the same principle applies.


thanks for the link.


cheers
Toto

Didn't know Bachmann made a three car version Toto.

Body shell on the two car is a pig to get off and I managed to brake a battery box off of my motor car when fitting a decoder.

All you can do is follow the instructions and do use plastikard (styrene) strips to hold it apart as you take it off.

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=12700&forum_id=16

Is the third car not also fitted with a decoder socket?


Ed

Hi Ed,



I'm sure it is. All three would have to come apart for the decoder install but I was thinking of fitting interior lights whilst I have the shells off as I had read that they were awkward to get off. In fact it may have been a recent comment as made by yourself that sparked the thought. I have a few loco's that have parts come off whilst fitting decoders and I'll have to revisit them to put them right.



I take it I will have to fit metal wheel sets if not already fitted. I've not looked that closely at them as yet. 

I've got about half a dozen DMU's so I'll check out all the requirements with regards to decoders and wheel sets etc and do a production line when I'm ready. A nice job for an evening when I'm stuck in the house for whatever reason.



By the way, with regards to Bachmann doing three car sets, Hattons have them on their Bachmann site and they are going at a bargain price of £76 or so. They are only in BR blue though. May be worth a look if you are interested. If you want any photo's posted of them……let me know and 'll do my best to get them posted.



Thanks for that Ed.


cheers.

Toto



http://www.hattons.co.uk/products/category-bachmann-branchline-oo-locos-and-multiple-units

Hi,


Just been on live chat with Hattons. they recommend the Harnessed decoders for these saying that the direct type is too big to fit. I think that was your issue Ed, again from another thread.
I'll need to check to see if its a 8 and a 6 for each two car DMU as I notice the Derby lightweights have this as a comment on the Hattons website but the 105's and 108's just say 8 pin.


I'll check the instructions when I get in as I'd rather get the order correct.


cheers


toto

Nope, I used Bachmann harnessed decoders.

It's the plug on the end of the harness that doesn't fit properly.

I've since found posts on other forums where people have had the same problem and Bachmann have admitted it is a problem.

If you buy a Class 105 DCC fitted, whoever does the fitting has to do the same thing, as they always fit Bachmann decoders.

Daft, init!

Ed

Hi Ed,


sure is. Hattons are pushing their own Harnessed decoders. I wonder if they will be any different size wise than that of Bachmanns ? I'll give them a bash. we'll soon find out.


cheers


Toto

Hi Toto

The following is 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

Self-contained lighting strips. I use Rapido "Easy-Peasy" lighting strips powered by 2 small Li pancake batteries, on-off via a reed switch and a magnet on a wand. Absolutely flicker-free. I rewire them so the batteries are in the battery boxes of the passenger cars (seems apt) and gettatable without taking the body off. 5-minute soldering job. My passenger trains have between 6 and 12 kit- or scratch-built cars, having them all connected or with accessory decoders/pick-ups/stay-alives is not feasible.

For: No pick-ups on the wheels (the DCC Concepts system requires a live axle and one wheel removed to get the coil on, if not a jumper needs to be soldered from the wheel), no stay-alive, no inter-car wiring, no accessory decoders.

Against: Batteries will require changing (my experience about every 12 months), no DCC control, requires an external magnet (the wand).

I reposition the batteries for ease of access. No reason why the reed switch could not be mounted underneath with a neodymium magnet between the sleepers, or if left on the board the magnet can be mounted on a height gauge, bridge or gantry positioned at the exit of a siding. I watched a Chiltern Railways DMU starting up and leaving a siding on Sunday, the lights were put on as it left the siding. Which conveniently had a turnout ground throw with large electric box at underbody height.

They're 9.75" long, 1" wide, currently out of stock but expected shortly. My hobby shop normally has them in stock. $15.95 CAN, which in £'s is not a lot (about £9.00). And definitely cheaper than a stay-alive, pick-up set-up with an LED strip and an accessory decoder. DIY would be simple as it's plain vanilla DC. Surface-mount LED strip (sold by the yard these days) or circuit board with mini LEDs spaced appropriately, batteries of the correct voltage, resistor as required, reed switch, neodymium magnet. On the to-do list.

See http://rapidotrains.com/light_ho.html.

Nigel

Hi Nigel,


thanks for the information and link. A lot to digest and I will have a further read again later when I get home from work. However, The battery and wand system sounds like it would be reasonably easy. I'll look further into that as well.


many thanks


toto 

Thread title changed for you Tom.

Hi Allan

Thanks for that

Toto

[user=1033]Spurno[/user] wrote:

Thread title changed for you Tom.

Thought a Class 105 three car set sounded odd!


Ed

Hi Ed,

I couldn't tell you one DMU from the other. I need to rake the rest of them out. They are in the  spare room which has been a complete tip due to everything being stored in there whilst decorating the bedroom.

I'll probably have a rake through the loco storage boxes tomorrow night to unearth them and let me work out numbers for 6 & 8 pin decoders.

I think I must have about 7 at least. A mixture of 105's 108's and Derby Light weights.
I will eventually kit them out with interior lights and directional lights where not already fitted but that's another life time away yet..

Cheers for now

Toto

There is a good pictorial guide in 'Model Rail', June edition (no.209) for recognising the different DMUs.

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Gary,

I've not bought the latest yet. They must just be out about now, or are you taking about the last release ?

Cheers

Toto

Not the last issue (No.208 May), the current magazine No.209, June 2015. It arrived in the post on Wednesday afternoon. :thumbs

Cheers, Gary.

[user=1505]toto[/user] wrote:

I think I must have about 7 at least. A mixture of 105's 108's and Derby Light weights.

Reckon you must have shares in Bachmann, Toto

I find this useful for working out the right era etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Rail_diesel_multiple_unit_classes


Ed