Would it be difficult to replace my old lights with LED....I have a G scale set that is about 15 yrs old...
Thanks !
Its not that difficult. You just need fine the power leads in the smoke box, hook in a little bridge rectifier (to have the light on when running reverse or forward) and a 1000 ohm resistor (good for 21v) to the led. George S does it with a little more complexity- http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html#led (http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html#led)
-Brian
About half my passenger cars have LED lights. I pick up power from one passenger car truck, and put LED lights in all cars, fed by the output of the rectifier in the one car. They look good and are not too bright. It does show empty seats in the cars though.
Now's a great time to look for LEDs, too. Check the Christmas clearance shelves for "warm white" LED Christmas lights. You'll generally be able to pick them up for around $4 for a strand of 50 lights or so.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/TRR10/TRR1010.jpg)
They look SOOOOOOO much better than the yellow and orange LEDs Bachmann uses. (I used a green Sharpie to color the rear lens on the marker lights for additional realism.)
Later,
K
Why do you need a rectifier if picking up track power? It's already DC.
Alan
Quote from: ajzend on January 18, 2010, 02:37:34 AM
Why do you need a rectifier if picking up track power? It's already DC.
Alan
Except LED have this thing where they only go when the current is flowing a certain way - reverse direction, turns off.
Can be handy for directional lighting but if you want h/l on all the time loco is running will need rectifier.
If you want passenger car lights on all the time, same thing.
Agree with Kevin on the warm white Leds. I got a lifetime supply 100 sreing set from Walmart for $2. Already used then in a kitbash I am doing. They look great. WalMart also had replacement color leds in packs of four for 35 cents. there was one each red, yellow,blue, and green. They also had pack of four cool white replacement Leds for the same price.
Can't go wrong!!
Quote from: on30gn15 on January 19, 2010, 04:11:09 AM
Quote from: ajzend on January 18, 2010, 02:37:34 AM
Why do you need a rectifier if picking up track power? It's already DC.
Alan
Except led lighting (http://www.niceledlights.com) have this thing where they only go when the current is flowing a certain way - reverse direction, turns off.
Can be handy for directional lighting but if you want h/l on all the time loco is running will need rectifier.
If you want passenger car lights on all the time, same thing.
Certainly these lights have replaced old lights.. Even I have changed my old home lights with leds
LED's are what i've been working with for the past few months. I found strips of LED's at my local hobby town USA. there great for lighting up passenger cars and cabooses. they will run of a 9 volt battery and are easy to install. here's a video of my caboose lit up with a orange LED.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lSa_E1YMtc&feature=youtu.be
I like the LED idea as I find the WBB lights on the F-3's F-7's and steamers too dim.
I will put this on the backburner for now as a Fall project when the kids are back in school!!!