Tomix DE10 Light Problem...

[Buck Heard]

Just ran my new Turumi Railway DE10 set and one of the headlights quit working on me.  I openned the loco up and tried swapping the lights around.  The problem seems to be in that one little board that has the lamp soldered to it.  Lamps to small to see if the filaments burnt up on it.  How do I get a replacement board? Is that even possible?  Any suggestions?

[CaptOblivious]

Hobby Search carries replacement boards (http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/rail/ do a search for DE10), but if you're handy with a soldering iron, I have a stash of spare bulbs to fit (PM me for details)

[Buck Heard]

Did a search on their site but came up with nothing.  Pm'd you to see if I could get a couple of lights from you.  Anyone ever swapped out the standard light for an LED?

[Guest ___]

^$%&#@ TOMIX DE10 !!

 

(everyone knows why)

[CaptOblivious]

Here it is:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009895

 

I think there would be no problem swapping for an LED; just replace the diode on the board with the proper resistor.

[Buck Heard]

I should have read the forums more before I ordered this Tomix set but after taking the locomotive apart to see why one of the lights quit working, the damn thing now runs intermitantly and the directional lighting is not working.  The one light that is still working is on no matter what direction its going in. I can't for the life of me figure out why I am being punished.  I have emailed Plaza Japan to see if they can do and exchange with me to sort this all out.  My first N scale set (Tomix Tarumi Railway) could turn out to be what makes me get out of the hobby.

[CaptOblivious]

I should have read the forums more before I ordered this Tomix set but after taking the locomotive apart to see why one of the lights quit working, the damn thing now runs intermitantly and the directional lighting is not working.  The one light that is still working is on no matter what direction its going in. I can't for the life of me figure out why I am being punished.  I have emailed Plaza Japan to see if they can do and exchange with me to sort this all out.  My first N scale set (Tomix Tarumi Railway) could turn out to be what makes me get out of the hobby.

 

Buck,

 

Check yer email :D We'll get this figured out!

[cteno4]

Capt obvious,

 

good idea. could even use a red and white led (reversed) on each end to give directional lighting.

 

the tomix de10 does seem to be the bane to many! my 3 have not had any problems yet, but i have not put them under much punishment yet... always a model that gives trouble here and there in any hobby.

 

Buck, hang in there, most folks have the exact opposite experience of having much fewer problems when they have moved to japanese trains. i think you are just having a small spat of bad luck here.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest ___]

Jeff, you might have a few answers for Buck as well considering the amount of time you've spent on growly.

[cteno4]

was on my list for this evening to open up growley and swap motors (need to get him back to you!) as well as look more closely at the light boards to see what could be done there and measure the voltage and current feeds to them.

 

i am hoping that it might be possible to just pull out the light boards and make a led/resistor block and wrap it in heat shrink and just plug that in. i cant remember if the de10 lights are dioded for directionality or not. could use a bridge rectifier to make it universal if needed or do the trick with a red and white led in opposite polarities to give directional lighting.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[CaptOblivious]

was on my list for this evening to open up growley and swap motors (need to get him back to you!) as well as look more closely at the light boards to see what could be done there and measure the voltage and current feeds to them.

 

i am hoping that it might be possible to just pull out the light boards and make a led/resistor block and wrap it in heat shrink and just plug that in. i cant remember if the de10 lights are dioded for directionality or not. could use a bridge rectifier to make it universal if needed or do the trick with a red and white led in opposite polarities to give directional lighting.

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

THe bulbs Tomix uses are 60mA 12V bulbs. You can simply desolder the bulb and diode from the board, and swap in a 3mm LED and appropriate resistor using the existing holes, easy-peasy.

[Buck Heard]

I just got my replacement set in from Plaza Japan and everything seems to be working fine.  I think I'll wait to see about swapping the headlights out.  Kinda don't want to tempt fate by openning up the locos.  No telling what might happen!

[cteno4]

buck,

 

these are easy to open.

 

a) pry off the bottom center black cover

 

b) tilt off the trucks to one side

 

c) pop off the top shell from the deck with the small tabs around the edge.

 

d) light boards just slide out, then you can do the led/resistor swap.

 

these do hold up well to tearing apart as i think i pulled aarons apart and put it back together like 12 times getting his on the up and up.

 

cheers

 

jeff