[Martin71]

Richard has improved his flicker free Kit with the addition of LED mounting boards. Photos will explain most of it.

Flicker free can be used on AC DCC and DC max 20 v. It doesn't matter how you wire it to the tracks as long as the red wire on the flicker free goes to the + side of the LED's.

I have the lighting bright so you can see the effect. I highly recommend this kit and in the next couple of weeks I will try to get a post up using Richards Flicker free and optic fibre on a couple of German coaches. Optic fibre and beads for table lamps.

This took me about 1 hour to do as mounted beads on the LED's for effect and the coach wheels were tricky to remove.

Feel free to ask any questions and their is another post pinned under reviews which has lots more info on the original flicker free.

The board used to mount LED's, handy for working out spacing. They are 150mm long and can also be used in n gauge.



Close up



Close up of LED's lit and beads mounted.



As you can see no wires a super cap (200000 micro farads) is storing an electrical charge, something like a battery.



Pick ups made by winding a solid core (0,2mm) wire around wheel shaft. Reduces friction and simple and cheap to make. CNC machined wheel spacer to ensure good running after I have being in there.



Bring it all together with 2 quick solders and a bit of heatshrink.



This explains flicker free simply "look no wires"



Close up



Night shot still in plastic.



Mk 1's with lights and tail light. Maunsell coaches are tricky to do but look great.





Enjoy

m

 

[Martin71]

Hmmm

I have had a good look at the beads and I'm thinking maybe a little too big. Might try a couple of sizes down. Thats part of the fun of this hobby, experimenting!

martin

 

[dwb]

That looks great

Could you expand a bit on the "beads". Do they come as part of the kit or are you sourcing them somewhere else?

Thanks
David

 

[zmil]

Hi Martin
Nice work
Great idea using the Beads as light diffusers

I'm just working on something at the moment regarding diffusers

If that works then I can go ahead with the next step

Regards Zmil

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (zmil @ 11 Sep 2008, 10:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Martin
Nice work
Great idea using the Beads as light diffusers

I'm just working on something at the moment regarding diffusers

If that works then I can go ahead with the next step

Regards Zmil

*** Actually the diffusers aren't at all needed when the flickerfree is set up as per instructions, as there are enough LEDs supplied to give one per coach compartment - only modern stock has diffused light, very different to all the coaches shown by Martin which actually used less than bright 24 volt or similar lighting post war, with many coaches still on very soft gas or oil lighting up to WW2.

Correct setup is one LED per compartment and a couple in the passageway of corridor stock - approx 6~8 for each saloon or open coach.

The beads Martin used in his example are far, far too large and I really dislike their effect on the realism of the coach - the lighting source is pretty well totally invisible when installed as supplied with the flickerfree kit and it should stay that way!

Realistic model lighting is subtle always

Coach lighting should be all but unseen when running in daylight, and at night, it should illuminate the coach interior and passengers but not the platforms or surroundings of the coach - almost all proprietary lighting kits are far too bright on this basis.

Because of this we do flickerfree with two different types of LED - 3mm for those who want it a little brighter than reality in classic coaches or correct for modern stock, 1.8mm microdots for more correct and realistic light levels in compartment stock / pre mark 2 etc.... Further adjustment is available via changing one resistor value when installing LEDs on the easy to use PCB.

Richard

 

[Martin71]

Hi

If your married ask your wife or raid her sewing kit.. Any $2.00 shop they are used for making cosmetic jewelery and the likes. I got mine from Spotlight in Perth.

Point taken Richard yes they are far too bright but it gets the message across about the lighting. It should be noted the angle I took photos from was lower than coach, again for the effect.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (Martin71 @ 11 Sep 2008, 21:25) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi

If your married ask your wife or raid her sewing kit.. Any $2.00 shop they are used for making cosmetic jewelery and the likes. I got mine from Spotlight in Perth.

Point taken Richard yes they are far too bright but it gets the message across about the lighting. It should be noted the angle I took photos from was lower than coach, again for the effect.

*** To balance my comment above, Martin is also working on an EU prototype coach with working table lamps from LEDs, fibre optic and very tiny crystal beads - THAT will look stunning when done, a worthy rival for any ever produced from any manufacturer I think....

Richard