Tip: - Modification to the ICE 2 For Flicker Free Light ...members.ozemail.com.au/~rossstew/rms/pdf/tip_ice2.pdf · I finally got around to upgrading my ICE 2 with warm LED lighting

Tip: - Modification to the ICE 2 For Flicker Free Light Bulbs or LED’s Date: 09-11-2001 Update 28-03-2015

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Update Bulbs with LEDs

As I have installed more lighting in my rolling stock the power consumption to my layout has increased and

the performance of the trains slowing down when the lights are switched on has become noticeable. To

overcome this problem I have first converted all my locomotives to LED lighting and now I’m converting

all passenger coaches that have bulbs for lights to warm LED lighting for modern coaches and yellow

LED’s for the older style coaches.

I finally got around to upgrading my ICE 2 with warm LED lighting with the results shown below.

Warning! You undertake these modifications at your own risk.

First I made up a resistor/LED assembly to replace the existing bulbs. The resistor is 1k

and the warm white LED is a 3mm size.

I found that the light levels where uneven. LED light is more directional and since the

LED and resistor has to fit into the slot of the light diffuser most of the light is directed

towards the side of the diffuser instead of along the diffuser.

I next constructed a resistor/2 LED assembly that would fit into the available space at the

middle of the light diffuser with the direction of the

LED’s pointing along the diffuser.

The assembly was held in place with hot melt glue and the wires were

soldered to the existing pins. Please note that I marked the positive pin

with a white paint dot.

I replaced the light diffuser after the LED’s were tested.



LED Wiring Diagram

I have added V7 to the Non Powered Unit and it should also be noted that the wiring colours may change

with each production run Märklin make.

Note the orientation of the LED’s for the Non Powered Unit and the Powered End Unit are different and

care should be taken to wire them as shown.

QTY DESCRIPTION Element14

13 Diode 1N4148 108-1177

7 Electrolytic Cap 10u 25V (25V rating is the lowest to be used) 945-1153

16 Resistor 1K MF25 0.25W, 1% 934-1102

18 3mm warm white LED Ledz.com 330PWO4C

2 3mm clear red LED Jaycar ZD0104

C1

10u

25V

1k 1k 1k

C2

10u 25V

V7 Red

Red



Non Powered End Unit

The 1k resistors are soldered directly to the small PCB as shown. I used a small piece of thin stiff plastic

(red arrow) to insulate the screw from the PCB.

Powered End Unit

Have a close look at the picture above right, to see the correct orientation of the 1N4148 diodes. The 10uF

capacitors and current limiting resistors 1k are connected on the ends of the 1N4148 diodes and fit under the

PCB as shown. Consult the wiring diagram on page 2.

Forward and Reverse LEDs

File the leads on the LED’s round so they can be plugged into the original light sockets. I cut some thin

black card shown in the right hand photos to improve the masking for the central light. It helps but isn’t

100%.



Coach Wiring

The wiring for the coaches using LED’s is the same as the bulb version (see page 7)

General Notes

LED’s Version All diodes are 1N4148 and all capacitors are 10uf 25V. If in doubt refer to the wiring diagram on page 2

No relay is required as the existing light transistor is able to cope with the low current requirements for LED

lighting.

Bulbs Version For correct wiring refer to the wiring diagram on page 12.

The diodes for the coaches should be 1N4001 or similar. The photo (Fig.5) on page 7 shows 1N4148 and

should only be used for the LED’s version.

The photo (Fig.6 and Fig.7) on page 7 shows a 220uF 25V capacitor required for the bulbs version only.



