I have two 460s.. One is a C-sine (39607) and the lights don't flicker, but the 37637 lights flicker at all speeds.. When the tracks were in analogue mode the 40 year old Santa Fe's lights didn't flicker, but it would never go slow (stop or 50% throttle +)!

It's no big deal from my perspective, but I just want to be sure that it is not a sign of some impending doom..

Na... I've had the top off and it is definately digital.. It's address 37 and there are two potentiometers for max speed and braking delay.. It does only have one function though...

This message http://www.scintilla.utw...November00/msg00989.html seems to suggest that there were two versions.. So does the manual that came with the lok..

OK, it's a 6090x motor then. Flickering lights in 6090x models are usually the result of using chassis as return for the light instead of the decoder function return. I think the function return output was added in the 60901 and wasn't there in the older 6090 (correct me if I am wrong).

There are 37xxx engines that don't have 6090x decoders. My dear 37645 is one example, the early Württh. C is another.

The easiest way would be to wire it to the 6090 decoder plus as lights return, aka the "Waterstone Terminal" (named like that after a tip on the MML from Mr Desmond Waterstone)... See it at http://www.pallund.dk/convert2.htm#m4.
This of course assumes that the lamps and the "swiss lighting board" are not electrically connected to the chassis.

Perz,
Why would you not recommend the "Waterstone Terminal"? Have used it on a few 6090 loks with great success myself...

Juhan
"Webmaster", at your service...

As I see it, the "Waterstone terminal" only moves the "common" point from chassis to the decoder "internal common", meaning you get rectification from both positive and negative voltage the same way you get with your solution... I don't really see why it should draw *more* current, only constant current instead of only having current in half of the voltage span... But you may be right regarding heating of the tiny diodes on the board, you're better at this than I am... <img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Adrian, as you can see - no need to buy an expensive decoder, 2 good diodes and some soldering is the maximum investment to get it flicker free... <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

And - the 3763 BLS version of the SBB460 is a digital 6090 version - the Delta version is 3463 so there is obviously an error in that table, Peter...


Juhan
"Webmaster", at your service...

I have observed flickering lights in one of my digital models for a much simpler reason. The new lamps with just two tiny wires do not always make so good contact in the lamp socket. The vibrations from the motor can cause the flickering. It is easily cured, just take out the lamps, bend the lamp wire ends a little bit and put the lamps back again.

My dealer, who seems to watch this site quite a bit, reminded me that I had not provided an update on the repairs. "The story lacks closure", he says.

Well, I am happy to report that not only did Noel fix the problem at no cost to me within a week, he also very kindly fixed the flickering lights for me.. Not many retailers around that look after you like this..

Thanks Noel, Perz, Juhan and to the others who took an interest in the problem I was having with ol' 37637..
Adrian

I think the Loksound decoder has a "function return" wire. If it has (I am not 100% sure), use it. If not, you can create a function return with two diodes as I have described in a previous post in this thread.

My diode solution is functionally equivalent to the +pole of the decoder's rectifier but easier to solder.