adding tender back ups and cab/fire box lights to steamers ps2

I was referring to chassis ground GGG, I thought that was obvious.

Where is the PS/2 board located, in the tender or the locomotive?  If it's in the tender, how does he get the extra wire up to control the class lights on the locomotive?  I thought it was in the tender, based on photos earlier in the thread.

By running a 2 wire harness.  Actually he only needs to run one wire for marker return, the 5VDC source (Tach/smoke) can be tapped for power.  Chris had talked about that earlier.  No it wasn't obvious to me what ground you were talking about.  G

As long as you don't mind the class lights being controlled with the headlight, you can just use two of the ceramic LEDs and a resistor to tap off the headlight connection.  I like to replace the headlight as well with a warm-white LED, it looks a lot more like an actual directional headlight in most cases.

Here's the green 2mm LEDs: SSL-LX203CGT

Here's the same style red ones: SSL-LX203CSRT

Chris, I've drilled through a ton of the diecast shells, I've yet to break a bit.  The key here is to have sharp bits and don't use too fast a speed.  I use the titanium bits for most of my work, they stay sharp for a long period before I have to replace them.  I also use a rather small driver/drill that doesn't have a huge amount of torque, if the drill binds, it tends to just stall the drill, then I can back out and go at it again.

Chris, No problem removing the green plastic.  It may either pull out, or be pushed out with a small pin punch.

Depending on how your going to do this, remember you need to heat shrink, wire and plug those LED you build. Unless you are going to splice them in.  Make sure you get polarity correct also (series wiring for 2).  When I do mods or add features, you still need to think about maintenance and replacement.

If you hard wire in, will you be able to take the shell off, etc...    G

john, super thanks!  I can do the tenders and fronts with these. and ill do the headlights too.  OK,  now,  since these are separate units, ill need resistors.  you said 470 ohm for the front at 6 volts? I can build these.   Now the tenders.....  I will do the reds and build these.  same ohm resisitors? do I need any diodes on the other end.

thanks Chris

The 470 is a good value for the markers or class lights with the two wired in series.  If you want the headlight brighter, you can use a 270 or 330 ohm for the headlight and/or tender backup light.  You would use a separate resistor for the two series class lights and the headlight, as the two series LED's and the single white one do operate at slightly different voltages.  Same for the tender, though the markers could be driven directly from the PS/2 board since it's right there.  No diodes required here, the polarity of the lighting outputs doesn't change, so there's no reverse voltage protection needed.

I just don't see a burning need to run a separate tether just to drive the class lights, one ugly wire between the locomotive and tender is enough, right?

When  was sorting out stuff in my boxes, I found some green 1.8mm leds prewired from evans designs I got a few years ago.  I think they said 7-19volts universal in the add here. there is a bridge rectifier and capacitor.  this is what I got:  http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/bl-212.html  I wondered if they will light up with the voltage not being 5or 6?  any opnions on these? i dont know the resistor sizes on these. but since I have like 8 of these, i am using them.  if I can!

You can try them, though they might be marginal.  Easy to connect one and see if they light.

mmm. ill try them and see what happens.  whats the voltage on the headlights?  5 or 6?

It's an average of 6 volts, but it's a pulsed DC signal so the peak is around 18 volts.  That's one reason the LED's may actually light properly, so it's a worthwhile test.

ahhh.  ok, makes sense now.  ok,  ill give it a try! 

update, got the tender markers and harness plugs for 2 tenders to do, easy peasy!  double bulb harness to light the cab and firebox with the existing plug for the western maryland.  that one had a firebox light and a hole for the cab light.  so thats easy.  I am going to try the evans ones in the front for the western maryland to replace the plastic cheap piece mth uses for markers in the railkings.  hoping the ones  have already work, or ill have to do something else.  I like evans stuff because the wires are so small, you can fit those in any shell easy.  The comet will look better once it has lights that look better.  and cab figures inside with some details.  will start this soon.

trying to locate the plug for the backup light.  plugged the rear marker lights in no problem and cant find that.  ill look at the MTH site for the ps2 board, but if you guys know off hand, let me know.  OH and I bend and broke off 2 pins off the board, dang!  seperate post! 

The backup light would be the reverse headlight connection, pin 4 of the 12 pin connector to the PS/2 board.

http://www.powerwerx.com/oem-c...hassis-mounting.html

I found these of what im talking about.  the metal inserts into the plastic body that holds the wire into the body of the harness plug. I could pull out the purple, combine the 2 into a new pin and re-insert into the plastic. then use one for the "green" wire for the other of the backup light. just needed a size

Chris, I don't think they will fit.  I Can mail you a wire pre-crimped, just won't be green, probably pink.  Splice into the purple don't try to re-pin it.  G

http://www.amazon.com/Molex-14...-0-093/dp/B005VG6CT6  found some pins of all places Amazon!  lol!  they sell anything

Those pins certainly don't fit anything on the PS/2 board set!  I must have missed what you're using those for.

Chris,  The connector is installed with the harness so that would present more issues than you resolve.  The pin will snap right into slot 4.  Polarity doesn't matter.  If I have a green I will send it.

If you want send the harness and the Power Supply board (installed in the processor with the black bracket or you will have more pins broken in shipment) and I can repair the pin and add the reverse with a 2 pin plug so the bulb is plug and play.  G

OK, you had me confused!   I wondered how they entered into the conversation.