Running a DC locomotive with EZ Command

[Reinhard S]

I have recently purchased a Bachmann DC only locomotive to take advantage of the function 10 button on my EZ Command and noticed a distinctive high pitched whistle sound emanating from the locomotive and it appears that the headlights are much brighter.  Is there any way to overcome this whistle sound and bring the headlights back to a more normal output?

Cheers!

Reinhard S.

[simkon]

No, that's just how it is, but if you have a standard DC Bachamnn power pack you can switch back and forth depending on if you are running DCC or DC engines.

[Jim Banner]

You can dim the headlights easily by adding a resistor in series with one headlight lead.  Trying something like 100 ohms, 1/2 watt to start with.  If still to bright, add another 100 ohms in series.  If too dim, add another 100 ohms in parallel with the first resistor.

The noise is part of the process when you run a dc locomotive on DCC.  Adding a decoder to make it a DCC locomotive will solve both the too bright and the too noisy problems.

Jim

[Reinhard S]

Thank you for the information.  Will the addition of the DC power pack to the EZ Command solve the noise problem and the lights?

Cheers!

Reinhard S.

[rich1998]

hi Reinhard S.

mr banner shows what is happening below. the pulses make the motor armature vibrate.
http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/dcc/DCC-waveforms/DCC_waveforms.html
lex

[Reinhard S]

Hi Lexon.

Very informative.  Thanks much!

Cheers!

Reinhard S.

[Jim Banner]

hello lex,
what's with this Mr. Banner stuff?  Seriously, we are a pretty informal bunch here and mostly stick to first names and handles.  I'm Jim.  Glad to meet you.

[Pacific Northern]

Would you still get the same amount of noise if you were to run a DC engine on an E-Z units which was connected to a regular Bachmann DC controller?

I only became aware that you could actually add another DCC engine to the E-Z DCC unit address 10 if it was connected to the Bachmann DC controller.

Please advise.

[simkon]

Yes you still get the noise, if I remember correctly, it just opens up a spot for another dcc address.

[Jim Banner]

Yes you would still get the noise.  Adding a dc power pack to your E-Z Command does not put dc on the tracks.  The dc power pack throttle works as an extra throttle for the E-Z Command, controlling the zero stretching that powers dc locomotives running on DCC powered tracks.  Have a look at the link lexon has provided a few posts up.

Jim