# Mars light replacement



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I need to replace the headlamps in my Proto 2000 E8. It came with a mars light that has a circuit board to control it. It is not a DCC or DCC ready Loco. I also need to replace the lower head lamp on another P2K E8 that is DCC. 

Is it better to replace these with LEDs? and if so what size LEDs?
Thanks John


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Send me some pic's of the bulbs and the engines and I can tell you which LED's to replace them with. 
I probably have the right LED's for them, I just got in 100 more of the larger Warm Whites just for these situations.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

id love to convert all my trains to the MARS light set up...I just love how it looks honestly....


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

DCC is the only way to go to get all the lighting effects you would want!


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

well I got that already Sean...I just need someone to help me convert my non DCC trains to trains with DCC and/or sound with Mars lights....hehe(directional lamps too....


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

NIMT said:


> Send me some pic's of the bulbs and the engines and I can tell you which LED's to replace them with.
> I probably have the right LED's for them, I just got in 100 more of the larger Warm Whites just for these situations.


 









The top bulb is the Mars light It has two filaments. It came out of a DC P2K E8/9. The lower is the Head lamp bulb that is out of a DCC P2k E8/9.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

New Berlin RR said:


> well I got that already Sean...I just need someone to help me convert my non DCC trains to trains with DCC and/or sound with Mars lights....hehe(directional lamps too....


Just add diode at each end on the wires to the light and then you will have directional light.

But yes Sean, i am going to go to DCC. It is just slow.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

If you still need pics of the loco I will get some on here tomorrow night.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Southern,
I've got a ton of lamps that I'd be happy to part with, but I dont have any 2 filiment lamps.
Do you want replace these lamps with LED's? That would be my choice! 
I can make a pair of 0805 smd leds for the mars if you want to keep them working on DC, The DCC mars uses the chip to make the light pulse so you really only need one led for those, but what I make will work for both DC and DCC.
The single lamp is an easy led change over.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

There is a circuit board that alternates the filaments of the bulb and gives the effect of movement from side to side, not just flashing. This is the DC one.









Both the DCC and DC use the same 2 filament lamp. ( I think). Two spot LEDs mounted side by side should work. On the DC one it is less than full track voltage. the other single filament bulb is just a lower head lamp and is only powered in forward.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm thinking of making a MARS light for my GS-4 using two LED's side-by-side and blinking them with a NE555.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

To replace the bulb with two LEDs you first need the voltage.
I would like to see it work. I am interested in how it looks. Side to side you say.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, since my trains run on AC, I always need voltage conditioning for any LED lighting. 

I'm thinking two small LED's, like the 2mm ones, stuck in in the headlight side-by-side. I'll just alternate them at a slow rate. I think I'll also have a cap across each one to make the turn on and turn off a bit slower to simulate the movement.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Southern, 
I'm on it I'll have a couple made up tonight and get them sent off to you asap!
Those are a lot larger than a typical minature lamp. 3/16 or 4.5MM.
I'm used to 1mm or smaller of a space to work with!


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

hey Sean, if I wanted to put some Mars lights on my trains could I possibly have you do it for me if I were to send you the train/engine or car its self?, let me know! (do it via PM if that would be best)


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Thanks Sean. 

I have added the cab interior lighting. One of my power pack is a MRC 9000 with constant lighting. I put the bulbs with in line compositor in the cad so that I have constant lighting even at a stop with out DCC


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I the mars light is installed on the first loco. It works better that the original bulb. it looks like it is moving from side to side. The head lamp is not working I checked the voltage to in and it is only 1.5v. Sean, what is the voltage requirement for the LEDs?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

White LED's need around 3V to light, 1.5V won't do the trick.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Glad to hear the mars light worked out.
Yea LED's need 3+ volts to work.
Give me a good pic of what feeds the headlamp and maybe i can tell you where to hook it up to bypass the 1.5 volt reduction.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

NIMT said:


> Give me a good pic of what feeds the headlamp and maybe i can tell you where to hook it up to bypass the 1.5 volt reduction.












The two white wires on the lower right go to the head lamp bellow the mars light. I can hook the LED with the resistor to the trucks for power. what will happen to the LED if it is run without the resistor at 1.5 volts. The nice thing about the 1.5 is that the light lights before the motor turns and stays a constant brightness.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Southern,
It's not the voltage that will hurt the LED not having a resistor it's the amperage.
I'm sory I cant tell what is keeping the voltage at the 1.5 Volts unless it's the chip at the top left.
I sent you a pair of the headlamp LED's so you could try it without the resistor to see if it will work.
If it burns it out I'll send you a replacement.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

NIMT said:


> Southern,
> It's not the voltage that will hurt the LED not having a resistor it's the amperage.


Ohms law



NIMT said:


> If it burns it out I'll send you a replacement.


I will try it to soon. I like those LED's that you sent me I want to buy enough to do all of my locos.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd trace out the wires on the back side of that PCB and see what the circuit looks like. Also, what is the exact number on that three terminal package?


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