Model Railroading > Kato SD70MAC question!

Hello, I purchased a Kato SD70MAC in HO scale, it is DCC equiped.It operates just fine.The issue is with the headlights, when running forward the rear headlight is on.When running in reverse, the front headlight and ditchlights are on.It came with no instruction manual.So is there a way to fix this problem? Thanks in advance.

Mike Mautner
Maryland Hts., MO

To my knowledge, none of Kato's HO SD70MACs were ever offered from the factory with DCC installed.  You probably need to peek under the hood to find out what kind of decoder you have and then search for a solution.  It sounds like it just needs to be "flipped".

Or you can run it as a DPU.  :)

Mike Peters
Brentwood, MO

Do you have JMRI/Decoderpro?
https://www.jmri.org/ 
I would not be in the hobby if it weren't for this & a Sprog
http://www.bbmgroup.com/ 
Between the 2 you can read the decoder & easily change any CVs to do what you want them to do. You can also use it to change CVs with in LokSound decoders.

Tim
Hanesworth

I agreed, sounds like the lights was wired wrong or the decoder was programmed for the lights to work in reverse for running as DPU.  If you can find out the type-model of decoder use in the locomotive, you should be to set the CVs for lights to work in the direction of travel. Programming CV 08 to 8 should reset the settings in the decoder and that will tell if it is wired wrong or the lights were programmed to operate in reverse.

The decoder has been installed backwards. Remove shell,  reverse decoder 180 degrees and reinsert. It will work correctly then.

Bruce

Mautner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello, I purchased a Kato SD70MAC in HO scale, it
> is DCC equiped.It operates just fine.The issue is
> with the headlights, when running forward the rear
> headlight is on.When running in reverse, the front
> headlight and ditchlights are on.It came with no
> instruction manual.So is there a way to fix this
> problem? Thanks in advance.

I had this issue with a job I did with a different manufacturer but the issue is probably the same. The lightboard on which the decoder was mounted was the wrong way round so that the motor wires were not in sync with the direction of travel. It might be that decoder is a complete lightboard replacement rather than an 8-pin plug in so that could be the wrong way round - the two wires to the motor usually go off the left hand side in forward travel. If it is an 8-pin plug-in to a lightboard, make sure the #1 pin, usually signified by a white triangle on the motherboard, is aligned with the orange wire from the pin to the decoder.

So any updates Mike?  Did u reverse the decoder?  Bruce

Mautner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello, I purchased a Kato SD70MAC in HO scale, it
> is DCC equiped.It operates just fine.The issue is
> with the headlights, when running forward the rear
> headlight is on.When running in reverse, the front
> headlight and ditchlights are on.It came with no
> instruction manual.So is there a way to fix this
> problem? Thanks in advance.