# DCC Newbie Question



## starman151 (Jan 3, 2015)

Will the lights in my passenger cars be ok when I change to DCC or will they have to be changed?? Will the lights stay on if the cars are parked on a siding?


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Good question! I'll just tag along for the answer.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Your DCC track will be running 14 to 18 volts modified AC
at all times.

Make sure the bulbs in the cars can handle that voltage, if
so, they'll by happy. If not, try to find bulbs of that
voltage, else you may want to put a resistor in the car's
light circuit. The value of that depends on bulbs volt rating
and it's amp draw.

I replaced the incandescent bulbs in my cars with strip LEDs
working through a bridge rectifier and with a no blink
capacitor. 

The lights will be on at all times the controller is on regardless
of what the locos are doing. That's one of the advantages
of DCC. 

Don


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

starman151 said:


> Will the lights stay on if the cars are parked on a siding?


Only if you are using live frog points. If you want to them off install a switch to the track or use insulated frogs and set them to the main track to isolate the siding.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Cycleops said:


> Only if you are using live frog points. If you want to them off install a switch to the track or use insulated frogs and set them to the main track to isolate the siding.


Quite true, but actually I was merely doing the usual 
DCC promo theme that the lights don't dim when you
slow or go out when you stop.

You could use power routing turnouts and let your
cabeese track go dark until you pull one out...or
put an on/off switch in the caboose track power.

Don


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Thanks Don. You almost had me thinking Cabesse was the plural of Caboose!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

You mean it's not?

Don


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