I have a SFCM loco from the 80s and wanted to use the ESU 54631 LokPilot V4.0 Digital Set #2 to convert for use with my MS2. Would I still need the marklin 276770 lamp socket to make the headlight work?
Most Marklin locomotives from the 80’s and earlier used the locomotive frame as ground for the lights. You will see only one wire going to the light fixture. If you convert one of these locomotives to digital, and continue to use the frame as ground, the light will be flickering slightly.
When the lightbulb is a screw-in type, you can replace it with an LED-bulb. The flickering is less noticeable if you use an LED lightbulb. It is a band-aid fix. Easy, and it makes things a bit better.
But to stop this flickering, it is best to use a dedicated return ground for the lights. (ESU decoders use the blue wire for this purpose, Marklin uses grey). In order to do this, you need the Marklin 276770 lamp sockets.
They fit inside the existing light fixture.
