KB312: DH165A0 - Light Bulb Problem with Athearn

This article was last updated on Jan. 18, 2012, 10:35 a.m. | Print Article | Leave Feedback

I have a DH165AO decoder and Sound Bug and am installing the decoders into an Athearn SD70 Locomotive.

The motor controller works and the sound as well.

However, I am unable to get the lights to work.

I connected the wire leads exactly as they where on the Athearn light board.

Athearn uses twin forward and rear 1.5 volt lights yet the DH165AO will not power the bulbs.

It will power one bulb at either end but not two.

The single bulb setup glows very brightly but for a short time.

So I tried using the 47 ohm resistor in parallel with the twin light setup and still no lights.

By the way the bulbs are also wired in parallel.

I tried using a higher value resistor to shunt less voltage around the bulb and was still unsuccessful.

Next I tried to forgo the resistors altogether and still no lights in tandem hookup.

I want my lights to work again.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.


Instead of using the FOF+ and FOR+, use the Blue (common) pad just behind the FOF and FOF+ pads with a resistor, as you will be getting 12-14 volts to the bulbs.

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