Model Railroading > DCC Question Re: CV61 "Non-Directional Headlights"

OK, time for a DCC inquiry.

I have three T55 ES44DCs hardwired with Digitrax DH163D decoders. The forward headlights are running off the white wire, rear headlights off the yellow wire, and ditchlights off the green (F1) wire, just as the Digitrax instructions recommend. I want independent control of all light features, none of this automatic shut of in reverse crap. According to the Digitrax literature, CV61 needs to be changed from 00 to 01 to split the forward and reverse light functions into two separate functions (F0 to operate forward lights, F4 operating reverse lights). I have done this CV61 to 01 change now repeatedly but the light functions don't split, and are still directional. What am I doing wrong?

Mr. MRL

On the "3" series decoders. 123 163 CV 61 does not control the headlights this only works on the "1" series. What you need to do is set CV34 to 1 and CV35 to 2. This should do the trick.

Ahh, that does make a lot of sense. I will try it out tonight. Thanks for the help.

Mr. MRL

It's my personal preference also to eliminate the headlight reversal. Here is the first thing I program into DH123D and DH163D decoders:

This should make the white wire non-directional and set to function key "0":
CV61 = 001
CV33 = 001
CV34 = 001

This will set the yellow wire to function key "1":
CV35 = 002

Maybe I don't need to set CV61 to 001 based on the previous reply?

Dennis

Thanks again for the tips and help folks. I was able to figure it out and now my three ES44DCs operate one step closer to the real ones I hang around everyday at work. I can now independently control the forward headlight (F0), rear headlight (F3) and ditchlights(F1) regardless of which direction the locos are traveling. Here is what I changed... Straight from Page 51 of the Digitrax Decoder Manual http://www.digitrax.com/ftp/decodermanual.pdf ...

CV33=01 CV38=04
CV34=01 CV39=24
CV35=04 CV40=00
CV36=08 CV41=02
CV37=02 CV42=01

A few of the above CVs probably didn't need to be changed, but I now have the desired effects and I am a happy camper.

Thanks again.

Mr. MRL