DCC Lights on 62308 EMD GP30

[jwb]

I have a new 62308 EMD GP30. I'm very happy with the paint, the one-piece frame, and the AAR Type B trucks on the GM&O prototype. However, when I install a TCS DP2X decoder in the 8-pin plug on the stock PC board, the front and rear LEDs go on with track power, and F0 won't turn them off. By the same token, there is no change in headlight with change in direction. I checked the CVs in the DP2X, and they are set to the default, headlight on bright forward, off reverse, and the other way around in reverse.

It looks like the 8-pin is not wired to control the white and yellow wire functions at all, although motor control does work. Is this the case, or is there anything that can be done to change this to get headlight control?

[bapguy]

Is the decoder plugin in correctly? An 8 pin will fit either way. The orange wire on the decoder goes into hole 1. The board should be marked somehow to show hole 1. Joe

[jwb]

Yes, that's double checked.

[bapguy]

Try a re set. CV8=2.If that doesn't work, you may have a bad decoder. I had a Digitrax decoder that worked fine for a while, then the headlights would not work using FO. They were on all the time. Sent it in for repair and it worked great.  Joe

[jwb]

In my experience, more goes wrong when a decoder is bad than lights -- other functions here work OK. I hope someone from Bachmann can confirm or deny the board wiring.

[jwb]

OK, I happened to have another DP2X on hand, and I swapped it out. F0 turns the lights on and off. Lights are bright forward, dim reverse and the other way around in reverse. Will need to play with CVs, but the loco itself clearly is working properly and the 8-pin is correctly wired. Joe, thanks for the suggestion.

Great loco for the price, I'm very pleased. Not as pleased with the error rate I get on decoders.

Bachmann, many, many thanks for these upgraded locos at reasonable prices!