Cruise Commander Lite headlight output ratings?

They're rated exactly the same as the Cruise Commander or indeed any TMCC locomotive that uses an R2LC/R4LC.  The traic that controls the lights and couplers is the MAC97A6.  In command mode, the headlight output is half-wave track power at a max of 600ma, though I wouldn't push it that hard.  In conventional mode, it's full-wave track power.

Hmmm. Tried to use one output to run a #53 lamp and apparently let the magic smoke out. It did work for about 5 seconds, dim as expected, but then got a crackle and a scent. Rest of the board still works.

I ordered up some new triacs to attempt a repair. May just run directional headlights off the motor circuit (LEDs) if that fails.

This ERR conversion is not difficult, but all the fiddling can be a pain in the butt! 

Something else happened there, as the #53 is rated at 120ma at 14V, that's a perfect match for the headlight output.  I've installed tons of the Cruise Commanders and I've never had any issue cooking the headlight triac.  I've run as many as three incandescent bulbs off the output, no problem at all.

The most common failure of these is because the output got shorted to the frame, that'll take the triac out in a flash.  I fix a lot of headlight and coupler triacs, they die as I described.

Edit: correct bulb #

Well, that makes me feel better, heaven forbid I would have made a design error !!

Thanks again for all your help!

Not much "design" in connecting a bulb to the CC.

Based on GRJ's input, I completed the headlight wiring and it works as expected; front headlight with shorted triac shines continuously and brilliantly, rear headlamp is properly controlled. 

I did find the shorted triac. I also noted that the triac in my R4LC board is the A4, not the A6, which makes it a 200V unit. I am not positive, but it might also be a MAC96 instead of a MAC97, which would make it a .8 amp unit. but I am not completely sure about that; I didn't write it down and my mind may be playing tricks on me. Not in the mood to take it all apart to find out; I'll do that when I get the replacement parts. There is no doubt, though, that my R4LC has the 200V A4 triacs.

The R4LC started using the "upgraded" .8 amp triac, but other than that it's all the same.  I doubt the 200V rating is a problem.  FWIW, I replace the R2LC triacs with the MAC97A4 when I have to replace them.  I don't know what a MAC96A4 is, not a part that I can find on Mouser or Digikey, that must be a mistake.  The new R4LC from ERR has a MAC97A4 for the lights and couplers.

I don't expect a problem either, just didn't know if anyone caught that difference between the R2LC and R4LC, but I see you are on top of it.

I bought the MAC97A6 for my replacements.

Was it a #53 bulb or a #15?  Post are confusing.  G

He said #53, I mistyped, I'll correct that.

The electric rr web site state that the board provides direct led driver without complex load resistor waiting.  In a phone conversation they stated that the out out is 12 volts DC.  I will check the out put of an installed cruise commander and report findings tomorrow

liagent

Liagent posted:

The electric rr web site state that the board provides direct led driver without complex load resistor waiting.  In a phone conversation they stated that the out out is 12 volts DC.  I will check the out put of an installed cruise commander and report findings tomorrow

liagent

Those statements are in error for the CC-Lite.  It was intended that there would be no load resistor (or capacitor) required to support LED lighting, but due to a mistake in production, it doesn't have the capacitors to trigger the lighting triacs.  There are two small .01uf capacitors supplied with the CC-Lite to provide the loading, you place them directly across the lighting outputs of the CC-Lite.  I personally solder them right to the R4LC socket pins under the R4LC.  You also need current limiting resistors for the LED as well, I recommend a 470 ohm or larger resistor for current limiting of a single LED headlight.

Received my triacs today. Per CJACK's comments, I was very nervous about trying to unsolder the old one; the leads share a pad with some miniscule SMD caps, so I just nipped the body off the defective triac and did a "flying splice," albeit a neat one, to the original leads. Dab of hot glue holds the new triac in place.

Anyway, the replacement works fine. I must admit, this project was a good learning experience. Basically took a WBB GP-9 and installed a CC-Lite, Sound Converter and electrocouplers. It is hard to imagine how little usable space is in that GP-9 shell; between the two motors and the speaker you can just about fit in the stuff I needed. I could have saved a bit of space by using an ERR sound system rather than retaining the True-Blast and using the Sound Converter, but the intended use didn't justify the cost. Hardest part is the wire routing, although mounting the Program switch was a pain too. And, of course when I got it all together, the volume pot on the True-Blast decided to give up, so I needed to pull it apart again to change the pot.

At the end of the day, however, it all works great. One more nail in the coffin of my conventional operation days. Never thought I would say that....

It's infectious, once you start into command, you can't quit!