[zmil]

I always wanted to try this!
LED lights are very directional and generally throw light out of the top
I received as a present an antique Faller kit B-230 water driven saw mill, as I hadn't built a kit for 35 years
I thought I'd have a go at a small one first. So I picked a one and also purchased the Faller glue.
The LED is from DCC concepts -a golden white connected with a extra diode and a 860 ohm resistor ,good for AC output of a transformer
The pictures are taken on a slow shutter speed and are a bit grainy.

and the other angle

I modified the light pattern of the LED by filing the end flat and gluing on a convex reflector made of Alfoil
The LED is standing up in the place were the Faller light kit would normally go, held in place by the tails of the resistor and diode All those years of working with industrial and stage lighting were not wasted after all!

Zmil

 

[Martin71]

Hi

Looks great, Like the idea of the foil. I take it you got this kit at the hobby show last w/end. Would you mind posting a picture of the convex mirrors you made as I would like to do something like that in my coaches.

DCC Concepts had a great stand at the show very impressive.

Thanks for that, excellent work.

Kind Regards

m

 

[zmil]

Would have liked to have gone to the show but I'm Housebound at the moment .The LED was left over from an old project
The reflector I made is about 8mm across and bowl shaped , the convex side glued to the LED
I should have taken a Pic before I stuck it in the building

Thanks for your interest
Zmil

 

[7113]

I seem to recall that we used a similar method to light the house of ill repute on St Lauren, though I think we used aluminium tape. It actually works quite well.

The effect on your building is effective.

Regards

 

[Brian Considine]

If you carefully cut the rounded end of the LED off square it will tend to diffuse the light better.

 

[zmil]

G'day All
Thanks for the advice Brian , I had these LED's left over from a Loco Lighting project.I bought a Fleischmann 4-6-2 Model No. 4170 had no light in the tender. I had never seen the new kind of High intensity LED lights before and thought what a great idea they were (this was in 2003/4) I bought some at the local Rail Exhibition from Richard (DCC Concepts).
The advice he gave me was they can be "turned down" a bit in size to fit smaller applications.I carefully inserted 3 of them in a Drill chuck and successfully took off about 0.5mm of the diameter with a file to make them fit in the tender , I couldn't believe the amount of light they throw out, even with a 1k resistor for each one. they put the original lighting to shame.The only trouble was they were lighting things to well! compared to the other loco's!

Still you learn from these experiances.
Regards Zmil

 

[Basil]

QUOTE (zmil @ 6 Jun 2008, 04:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>G'day All
Thanks for the advice Brian , I had these LED's left over from a Loco Lighting project.I bought a Fleischmann 4-6-2 Model No. 4170 had no light in the tender. I had never seen the new kind of High intensity LED lights before and thought what a great idea they were (this was in 2003/4) I bought some at the local Rail Exhibition from Richard (DCC Concepts).
The advice he gave me was they can be "turned down" a bit in size to fit smaller applications.I carefully inserted 3 of them in a Drill chuck and successfully took off about 0.5mm of the diameter with a file to make them fit in the tender , I couldn't believe the amount of light they throw out, even with a 1k resistor for each one. they put the original lighting to shame.The only trouble was they were lighting things to well! compared to the other loco's!

Still you learn from these experiances.
Regards Zmil

Have you got a link to the type of LED's ?They are very useful low voltage lighting for all sorts of applications.

And a very nice model you made

inspiring stuff

 

[zmil]

QUOTE (Basil @ 14 Jun 2008, 06:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Have you got a link to the type of LED's ?They are very useful low voltage lighting for all sorts of applications.

And a very nice model you made

inspiring stuff

Hi Basil These goldenwhite LED's came from DCC Concepts in Perth (Australia)
His WEB is http://www.dccconcepts.com/
Most of Our railway layout is in storage at the moment but Ive been pulling the odd bit out to do something!
Regards Zmil

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (zmil @ 6 Jun 2008, 04:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I bought a Fleischmann 4-6-2 Model No. 4170 had no light in the tender.
On of these was my very first FLM (& european) loco. It now looks its age when compared to the (later) Piko & Roco 01's I have, but it still runs well (as do some other 30+ years old) FLM locos. Actually, I removed the tender lighting bulbholder to fit the decoder !

