Bachmann SP GS-4 Gyra Light install

[MilwaukeeRoadfan261]

I have a Bachmann GS-4 that I have custom fitted with a Soundtraxx TSU-1000 Heavy Steam Decoder and I wanted to fit it with some Miniatronics LED's so I can have the main headlight and the Gyra Light both fitted for a bit more of a realistic feel for the head light and was wondering how I would go about doing this. Anyone who has experience with this have any advise and tips to share?

[bapguy]

I don't have experience with the hard wired Soundtraxx, but use the board style in my diesels. There should be a green and brown wire coming out the decoder. The brown is for F5 the green for F6. Wire your - lead of the led to the brown wire using a resister in series. The + side goes to the blue wire. Down load the steam decoder manual from the Soudtraxx web site. It will tell you what CV's to program for the F5 function for the Gyra light . Then use F5 to turn it on and off. Joe

[HDiedrichs]

I just upgraded two Richmond Spectrum 4-4-0s to that same controller (except light steam).

First off I found the output of the controller for lights (both) is 12 volts so any LED you get you have to get a resistor to drop down the voltage or you will blow the LED.
Here's a nice page on how to do that including calculating the resistor you need.

http://www.instructables.com/id/LEDs-for-Beginners/step6/One-LED-with-a-resistor/

Usually the LEDs are like 2 volt/10ma and so a 1k ohm resistor works fine.

Do you have a volt meter? I would use it to determine the positive from the controller. I would then rig up a test with a 1k resistor and a 9 volt battery and the LED to determine its positive. The resistor goes on the positive in series.

Get some banana clip wires from Radio Shack so you can hot wire the controller and lamp then try it in a test case before soldering.