PF receiver or PF rechargeable battery issue

[Ashi Valkoinen]

Hi,

I have some problem with the PF-system in my Stadler FLIRT train. Recently I've built in the rechargeable battery box to the train, there is a PF-reciever connected to it. On the two outputs of the Reciever there are the indoor lights and on the other front/end lights (these LEDs are modified to lit only one of the pair, depending on polarity, described in detail in Railbricks 9, page 21).

On our last exhibiton there was no problem, but at home, with switched on indoor light when I turn on the front/end lights, all lights start blinking with time period 1s on, 1s off. This stops immiaedetely when I turn off front/end lights. In addition, this happens only when I turn on front/end lights in one direction, on the other one, there is no problem!

First I thought, it is because of the modified pair of LEDs, but after disconnecting them from the reciever and placing unmodded ones on the output, blinking will start again. It only happens, if I turn on indoor light and AFTER these one turning of front/end lights. I can't decide, what has gone wrong, but I can't make it work.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Ashi Valkoinen

[JoeKaydear]

Maybe you should contact Lego Customer Service to get a replacement PF Receiver.

[zephyr1934]

Yes, from your description I too would suspect the IR receiver first, but probably worth a few tests before calling lego. If you have a spare IR receiver, see if the problem goes away when swapping them. If you don't have a spare, you could try swapping the red/blue outputs and see if the problem stayed with the given output, or with the given set of plugs. Finally, you could try removing the IR receiver altogether and use the speed control built in the rechargeable battery.

[Ashi Valkoinen]

I had an another IR reciever, and with this one my train worked, so the first one had something problem. On of my LUGfriends said, that blinking output indicates short circuits placed on the IR reciever. The reason, why it blinked only for one direction was that the output metallic connection parts were damaged, but not all, just two of them. Maybe I can use it for trains need only one output...