After having these locomotives for several years, they recently developed heat blisters over the headlights. These were released in 2011. They have been run DCS, and the blisters developed over both the power unit and non powered. You can see the blister in the photo above the headlight. They are equipped with standard light bulbs. Has anyone else encountered this issue, and what was your solution?
Thank You
Replies sorted oldest to newest
The solution is to change the bulbs for LED's. If you replace the two bulbs with two parallel white LED's and use a 220 ohm series resistor, you'll have better looking lights and no more melting due to heat. Depending on your taste, you can use warm white or the bright white 3mm LED's. I've done this to a ton of MTH locomotives.
The solution is to change the bulbs for LED's. If you replace the two bulbs with two parallel white LED's and use a 220 ohm series resistor, you'll have better looking lights and no more melting due to heat. Depending on your taste, you can use warm white or the bright white 3mm LED's. I've done this to a ton of MTH locomotives.
John I am an electrical noob, what is a " 220 ohm series resistor"?
Also, why is it needed?
Reason I ask is that I bought some LEDs from Evan's Designs and just tapped them into the existing wires for the head light on my Williams Scale GG1.
Seems fine.
The Evan's LED's already have resistors and a bridge rectifier in the little blob in the wiring. I'm taking about bare LED bulbs here.
I would let MTH know about the shell melting and ask them for an exchange. I've had no problem with Lionel or MTH replacing body shells that melted or cracked in normal use. Give it a try.
I have the same issues with my MTH NS SD40-2. I exchanged my 1st engine for a new one, but the 2nd engine that I received also have the same issue!!
The Evan's LED's already have resistors and a bridge rectifier in the little blob in the wiring. I'm taking about bare LED bulbs here.
Ah cool, thank gunrunner!
Do you have control over the headlight? Can you turn them on and off? If not, the FET controlling the light has shorted and you have full voltage to the bulb and it will get hot enough to melt plastic.
If you do have control of the the light, then I am surprised it melted the plastic, normally they sit inside the hard clear plastic lens.
Since this also occurred on the non powered, I would look at how the bulb is placed near the headlight. If directly on the plastic shell, that may be the issue. Using metal tape as mentioned, and repositioning bulb away from shell and into lens should prevent that type of damage.
G
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
