BACHMANN DECODER ABILITIES

[TOMOTS]

CAN THE DECODERS SECOND LIGHT OUTPUT BE USED FOR SOMETHING OTHER THE DIRECTIONAL LIGHTING?  COULD IT BE PROGRAMED TO NUMBER BOARDS, OR DITCH LIGHTS ON AN F3 A?

[Doneldon]

TOM-

Yes, but don't exceed 100 mA.

                         -- D

[Jim Banner]

Doneldon,
That would require remapping the function to a different button and making it independent of locomotive direction.  While I have done this on a number of other decoders including the Bachmann Tsunami Technology sound decoders, I am not at all sure that the basic Bachmann decoder will support this.



TOMOTS,
What I am questioning here is whether or not you can program the Bachmann basic decoder to operate one of the lighting outputs independently of the other and independently of the direction the locomotive is moving.  I don't believe you can.  Connecting ditch lights to the rear light output without this programming would mean you had to have your locomotive running in reverse and the headlight/rear light function turned on in order to turn on the ditch lights.  Not too useful.

What would be useful is to use a remapable decoder so that say button #2 turns the ditch lights on and off no matter which way the locomotive is running and no matter whether the headlight is turned on or off.  The same problem and solution would also apply to number board lights.

With the basic Bachmann decoder, the only light I can see working with an unused rear light output is a cab light.  When the locomotive is stopped, you would throw the direction switch to reverse, the headlight would turn off, and the cab light would turn on, letting the engineer read his orders.

Jim

[Doneldon]

Jim-

I was aware of the directional issue but thank you for straightening me out.

                                               -- D