Adding a TCS KA-N1 Keep Alive to an ESU Loksound 58721 decoder?

[peteski]

I'm guessing that is because of the built-in resistors for the AUX pads on these decoders? I was originally wondering the same thing but that would make sense now. Is that still true if you change the AUX function to the "keep alive setting" within the decoder programming?

I'm not sure what you're asking.  What do you mean by "AUX function keep alive setting" in ESU decoder? Maybe Power Pack control?

There are other ESU decoders which have on-board resistors for the on-board LEDs where they use 12V (raw rectified voltage) for the for the common positive +U side. But on those decoders 10,000 ohms (10k) resistors are being used instead of the 680 ohms resistors on this decoder (since this one uses 5.2V V+).

[vermonter_railfan]

I'm not sure what you're asking.  What do you mean by "AUX function keep alive setting" in ESU decoder? Maybe Power Pack control?

There are other ESU decoders which have on-board resistors for the on-board LEDs where they use 12V (raw rectified voltage) for the for the common positive +U side. But on those decoders 10,000 ohms (10k) resistors are being used instead of the 680 ohms resistors on this decoder (since this one uses 5.2V V+).

yes, powerpack control is what I meant. It's been a little while since I have opened the ESU programmer. But the onboard resistor thing makes since as to why you cant just change an AUX pad to the "power pack control" functions in the programmer. Thanks

[peteski]

yes, powerpack control is what I meant. It's been a little while since I have opened the ESU programmer. But the onboard resistor thing makes since as to why you cant just change an AUX pad to the "power pack control" functions in the programmer. Thanks

I'm again not sure if I fully understand what you wrote.
ESU Power Packs have a 3rd wire (white) used by the decoder to disable them when the decoder is being programmed.  That wire has to be connected to an AUX output on ESU decoder which is programmed to be "Power Pack Control".  But that AUX output *HAS* to be logic-level AUX output.  A "normal" high- power AUX output (even if programmed as Power Pack control) will not work properly.  The resistor is irrelevant.

Part of the problem understanding all this is that ESU manuals don't clearly state this.