Lionel 6-82751 Vision Line Tuscan Red GG1 Pantograph burns out after 30 minutes in Legacy Command

I could have that all those fixed for you in under 2 hours. LEDs are easy to fix. to me its like changing a light bulb.

I wonder about the loose screw...the LEDs get their power through the pantigraph rods, through the pivots that the screws hold together. I figure the led is across the front pant sections and the rear pant sections and the power goes thru the rods. Each side supplying one side of the LED. Probably thru both side of the section so it's hard to see how one screw could cause a non connection. Just a thought.

BRUK,

Tell me how you change an LED and where you get your parts.  I am looking at a number of Lionel engines going out of warranty this year.  Several engines have had LED issues. (You know, the LEDs that are supposed to last a lifetime.)  Many were DOA when I receive an engine, or died within two days/ 2 hours.

Many of the Lionel Service stations are disappearing along with the local hobby shops.  I am trying to do repair work when I can. 

CJACK, 

I will look at the pantograph for missing screws. The pantograph "Flash" did work for 30 minutes without the screw in place, but maybe the connection spread apart with the movement of the pantograph up and down, cutting the power to the pantograph.  Every time the GG! changes direction, the pantographs switch so the trailing pantograph is up.   The LED is supposed to last forever, but sometimes it doesn't.  Thank you for your suggestion.

It's likely a loose connection.  Of all the leds on engines or tenders I had stop working it was never the led.  Always a wire or bad solder connection.  I wouldn't worry, just get it fixed  

John Rowlen posted:

BRUK,

Tell me how you change an LED and where you get your parts.  I am looking at a number of Lionel engines going out of warranty this year.  Several engines have had LED issues. (You know, the LEDs that are supposed to last a lifetime.)  Many were DOA when I receive an engine, or died within two days/ 2 hours.

Many of the Lionel Service stations are disappearing along with the local hobby shops.  I am trying to do repair work when I can. 

I get a lot of my LEDs from eBay sources from china. They are cheep and plentiful. LEDs are Polarity sensitive so if wired backwards they will not light up. As well (very rare), a freak spike in power will blow them out since they power up too 3v max. Also you can always check those plugs. Even reverse the wires in them. Also try and preform a reset on your engines. Some Lighting features can be turned on/off and get locked in the off position. For marker light LEDs I sometimes default Lionel or MTH parts

John Rowlen posted:

I just received my new Lionel 6-82751 Vision Line Tuscan Red GG1 #4913.  There was a loose screw in the bottom of the packaging shell. After running the Pennsylvania GG1 before and after dinner for a total of 30 minutes, the rear pantograph stopped flashing.  I still hear the sound, but no flash occurs.  The front pantograph still flashes when I reverse direction, but the rear pantograph stopped working. 

this is a vision line product which has a two year guarantee, with postage paid both ways.

send it back.

If the led worked for 30 minutes than stopped, the wiring polarity is ok.  Otherwise they never would have worked in the first place.  Solder joint break, wires break(pinched), connectors come loose and led could fail.  I would find where the missing screw goes, but I got to agree, you probably want this to go back under warranty.   Unless you got someone local you trust and is authorized.  Frankly ALL vision line is suppose to go back to Lionel.  Even an authorized Tech has never been trained on this vision line since there has been no course taught in over 6 years.  G

Bruk posted:

John Rowlen posted:

BRUK,

Tell me how you change an LED and where you get your parts.  I am looking at a number of Lionel engines going out of warranty this year.  Several engines have had LED issues. (You know, the LEDs that are supposed to last a lifetime.)  Many were DOA when I receive an engine, or died within two days/ 2 hours.

Many of the Lionel Service stations are disappearing along with the local hobby shops.  I am trying to do repair work when I can. 

I get a lot of my LEDs from eBay sources from china. They are cheep and plentiful. LEDs are Polarity sensitive so if wired backwards they will not light up. As well (very rare), a freak spike in power will blow them out since they power up too 3v max. Also you can always check those plugs. Even reverse the wires in them. Also try and preform a reset on your engines. Some Lighting features can be turned on/off and get locked in the off position. For marker light LEDs I sometimes default Lionel or MTH parts

LEDs also only have a peak reverse rating of about 5 VDC. When running them with track voltage maybe 18 vac, which results in about an effective 12 VAC (and you have an appropriate resistor to limit current in series) on the LED since it rectifies the AC and only conducts on the positive half cycle, you should put a diode in series with the LED to protect it. They will work without it for awhile, but fail eventually.

GGG posted:

If the led worked for 30 minutes than stopped, the wiring polarity is ok.  Otherwise they never would have worked in the first place.  Solder joint break, wires break(pinched), connectors come loose and led could fail.  I would find where the missing screw goes, but I got to agree, you probably want this to go back under warranty.   Unless you got someone local you trust and is authorized.  Frankly ALL vision line is suppose to go back to Lionel.  Even an authorized Tech has never been trained on this vision line since there has been no course taught in over 6 years.  G

I just had one of my pant LEDs get really dim. So I worked the pant up and down and it got bright again. Then I took a very appropriate Wiha screwdriver sized for the pant screws and snugged them a bit. Some were quite loose. Now the LED is bright again.

So...saves a trip, eh?

George, although no class, the tech guys still have a special technician section at Lionel where we can get information.  I am on this often.  I know guys are cracking the G to take a look.  Guys, remember Lionel uses the G body as the antenna.  On top of each (6 of them) body post is a plastic insulator.  If you see one floating about your engine, do not throw it away.  If you put your engine together without one, you will not be able to talk to the locomotive.