Original Article Using Bulbs

HINT 1: - On using PDF files. If you wish to find a component while using Adobe Acrobat just go to Edit Find on the menu or type (Ctrl+F). Type the text string require ie “Fig.8” Acrobat will highlight the first instance it finds, you can then find the next instance by typing (Ctrl+G). Acrobat will take you to each instance across all pages. HINT 2: - Any text which has a coloured rectangle around it is a quick link to the item or place it refers to ie. Fig.5 Printing: - Best printed on a colour printer as pictures are used to show locations of important points

Märklin # 3770

Parts List for 4 coaches and 2 end units:- QTY DESCRIPTION Element14

8 Diode 1N4001 956-4993

5 Diode 1N4148 108-1177

2 Electrolytic Cap 10u 25V (25V rating is the lowest to be used) 945-1153

6 Electrolytic Cap 220u 25V (The voltage rating can be higher) 945-1196

1 Relay TQ2 –12V non-latching Matsushita or similar (177-226) 120-0949

1 Bridge Rectifier W04 (572-779) 938-1465

1 Single-sided Strip board

This project can be divided into four parts.

Warning! You undertake these modifications at your own risk.

I chose to do the project in the following order, but it’s not important where you begin .

1. Convert the non powered end unit

2. Convert the four coaches

3. Construct the three components on the single-sided stripboard cut to size

4. Convert the powered end unit



Convert the Non Powered End Unit

Converting the non powered end unit is a simple operation. Remove the body shell by removing the screw

at the bottom of the unit and unclip the grey end plate by inserting a small screw driver into the hole on the

underside to release the plate.

First locate and unsolder the orange wire on the main printed circuit board (PCB). This is the common

connection to the two lamps. See orange arrow in Fig.1 At this same location solder the cathode end of the

1N4148 diode and bend down as shown in Fig.2 Note the cathode end of the diode is indicated by the black

band.

Fig.1 Fig.2 The Positive lead of the 220uF capacitor must share the pad with the existing brown wire (see brown arrow

in Fig.1) See Circuit Diagram Non Powered Unit

The negative end of the capacitor indicated by a ‘-‘minus should be soldered to the anode end of the diode

as well as reconnecting the orange wire indicated by the yellow arrow in Fig.2

The capacitor should be located in such a manner it won’t interfere with anything and the leads don’t short

with each other or anything else.

TEST the modification by putting the end unit on the track and with an extending red wire from the track

centre stud supply connect the yellow side of the male coupling (see Fig.7 red arrow) and you should have

flicker free lights.



Convert the Coaches

Remove the coach body shell by removing the grey end plates then carefully pull apart the body shell from

the base assembly.

Each coach has a male and female coupling. The two 1N4148 diodes and one 220uF capacitor are fitted at

the male coupling end see Fig.4, Fig.5, Fig.6 and Fig.7

At the female coupling end unsolder the yellow wire from the pad marked L and extend the wire to the

other end of the coach. (See yellow arrow in Fig.3) Use heat shrink to cover the solder joint. At the male coupling end unsolder the yellow wire from the pad marked L then the brown wire from the pad

marked O. Don’t unsolder the red wire as this is correct. (See yellow and brown arrows Fig.4)

Solder a 1N4148 diode, cathode end to the pad marked O (brown arrow Fig.4 and Fig.5) Connect the brown

wire which comes from the bogie wheels and solder to the anode end of the diode (see green arrow Fig.5)

Use some heat shrink to cover the solder joint.

Next solder a 1N4148 diode, anode end to the solder pad marked L (yellow arrow Fig.4 and Fig.5) Connect

the yellow wires, one from the male coupling and the other extended wire from the female coupling together

and solder to the cathode end of the diode (see pink arrow Fig.5) Use heat shrink to cover the solder joint.

See Circuit Diagram Coach

Fig.3 Fig.4

Fig.5 Fig.6 Fig.7 Now solder the 220uF in place, the ’-‘ minus lead to the pad marked L (yellow arrow Fig.4) and the ‘+’ plus

lead to the pad marked O (brown arrow Fig.4) Position the capacitor as shown in Fig.6 and Fig.7 Repeat

these steps for the remaining coaches.

TEST the same way as the non powered end unit



Construct the Single-sided Strip board Assembly

Fig.8 Fig.9

Fig.10 Fig.11

See Circuit Diagram PCB Assembly

The size of the single-sided strip board is 14holes x 8holes with the copper strips in a vertical direction

(See Fig.10 and 11)

Fig.8 shows the component position to the strip board holes. Please note the location of the pins for the

diode bridge (+ - ~ ~). Each pin has its own copper strip to connect to, this is most important.

