MARS light simulator on PS2 3V/PS32 board headlamp circuit

I just ordered one of those from Evens design yesterday! For the very same PS32 board. Going to use it in a MTH Rio Grande SD50. I ordered the 5 volt version. Should look good.

For PS2 or PS32, you will need to filter the 6V headlight voltage as the PWM will drive the little processor on the MARS simulator nuts.  I typically stick a 47 ohm resistor and a 100uf cap across the headlight output.  The 47 ohm resistor is just to avoid any issues with the inrush current to the cap.  It may be unnecessary, but it makes me feel better about not popping the headlight FET.

Thanks for the tip John.

Well I'll just wait and see how Chuck's turns out. If it works I'll copy his work 😉.

Here is the finished project. the old original PS2 board failed and I replaced with a PS3/2 board and tapped the headlight output to power Evens Design's Mars light simulator. The whole assembly plus postage was less than 20.00 Pretty good deal. You be the judge.

I think it looks great!  So that others can duplicate this, did you install the exact components as GRJ recommended?

I'll give that two thumbs up!

No. I found it worked fine without the added capacitor and resistor. Maybe the top headlights 'buffer' the circuit board.

Couldn't you just have loaded a soundset with the mars light active?

The problem is EJ, There are no correct soundsets available with the Mars light feature. Closest would be a ditch light function. I wanted a Rio Grande Nathan M3 horn with a late EMD diesel sound. Couldn't find any with the Mars light active. If you know any MTH engine that has a active Mars headlight on a late EMD diesel, I would like to find out.

You should look at Nginnering.com

On my PS2 converted Premier GS4. I used his “super mars light” board and used his “DC power source” with the headlight Circuit. No issues, looks amazing.

Chuck,

In my early conversion days, I confused the mars light with the beacon as I didn't use either. Once in a while I'd notice things, like my number boards blinking like a mars light for example. I stumbled across issues with each install and never kept records. None of my more modern diesel installs needed mars lights.

At one point, I'd put the PS2 board set in, load the sound file I liked, and then connected all the extra lights according to what the soft keys controlled. I even remember one sound set, had the softkeys labeled wrong.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

Here is the finished project. the old original PS2 board failed and I replaced with a PS3/2 board and tapped the headlight output to power Evens Design's Mars light simulator. The whole assembly plus postage was less than 20.00 Pretty good deal. You be the judge.

Looks good. So it worked fine wired to the headlight circuit with nothing else added? Good to know.

@Engineer-Joe posted:

Couldn't you just have loaded a soundset with the mars light active?

The MTH MARS light appearance is lame when compared to the ngineering.com MARS light simulator, that's why I don't use it.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

The MTH MARS light appearance is lame when compared to the ngineering.com MARS light simulator, that's why I don't use it.

I'm not seeing it? I guess I need to see it in person. At a glance, they look very close?

I know that the ditch light pattern can look better with optional devices so I guess this is the same. Bernie sent me an engine with better ditch light effects.