Marklin maximum voltage for passenger/freight cars LED lighting

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seanshintaro		#1 Posted : 10 May 2018 13:33:52(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 27/04/2018(UTC) Posts: 51 Location: Hong Kong Island		Hello all, This should be very basic question and I am ashamed to ask, but wondering what the max voltage for LED lights/decoder is.. I am currently using at 19.3-5v/digital, and some of my factory installed lighting passenger car set (such as 43173, 43279) show only for analog at 16v max. I also checked other sets, but some are saying 20v max for digital and some show only for analog at 16v max. my question is... if it is fine using at 19.3-5v/digital for Marklin factory installed and/or retrofitted LED/decoders showing 16v max for analog. thank you very much sean

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mike c		#2 Posted : 10 May 2018 17:15:25(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC) Posts: 7,892 Location: Montreal, QC		I have seen some lightbulbs that have melted the plastic light channel or the inside of the coach roof because the voltage was too high. LEDs do not give off as much heat as the classic lightbulbs, but they will burn out if constantly exposed to overvoltage. Most OEM lighting was designed to handle Maerklin's reverse pulses. The lights either go off when the pulse is detected, or they momentarily glow brighter. When being used with a 6021 type digital set up, I would be concerned about the risks of constant use of older units. Anything post-1998 or so should be able to withstand digital operation. If using a MS/CS, the line signal is now DC and no longer AC, so this probably will mean less of a risk for lighting, even with constant voltage. For many models, you can replace the original bulbs with newer ones designed to work under the current conditions. Check your model RR catalog and dealer for current part numbers and requirements If worried, you can install a function decoder, which will usually have an intensity setting to reduce the strength of the illumination, which will protect the leds/bulbs. Regards Mike C

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seanshintaro		#3 Posted : 10 May 2018 18:29:03(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 27/04/2018(UTC) Posts: 51 Location: Hong Kong Island		hello Mike, thank you for your info and advice. mines are all digital controlled and all are LED bulbs using ESU ECos + Marklin 3rails. I was advised to use the ESU controller at 18v by the shop I bought, while ESU is advising to increase betw. 19-19.5v for Marklin system. This ESU advice may be only for ESU locos + Marklin system but not sure... As I said, some of my passenger car sets say max 20v on the box, so I think it is safe, but some don't mention about digital but only saying "analog 16v max". And those analog 16v max car sets are current models and also equipped LED lights, not classic lightbulbs. I will try to ask the shop what max voltage for digital equivalent to analog 16vmax is, and hope the shop knows the answer... regards Sean


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JohnjeanB		#4 Posted : 11 May 2018 13:05:38(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,114 Location: Paris, France		Hi Sean Not sure what controller you use. I use a CS2 and its displays a 18.4V (with a 60101 power supply). Remember this has nothing to do with the (incorrect) value you may read using a normal multimeter If you use a Marklin digital system it will be below 20V anyway and perfectly suitable with ESU devices. So you should be safe normally using a ESU controller (Function decoder?) Usually the real issue is to control LED luminosity (it may easily become to bright so a resistor in series may be needed). Cheers Jean
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seanshintaro		#5 Posted : 11 May 2018 15:20:53(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 27/04/2018(UTC) Posts: 51 Location: Hong Kong Island		Hello Jean, Thank you for your message. I am using ESU ECos 50210 + Marklin 3rail at this moment. This ECos can adjust voltage depends on which scale I am playing, and was advised to set 18v for Marklin HO by the shop I bought. When I was and still am having problem with jerking motor with ESU locos, and ESU advised me to increase up to 19-19.5v for Marklin system to run without jerking, so I set 19.3v. In above situation, I start to worry about other electric systems, such as turnout decoders and LED lighting systems. They are all from Marklin, and I checked turnout decoders are ok up to 20v, so they are safe with 19.3v. But some of my factory installed LED light passenger/freight cars have no information about voltage, but only shows "analog 16v max". I do not own old/classic cars but all are current models as I started to collect in this year. Oldests should be 2013? to 2015 depends how long those were sitting in the shop I bought from. I asked my shop today where I usually go, and the shop guy told me that Marklin has only one system for digital, and even mentioning only about analog system on the box, yet it should be fine by digital below 20v or it will be an issue for Marklin selling improper product which isn't suitable for CS and/or equivalent to Marklin Digital System. I guess what the shop guy said was right, and will observe how it goes... The worst case is, the LED will be burnt out. sean


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seanshintaro		#6 Posted : 14 May 2018 16:52:13(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 27/04/2018(UTC) Posts: 51 Location: Hong Kong Island		I got an message from ESU today as below; +++qt+++ The analogue and digital voltage can not be compared because the digital voltage has sampling gaps as well as an alternating polarity. The lights with LEDs have rectifiers and resistors, so these are completely unproblematic. The lifetime of light bulbs, is minimally reduced by the digital voltage but this is not noticeable in normal operation. +++unq+++ so it should be alright


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