The yellow lines show the location of the wire links and the wires connecting this assembly are indicated by

BRN1, YEL2, RED3 and YEL4

The location of the capacitor pins is shown as (+ - ) and the red cross indicates where the copper strip

should be drilled with a 3mm drill to break the strip so there is no short between ‘+’ and ‘-‘ of the cap.

Pin 1 of the relay is the bottom left pin in Fig.8 and shown by the solid line at the left end of the relay Fig.9

Using a 3mm drill break the copper strip between the relay pins as indicated by the red crosses.

TEST the PCB assembly by connecting BRN1 (Fig.8) to the track ground and YEL2 (Fig.8) to the centre

stud of the track you should hear the relay click.

BRN1

YEL2

RED3 YEL4



Convert the Powered End Unit

At last we are at the final stage which is the most difficult part. First we will fit the diodes and capacitors for

the lights then the PCB assembly will be next.

Remove the brown, grey and yellow wires connected to the decoder PCB shown by the brown, green and

yellow arrows in Fig.12

Fig.12 Fig.13

See Circuit Diagram Powered End Unit

Solder three 1N4148 diodes on to the decoder PCB at the brown, green and yellow arrows Fig.12. Please

note the orientation of the black bands on the diode as this indicates the cathode.

Next solder the two 10uF capacitors across the diodes as follows. The ‘+’ plus of both capacitors is

connected to the cathode of the diode shown by the brown arrow in Fig.12

Solder the ‘-‘ minus pin of the black coloured capacitor (Fig.13) to the anode of the diode shown by the

green arrow and the ‘-‘ pin of the blue capacitor (Fig.13) to the anode of the diode shown by the yellow

arrow in Fig.12

The three wires which go to the lamps can now be connected. Brown wire to the cathode of the diode shown

by the brown arrow in Fig.12 Grey and Yellow wires connected to the anodes shown by the green and

yellow arrows in Fig.12

Refer to the circuit diagram for clarification and make sure there are no short circuits and that the capacitors

don’t have any mechanical interference with the motor or body shell.

TEST the lights by connecting the two end units together on the track, address the loco and turn the

function on to see flicker free lights front and back.



Installing the Relay Assembly Mount the relay PCB assembly into the well in the centre of the powered unit and connect the four wires.

First unsolder the yellow wire from the decoder PCB indicated by the yellow arrow in Fig.15 then remove

the two screws holding the decoder PCB in place and carefully lay the PCB to one side of the chassis (see

Fig.14)

Place an insulating material in the bottom of the well in the centre of the loco. I used a left over thin plastic

sheet from a kit for the insulation. The main object is to ensure the PCB assembly doesn’t create any short

circuits with the chassis.

Fig.14 Solder YEL4 wire with the yellow wire from the female coupling at the pink arrow and insulate the joint

with heat shrink.

Solder YEL2 wire to the decoder PCB at yellow arrow in Fig.15

Solder RED3 wire to the middle pin of the Catenary/Track select switch see red arrow in Fig.16

Solder BRN1 wire to the decoder PCB at the anode end of the diode at the orange arrow see Fig.16

Fig.15 Fig.16 TEST by assembling the entire train, address the loco and enjoy your ICE2 flicker free lighting.

NOTE: - If the coach lights are too bright you may wish to change the light bulbs from 600080 (0.7VA) to

602100 (0.3VA) I haven’t tried this as I am happy with the light from the existing bulbs.

YEL2

YEL4

YEL2

RED3

BRN1

RED3 BRN1 YEL2



Wiring Diagram for Bulbs

As always enjoy your model trains.

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Tip: - Modification to the ICE 2 For Flicker Free Light ...members.ozemail.com.au/~rossstew/rms/pdf/tip_ice2.pdf · I finally got around to upgrading my ICE 2 with warm LED lighting