LED's to light structures

[Jim]

Greetings,

Anyone have suggestions on this subject?

Guess it should be rather simple, pick LED add series resistor and wire then insert into the structure.

Thanks,
Jim

[Paul M.]

If I were lighting structures, I wouldn't use LEDs. I'd use regular lightbulbs meant for lighting stuctures, that you can easily buy for much less than LEDs.

[Paul M.]

But that's just my opinion. I don't know much about LEDs, so if you know enough about them and can afford a lot of them, feel free to use them.

[Hunt]

Perhaps this article http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1203 will give you something more to ponder. Experiment using lamp (a.k.a. light bulb) and LED to see which gives you the desired effect. Realize there are many types and sizes of lamps and LEDs from which you can select to get the effect you want.

[Jim]

Hi,

Thanks for the link, that is a good start. It led to "Quick and easy interiors," but unfortunately that article isn't online. Guess I should subscribe to that mag.

I choose LED's because of the typical advantages they have over bulbs. Like lower current, no heat and longer life. They may be a bit more expensive but surely it isn't very much.

I'm also looking into street lights. It may be possible to scratch build something,  although I'm very new and little experience or skill. So will likely purchase some street lights - if something appears that catches my eye. <G>

Thanks,
Jim

[Jim]

Hi,

This looks like  a rather good site for learning more about LED's
http://led.linear1.org/category/led-basics/

Cheers,
Jim

[jazzfan4]

I have used both LEDs and lamps and both can be used with good success.

[michael4449]

Hello Everybody!

A difficulty with LEDs is the chip puts out light in a narrow beam to its plastic case.  The typical round faced LED widens the pattern out some by its shape, but LEDs need a secondary lens..

A bit before Christmas, I picked up a set of 50 white LED lights under the Sylvania brand name.  The "heads" are globes with "Bart Simpson hair" spikes all around.  They still give out lots of light pointing up, but they are have the best light distribution I've seen.  I may even use them as streetlamps.

Crossposting to Plasticville & plasticvillage Yahoo! Groups and the Bachmann forum.

Professionally, I design submersible lights for boat trailers, including their optics.   

Michael R. Nickerson, age 49
Tracy, California, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Plasticville/ I'm co-mayor!

[richG]

Greetings,

Anyone have suggestions on this subject?

Guess it should be rather simple, pick LED add series resistor and wire then insert into the structure.

Thanks,
Jim

I use inverted cone white LEDs I pickup off of ebay. They come with resistors. Also I put a view block in some structures so you cannot see out the other side if the structure. The LEDs do not generate any heat and you can see the light from the sides of the LED. The resistors are for 12 volt DC operation. Below is a link.
http://cgi.ebay.com/20-WHITE-INVERTED-CONE-LEDS-LIGHT-HO-SCALE-BUILDINGS_W0QQitemZ250205358440QQihZ015QQcategoryZ11646QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Rich

[glsummers]

Rich,
Have you ever used them to light up a large structure. They look like the thing to use. I have the Walthers diseal house and round house to light and any help you could give me would be appreciated. I need a model railroad electrical book for Dummies. Thanks for any advice. Larry

[railsider]

LEDs work quite well for me. Their cardinal virtue is that they "never" need to be replaced! The other virtue is that they produce virtually NO HEAT, and so use very little power.

I've found that the "warm white" or even slightly yellow Christmas-tree strings look most realistic. They are easy to use for village and city scapes. Now's the time to buy them, after the holidays, at second-hand stores, flea markets and yard sales.

If you must cut and solder extensions to reach from one building to the next, be SURE that you maintain polarity -- that is, don't switch the wires. That will kill the system. Snip and replace one wire at a time, so they stay just as they were but longer (it's the radio engineer's "wire-stretcher" in action).

Because LEDs are a point source, you'll want to glaze your windows from inside with "frosted glass" -- I use the pebbled plastic from milk bottles, but you can also frost clear plastic (inside) with fine sandpaper.

Railsider

[Dannyboy]

Go to http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/

Dave and his wife will provide a great product, easy to use, phone counseling on how to use their products, support after the sale, easy on the wallet prices, and quick shipping. I have their LEDs all over my layout and they never fail, and work with the transformer they provide, or track power [if you buy the right type].

I use their flashers and stock 5mm white lights on my scratch built coal tipple.
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/media/p/1986158.aspx