LM-3S-G questions

[Joel W]

My name is Joel Waterman and I am live in Burlington Ontario. I have been in G scale for many years - I am familiar with and have used  AirWire battery systems and also Digitrax and Massoth DCC track powered systems.  I recently bought a Railpro controller and a pair of G scale modules which I am looking forward to installing in a GP7 Diesel and pacific steam engine to double head my tourist passenger train.  I do have a couple of questions:

1. What are the default lighting outputs of the modules (and where do you find that in the documentation)?
2. What is the black thing hanging off of the G scale Locomotive Module and what happens if I cut it off (I run using on-board battery power)?

JoelW  in Burlington

[G8B4Life]

Hi Joel,

Welcome again.

I'm not sure what you mean by default lighting outputs but I'll try to answer.

If your wanting to know what the default effect of each output is then it's simply on/off. You have to load different lighting effects to the LM and set the output buttons to use the effect. There is no strict "this output does this, that output does that", each and every output is programmable to whatever effect you want.

If you need to know how to wire up the outputs that is in the LM-3S-G manual (http://ringengineering.com/RailPro/Documents/LM-3SGInstructions.pdf) which should have been included in the package.

The black thing I believe is a capacitor. What it does for the LM I don't know and I'd recommend not removing it. Other large scalers who use the LM-3S-G might be able to chime in and give more info on it.

- Tim

[Joel W]

Thanks Tim,

I found that output 1 has been preprogramed (default if you will) to headlight, output 2 is rear light, and 3 & 4 for ditch lights, which is what I was asking - it is not in the manual and should be.

I agree that the black thing might be a capacitor - hopefully a G scaler can confirm.  I run battery power and shouldn't need it.

[G8B4Life]

Ahh, I get you now, yes the LM does come with some outputs preprogrammed. I think this is done for simplicity for new users so the LM has "something" there that the new user can see and use without setting up from scratch. I imagine the reason it's not in the manual is because output one doesn't have to be the headlight, output 2 doesn't have to be the rear light and so on, they are all easily changed to what effect you want them to be, not what they came programmed as. I agree though a note in the manual (or separate slip of paper in the packaging) stating the LM is preprogrammed with output one as xx, output 2 as yy, output 3 as zz etc could be handy thing for RE to do.

- Tim

[faithie999]

I "backed into" this issue the other day.
I was installing an LM into a C425 and I hadn't marked the F end of the frame when I removed the hood.

so, I got the front and rear lights switched but didn't realize it till I had the hood back on, which I didn't want to remove.

I knew from the manual that I could change the default motor direction, but I had to search through screens to discover that you can assign the buttons (such as F light and R light) to whichever output you want.

I agree that even a mention in the HC manual of the ability to change output assignments would be handy.

ken

[G8B4Life]

Ken,

It's in the HC manual, page 10 calls them "user defined buttons" on the picture of the Locomotive control screen and pages 14 and 15 tell you all about you can choose which button does what and how to set them up to do what you want.

- Tim

[faithie999]

My bad for not carefully reading the manual!!

Tim--thanks for the correction.

Ken

[snowdog]

BEEN THERE! DONE THAT!!!

My bad for not carefully reading the manual!!

Tim--thanks for the correction.

Ken