wiring a TCS Z2 to a SD75 any info

I want to wire a TCS Z2 to an AZL SD75. Any info on this? I know there was a problem with the wiring diagrams supplied with the loco. Anyone have innovative wiring to get ditch lights going on this engine using the Z2.

Since the Z2 is only a two function decoder I was thinking of connecting the headlights to the motor pads so the come on with the motor and are directional by virtue of the motor power switching polarity and then using white and blue as power to the ditch lights with yellow as the return.

Looking at the diagram for connecting the decoder there appears to me only one connection to the headlights in the AZL diagram. White and Yellow and no connection for blue. So are the lights when wired in this manner either on or off in both directions?

Or am I the only one who has thought of this. What happens to the headlights with the Z2 hooked up to an AZL Geep as the blue wire is not used?

TIA
Cheerz Garth

 

Thanks Robert

Garth

 

Hi John;

Okay on the wiring now the question is how do the headlights work as only the yellow and white wire is used and not the blue. Do they light in the correct direction or are they just on all the time.

cheerz Garth

 

The headlights are directional automatically. Just turn on the headlight and it works - well so far on my five engines and some of Don F's SD70/75s.

 

Garth, TCS's own website:
http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/Z_Scale/AZL/GP7/AZL_GP7_Z2-Decoder.php (note: the GP7 is the same as the SD70/75)

As for the blue (+ volts) wire, it is not needed. The other leasd of each LED is left connected to the chassis for track power. The LED is only on 1/2 the time as the DCC constantly changes polarity and therefore the LED only conducts in one direction of current flow, resulting in about 1/2 brightness. Not to worry, there si plenty from the LED anyway.
.

 

Thanks Jeff;

I see now what they have done but I guess that means that both headlights are on all the time and they do not change direction. The yellow or headlight ground is connected to the LED with the long leads and the white or forward headlight plus, to the other LED and the return is via track power. So you can turn the head lights on and off but they do no change with a change in direction of the engine. So the blue wire could be used to power ditch lights but the ditch lights can only be turned on and off and the other side of the ditch lights would be connected to the yellow.

cheerz Garth

 

No problem with headlights, question about setting

I have just put in a decoder into my SD70. No problems at all. The headlights change as the direction changes.

But I have another question to all you "gurus": Deos the decoder need to be set any special for this loc? It's the Z2-decoder.

I have also today put a TCE dropin decoder into my GP35 from MicroTrains with no problems, but also the same question here, should it be set up any special?

I have a NCE Power Cab-system. Powered it up for the first time today.:tb-biggrin:

 

Guess that answers the question thanks Svein-Martin thanks you. I am using the same NCE power cab system for my DCC also.

Because the power available from the DCC decoder is in excess of 9vdc I set up a power table with 9vdc as max. 4.5 vdc as middle and 1vdc as minimum. I have both my GP35's set up this way and I also set the long address 4 digit. If you run them in pairs you can set up consist of the two engines and you can set the head light at dim on the second engine or to off while the trailing engine has headlight on in reverse and the lead loco has its on dim or off. I also put ditch lights on the lead loco. Still have to add them to the rear loco. This is with the MZA4 decoder. I also made sure that the setting for DC operation was enabled. SO if I go somewhere with DC only they can still be used and if the ditch lights were on the last time they engine was on the track it remembers and they work in DC mode.

I will do the same on the SD75 and set up a speed/power table 9vdc max 4.5vdc mid and 1vdc min. As this one operates on its own there is nothing else to set up.

cheerz Garth

 

I have an NCE Power Cab and my decoders are all TCE MZA4's in my GP35s and SD40-2s. Each manufacturers contoller has its own programing for doing this so you need to consult your operators manual for your system. I also recommend speed matching your engines using a speed table for each before you MU them in a consist. Setting up a consist is a system thing not engine specific. In setting up the consist you usually can say which way the engine is facing in the consist and what you want done with the headlights etc. I run with head and ditch lights on going forward and all other lights dim when going forward and when I change directions the rear engine lights up full bright and the all other lights are dim and the ditch lights are off.

cheerz Garth

 

Start reading in the NCE manual on page 25 version 1.28 of the Power Cab manual. Using the MZA-4 use the Advance Consist set up. Goto the web site TCSDCC.com and to literature and download "How do I set up advanced consist lighting with NCE command station?", "CV 61 explained in depth....", and "Opposite Dim Control Explained"

For lights I would go to the TCS web site TCSDCC.com and go to the literature section and download the Ditch Lights Explained paper. In that paper is a section called Headlight Dimming and tells you what you need to put in what CV's to get what effect. CV61 is used and the default is O which means no dimming action is taken; enter 16 for dims when stopped(so which ever direction the engine is moving that headlight is dimmed when stopped only), 32 for opposite headlight ie trailing one is dimmed while the other is bright, and 48 for opposite end + dimmed when stopped. This last one is the correct one for switchers as they are required in the yard to be lite at both ends on dim and headlight goes bright in direction of travel when moving. You make these settings independent of the consist.

Then CV64 is adjusted for how dim you want the light. use 2 - 6 for LEDs and 12 - 18 for light bulbs. default value is 15. I use a value of 4 on CV64.

It should be noted that in a consist the trailing unit does not have its headlight on even if you hit the headlight button but it will on if you have the CV61 set at 32. The headlights do switch when you change the direction of the consist.

Another download from TCS that is useful is the Additional Programming guide. It really gives one a great overview of the CV's and what values or range of values do what.

TCS has a lot of good papers that can be down loaded and I have created a three ring binder with them all in one place including the operators manual for the Power Cab.

cheerz Garth

 

Garth, about the headlights. All of my locos work correctly if you wire the yellow and white as per the TCS website instructions. I have not checked which LED has the longer lead. It works fine on 7 of my GP7 and SD70/75, with or without consists.

If you want more than 2 functions, you can do it with 2 transistors and some resistors. You can make the reverse light by inverting the front light (FØF - white lead) using a transistor. Note: one light has to always be on in this case. Now you can do the same with the rear light (FØR - yellow lead). Add a transistor inverter and you can make ditch lights (but either they have to always be on [oscillating] or one light will be on).

If you want a true 4 functions, the Lenz Silver Mini will easily fit in the cab, where the fake cab flooring/seats are.

As Garth points out, you can customize the lighting (Rule 17 I believe) for things like "Front Dims in reverse", etc. Advanced Consisting should automatically coordinate the entire consist lighting (and sound if it were in there) so that only the front loco's light is on in Forward and only the Rear is on in 'reverse'.
.

 

Well I installed the Z2 but I find the rear light is on constantly which is what I expected as the yellow wire is ground or common to both lights so it is not switched. The other side is track power so I am not surprised there is noting here to provide a way to turn this light off. The front light switches on and off like you say but I expected this as the White wire is switched and the return is to track power so the LED provides the polarity required to make this work. I will have to check the polarity of the LED on this board. Maybe the blue should be used instead of the yellow to be able to turn the rear light on and off.


Ditch lights will have to wait until I find another solution/decoder

cheerz Garth

 

Could this be the problem?

On the AZL homepage there is a note about some misprint in some of the locos.
May be this is the problem with your locos information?
http://www.americanzline.com/html/tcs_z2_dcc.html



My loco was correct, and my lights are working correctly.
I did not connect the blue wire.

 

That is the way mine in connected also and the rear light is on constant never goes off.

cheerz Garth