# Aristo 2-8-0 and digitrax decoder



## Kenny (Feb 15, 2008)

I am trying to convert my 2-8-0 to DCC using the digitrax PnP decoder. The engine runs fine but the lights...not so good. I am trying to use the Aristo mother board so that I do not have to rewire the entire engine. The problem with the lights, all the lights come on but dim and flickering. I reused the smoke plug to wire the smoke unit off the mother board. Today I found out that the voltage into the headlight is a erratic 3-4v. If I turn on the smoke unit the voltage increases, the flickering decreases. Apparently I am feeding additional voltage into the motherboard thru the smoke connection. I connected the smoke using the blue and white/green wire from the decoder. Should I just gut this thing or is there a way of using the Aristo board for some functions. I read Greg's rewiring article and while I did not want to go that far, I might have to. A question about the Digitrax decoder; the decoder has the socket with the wires for connections, it also has soldering points where it plugs into the Aristo board. Are those connection common? For example, headlight and rear light, wires are designated for these connections as well as solder points, are they one and the same or is one going through the Aristo mother board? Any help would be appreciated.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

That decoder should work in the loco. You may have some bad or incorrect wiring.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I assume this is a consolidation, not a different loco? 

You cannot do what you are doing... the "specification" on the 2 pins used for "smoke control" that that they must be jumpered together, you do not apply power to either one. 

Disconnection your white/green wire and blue wire. (basically leave the smoke pins alone) and see how your lighting works. 

If you want to remote control the smoke unit, you will most likely need to rewire that part. 

(what instructions told you how to wire to the smoke unit?) 

Greg


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