Gaugemaster HF1 question

I have two HF1's installed on my layout--one for the track and one for catenary (common red, different brown leads--as instructed by GM). Powers is from a separate 16Vac 1000ma supply.

I noticed with some lighted cars sitting on the track, both controllers off and no locomitives on track, that the lights on the cars are on. If I put a cat loco on the track without the pantographs up, it's lights also come on. They stay on even if the controllers are disconnected. They're being powered by the HF1s. If I extend apantograph, all the lights go out.

Is this a problem? 16V is mnore than the 10V a Marklin controller puts out.

The HF1 is a high frequency device and if it is on( putting power to the track) it will act like a constant lighting device and incandescent lights will be on as well as LEDs depending on what circuitry they are connected to if just a directional diode they will be dimer than normal but not by much. When you turn your gauge master controller on and put DC power to the track then the HF 1 is looking for loss of load to trigger it to put the HF (High Frequency) AC voltage on the track to clear the dirt on the track and as soon as a load is detected( dirt is gone) it shuts off again and you are operating with normal DC power from the controller. The load is your engines motor.Your lighting does not draw enough current(load) to shut off the HF1

regards Garth

Thanks, Garth. So, the HF1 powered by a 16Vac is not providing too much pwer for the lights?

I'm installing a switch so I can turn off the Hf1s when I don't need them. When cleaning track and touching catenary, they bite.

And yo were right about applying bull frog snot. takes a little practice. With tight turns, it's best not to have any on the flanges of the wheels. I've done and redone several locomotives several times to get it right. And some take more than others. A BR 120 gets by with one axel. My C62 Tenshodo required all three axels be snotted.

Incandescent light bulbs are essentially resistors so will only draw current they were designed for most 12v lamps will run on 16vac as the duty cycle is not 100% due to AC. I do not know what HF1 produces as voltage level and at what frequency, but I expect it should not be a problem or gauge master would have addressed it. Most LED lighting modules have a resistor which limits current to LED and should protect your LED's on this voltage also . being able to run off the HF1's when not needed would be a good safety move. Yes the HF ac signal has a bite to it if you bridge the two rails or overhead and return rail with a finger or fingers as your skin does not offer enough resistance to appear as a load, so it looks like no load and triggers HF1.

cheers Garth