Replacing diodes on DN163K0A

[mvaron]

Good afternoon everyone and Happy 4th!

I was wondering if anyone had replaced the factory diodes on DN163K0A with SMD like the ones on the Kato boards?

 

Thanks!

[chadbag]

29 minutes ago, mvaron said:

Good afternoon everyone and Happy 4th!

I was wondering if anyone had replaced the factory diodes on DN163K0A with SMD like the ones on the Kato boards?

 

Thanks!

 

 

I did it on a similar TCS (The TCS version of the same Digitrax).  I snipped the bulb off and snipped the leftover legs to length and solders an SMD across the legs.  Worked no problem.

[mvaron]

Ok excellent, thanks for the reassurance Chad! Do you have any recommendations on which ones I should get? I was looking at these: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153140100129

[chadbag]

8 hours ago, mvaron said:

Ok excellent, thanks for the reassurance Chad! Do you have any recommendations on which ones I should get? I was looking at these: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153140100129

 

You don't need them wired if being used to replace the bulb LED heads on the decoder.   Just find the 1206 sized right angle LEDs on Aliexpress (or the next size up if you can)

 

I think these are the right angle ones.

 

 

Edited July 5, 2019 by chadbag

[mvaron]

Ok excellent! What would you suggest on the DN163K0B? I have one from an F unit I'm going to put into my EF66 (finally) and would like to add the light with the stems (for lack of a better word, sorry) already soldered, like in your picture, so I would only need to solder that to the board.

[chadbag]

4 hours ago, mvaron said:

Ok excellent! What would you suggest on the DN163K0B? I have one from an F unit I'm going to put into my EF66 (finally) and would like to add the light with the stems (for lack of a better word, sorry) already soldered, like in your picture, so I would only need to solder that to the board.

 

 

I am not sure what you are asking.  The DN163K0B has a light on one end only, so you would need to solder an LED on the other end.  Do you have the snipped off legs of any LEDs you have shortened?  They are good ones to use to add the SMD LEDs.

 

As I said, the board I did it on is the TCS equivalent of the same Digitrax (DN163K0A).   The one with the SMD replacement I put in an EF210.   I put some black electrical tape across the top too act as a light block to avoid light bleed up into the loco cabin.    

 

 

For the EF66 I actually de-soldered the LED, shortened the legs, and soldered it back on.  (The bulb LED).  I then filed down the plastic bulb to be flatter and not round, and then I painted it black except for the tip in order to avoid light bleed.  I did this because I did not yet have the SMD LEDs, which I got later.  The EF210 with the SMD I did after the EF66 a month or two.  (The last pic below shows the EF66 and the EF200 I did about the same time)

 

 

[mvaron]

Thanks for the pics and excellent explanation, I'm sorry I explain myself correctly. I've done the shortening and filing just like you to one DN163K0A that I have on my EF64 and now I'm going to add black for light bleed, fantastic tip!

Now understand that you made it from spare legs. I was curious if you had any suggestions of where to get the legs and light combo already soldered 🙂

 

[chadbag]

13 minutes ago, mvaron said:

 

Now understand that you made it from spare legs. I was curious if you had any suggestions of where to get the legs and light combo already soldered 🙂

 

 

 

On this one I actually just clipped the bulb off and left the pre-soldered legs on.  But I also had others where I clipped the legs and re-soldered an LED back on.  I kept those legs for future use 🙂