HO K4 4-6-2 Headlight

[johne]

The headlight on my locomotive is extremely DIM, I think it uses a light pipe but even if I set it to Dynamo I can not get it any brighter, are there any know issues with this locomotive.

It is the Spectrum #84404

[rustyrails]

Am I correct in understanding that this is a DCC-equipped K-4 Pacific?  What type of DCC system do you have? 
Rusty

[johne]

Sorry, it is the DCC Sound on Board and I am using the Digitrax Zeypher and a DT400 Throttle. I can turn it on and off but it is so dim you can hardly see it.

[rustyrails]

You could check page 44 of your Zephyr manual.  Paragraph 27.5 talks about "Strange" Locomotive Lights.  Try following their suggestion to program CV 29 to a value of 06.  I had a similar problem with a couple of Proto2000 engines and didn't solve the problem until I substituted LED's.  As I recall, the headlight worked normally on DC but when I installed a decoder (using the 8-pin plug on the light board) and powered up with DCC, both headlights were extremely dim.
Rusty

[johne]

Well to make it simpler, I have it hooked up to a Bacmann EZ-Command and it still is very dim, I can turn it on and off, it is on going forward, it turns off going in reverse and ii is stll really dim. mmist I have ever seen and I have 20 Locomotives in my roster at the moment, I have had other locomotive in the past and never had one like this, maybe it is time to send it to the Bachmann Doctor, it is less than 3 months old and was like this out of the box.

[Robertj668]

Johne
I have the same one and it is also dim.  I am thinking of opening it up and trying to put a new type of bulb.
Robert

[johne]

I popped off the front and golly, the LED is bright and nice, plenty of light, however the little "LIGHT PIPE" plastic that is supposed to direct the light to the lamp housing is the problem. It does not seem to transmit hardly any of the light from the LED, basically because the LED directs its light out the front and the lightpipe rests on the SIDE of the led when installing the cover.

I do beleive Bachmann has messed this up in the basic design. OH WELL, I will now see if I can come up with another solution myself.

[Robertj668]

Johne
Keep us posted as I would love to fix it too!
Robert

[James Hail]

I drilled out the light pipe crap and stuffed a bulb in it.....looking good now......

I had a old post here somewhere about it.......

Jim