DCC COACH LIGHTING
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Universal DCC Coach Lighting Board for OO/HO Coaches
The coach lighting board gives even lighting in every coach compartment, with DCC control to turn the coach lights on and off. There is always power on the track with DCC, so coaches are lit with constant brightness regardless of the train's speed or if it is stationary. (For example a train standing in the coach sidings would be unlikely to have its lights lit, on moving the coaches to the station the lights can then be turned on). The power consumption of each unit is low allowing several long trains to be operated without affecting the power to the locomotives.
The coach lights are operated by a switch command from the DCC controller (throttle). The coach lights respond in exactly the same way as changing points with DCC control. The two positions of the points correspond to the lights being on or off. Every individual coach can have a separate address; alternately all the coaches in a particular train may have the same address allowing one command to change all the lights of a complete train
Description
The board consists of a 0.8mm thick circuit board 15mm wide and with a choice of lengths to suit a wide variety of coaches. The lengths are 251mm, 236mm, 222mm, 207mm or 193mm. Fitted to the board are up to  9 surface mount LEDs (to give a LED in every compartment), electronics for DCC decoding and a reed switch to switch the unit for programming. Presently only the board is supplied, so pickups, magnets and a short length of wire will also be required. The LED positions and length of the board are selectable; please send an email asking for a template so that you can determine the positions you require
Programming
The coach is placed on a length of DCC powered track. A magnet is held over the coach roof above the reed switch, causing the coach lights to flash on and off. This indicates the coach is ready for programming. Whilst the coach lights are flashing the decoder will recognise the next switch command as its address. When this command is received the lights will stop flashing and the coach lighting board will remember the new coach address, allowing the coach lights to be switched on or off when a switch command uses the programmed address. This switch command is the same command as used for DCC controlled points.
Installation
Pick-ups need to be fitted to one or both coach bogies. Wires are run from the pick-ups to the board. 4 pads are provided in the corners of the circuit board to solder the wires from the pick-ups. As the circuit board uses very thin material there is sufficient space for it to fit between the underside of the roof and the top of the seating/partition moulding of the coach. A small amount of material may need to be cut away if electronic components interfere with partitions
Flicker
If the contact between wheels and track is poor the carriage lights will tend to flicker. If coaches are permanently coupled together then they may also be wired together so each coach shares pickups with the other coaches greatly reducing the chance of flicker. If this is done pick-ups need not be fitted to every coach reducing the drag of a long train. 
Ordering information
Please obtain the template mentioned above and fill in the table of length and LED positions, then return the completed table with your order.