I have a couple of these small independent lighting circuit boards, and need some information/help please.
One of the boards (pictured below) came out of an MTH EMD GP-20 Western Pacific - Model No. MT-2141 LP (yeh, a real early MTH when everything came in Premier purple colored boxes), and was used to power the two "grain of wheat" light bulbs inside the loco cab.
I found it just lying on the chassis floor under the PS1 board, held in place by the battery/BCR and the wires connected to it.
I think someone had "butchered" this PCB during its previous ownership, as part of the board was missing (broken off), especially in the area where the track power connects (see photos). It still seemed to work, but that black flat component (with three legs) gets incredibly hot, to the point you cannot even touch it. This can't be right????
I ended up removing the board completely, and installing LEDs (with the correct in-line resisters) inside the cab, in place of the "grain of wheat" bulbs.
Questions:
Is that "black thing" supposed to get that hot?
What exactly is it, and what does it do?
Can I run standard red LEDs (caboose tail lights) from this PCB, just like it was able to power the "grain of wheat" low voltage cab lights?
I have a project on the workbench at the moment that requires a power source to light two small LED tail lights on an MTH caboose I won in a recent Cabin Fever Auction.
Peter.......Buco Australia.