 

[zmil]

G'day Brian
They do look a little dated but they are so reliable like you say.I have had a little 0-6-0 (model 1321 0r 4029) since new, the last time I used it a school friend came over with a Hornby Loco with smoke (this was in the early 70's) it got covered in smoke fluid and did not want to run. I pulled it out of storage a couple of years ago gave it a clean inside the motor to get rid of the oil . Now it runs as New. I have several Fleischmann engines of the same vintage or older some I have converted to DCC and all run really well.
Just as long as you enjoy it -its worth doing
Regards Zmil

 

[Basil]

QUOTE (zmil @ 14 Jun 2008, 01:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Basil These goldenwhite LED's came from DCC Concepts in Perth (Australia)
His WEB is http://www.dccconcepts.com/
Most of Our railway layout is in storage at the moment but Ive been pulling the odd bit out to do something!
Regards Zmil

My model railway is also in storage and in the meantime I collect and fix old locos. See my post on 'In not on my workbench' in the 'On my workbench'

Thanks for the link but as I am in western europe it may be bset to get them here but thanks as I can get the spec from DCC.

http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=5520

Have to have fun somehow

 

[dwb]

QUOTE Thanks for the link but as I am in western europe it may be bset to get them here but thanks as I can get the spec from DCC.

I've not had any problem with getting stuff from DCC Concepts and it was larger than a few LEDs.

David

 

[zmil]

Hi All

I have done another building trial , this time I added a Bridge rectifier to the circuit

Inside it looks likes this The Thick Blue lines are the input wires The Red is the positive output and thin Blue is the -ve output.

To allow any kind of power 9-20v (AC DC DCC) to power the building lighting

I filed the Round end of the LED Flat and wired in series with a 1k resistor
the good thing about the bridge rectifier is that it has a nice flat surface which I glued to the inside wall of the building
with the LED pointing up at the ceiling and about 20mm from the foil reflector that I glued to the ceiling .

The result

I have blacked out some of the windows to add some variety

Since these photos were taken I have lightly weathered the building

This side is a bit boring

and Light off

Regards

Zmil

 

[m.levin]

Nice work

wouldn't it be easier to add the bridge rectifier at the power source, maybe with a voltage regulator too, then run a designated supply for LED lighting. Or put a Diode on the Cathode, to protect against reverse voltage.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (m.levin @ 8 Dec 2008, 23:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice work

wouldn't it be easier to add the bridge rectifier at the power source, maybe with a voltage regulator too, then run a designated supply for LED lighting. Or put a Diode on the Cathode, to protect against reverse voltage.

***Absolutely, and its a great use for all those old mobile phone and other similar wall packs lying around... But Zmil likes to play with bits & bobs and enjoys the process I think

.

Richard

 

[m.levin]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 8 Dec 2008, 14:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***Absolutely, and its a great use for all those old mobile phone and other similar wall packs lying around... But Zmil likes to play with bits & bobs and enjoys the process I think

.

Richard

Ah ok
I'm a "Light fanatic" with over 80 LEDs in a 8x2 section, I must get a life, I'll show myself out

With the wall power supply, you must ensure the the output current will handle your needs.

 

[upnick]

Hi Zmil,

The building looks fantastic like the idea of blanking off some windows to add interest

so the voltage applied either way round to the blue/yellow wires works then .......

Need to dust off the mine and fit LED'S in it soon was it a white Led you used ?

 

[zmil]

Hi All

That was a Warm white LED (still have quite a few of those left over)

The Building is actually a present for someone - they put a few buildings and things under the Christmas tree with a bit of fake snow etc - and now I wont get the phone call - "its not working"

The rectifiers are surplus bits as well - even if I put one in every wagon that requires a lighting fix I will still have left overs

So it can be connected either way around (blue or yellow +ve)

Regards

Zmil

 

[Chinahand]

That's a superb lighting effect you have achieved zmil and I like the way you have given it variation by blanking out some of the windows.

Having set my mind working I now need some help though.

QUOTE (m.levin @ 8 Dec 2008, 18:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice work
wouldn't it be easier to add the bridge rectifier at the power source

zmil/M. Levin/Richard.

Please tell me more.

I would like to install a dedicated lighting circuit for buildings and street lights on my layout but have not been sure how match the power supply of a lighting bus to the LEDs. The bridge rectifier solution seems to be the way to go but I would like some more advice on the practicalities.

Assuming power is supplied from a Gaugemaster 12v transformer what size of wire would you recommend and what would be the maximum length of lighting bus that could be run from one bridge rectifier ??

Will any bridge rectifier do or is there a particular spec ??

What would be the maximum number of LEDs that could be powered from 1 bridge rectifier ??

My layout is a 'U' shape and is approx 3.5 x 3.0 metres so would I need to install more than 1 lighting bus ??

Please excuse my electrical ignorance but once it comes to this sort of thing my eyes just glaze over.

 

[zmil]

Hi Trevor

What I did was a bit of overkill
That rectifier is good for 1.5 amps (75 LEDs) The LEDs (with a 1k resistor) draw 20mA or less practically
so you could power at least 50 LEDs through the Bridge rectifier from a 1Amp power supply

If you use an old DC train power supply/controller rated at 1 Amp you can put it on the variable output and control the brightness as well.

Regards Zmil