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Discussion Boards => HO => Topic started by: Grumpy468 on February 28, 2021, 05:40:58 PM

Title: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on February 28, 2021, 05:40:58 PM
So i was driving by the local refinery last night, and it looked really sharp all lit up. I would like to incorporate small lights in my refinery as i build it, may be easier to adapt them in place before it is all assembled?

I also want to add lights to the inside of all my buildings, that will be easy i have made provisions, added a second floor divider in my houses etc.

Where can i find specialty small lights for the refinery?  What has everyone been using in general for lighting.  I am not really looking for a plug and play system, i want something i can build and solder. I have 6 toggle switches and a large dc power supply already in place on my panel board.
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jonathan on February 28, 2021, 08:04:26 PM
I use surface mount LEDs (SMD), soldered to magnet wire. They are great for building exteriors, vehicle headlights, skinny lampposts, and the like. I have also dabbled with brass lamp shades. I think they're from A-Line. Been a long time. Memory is cloudy on that.

If you wire the SMDs yourself, you can hide the resistors inside the structures or under the layout. 

If you flip through my layout photos, you'll see some examples.

Regards,

Jonathan
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on February 28, 2021, 08:53:59 PM
Thank you Jonathan.
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jonathan on March 01, 2021, 04:37:52 AM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50992349956_ae54902a1c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kG286w)DSC_0454 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2kG286w) by Jon Vogel (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152929963@N07/), on Flickr

There are a half dozen SMDs around this structure.  Lights up the area well.

r,
JV
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on March 01, 2021, 09:09:53 AM
SMD ?????
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: rich1998 on March 01, 2021, 10:59:33 AM
From a search for SMD components.

http://www.electronicsandyou.com/blog/smd-surface-mount-electronic-components-for-smt.html

Rich
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jward on March 01, 2021, 12:53:41 PM
I'm loving that substation. Do you have powerlines coming into it?
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jonathan on March 01, 2021, 02:37:57 PM
On my to do list... ;). R, jv
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: plas man on March 01, 2021, 05:12:29 PM
cheep lights (LED) from the £ pound/$ dollar shop - a string of xmas tree lights battery powered , about 3 - 4.5 volt .


Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on March 01, 2021, 07:43:13 PM
Here is the one i did.
(https://i.ibb.co/s9tTyz2/sub-stn2.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/Jk4Lg9b/sub-stn-bench.jpg)

Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jward on March 01, 2021, 10:54:07 PM
Nice. I need to build one. Those places always fascinated me. You don't see them modelled much. The power lines themselves could be easily scratchbuilt.
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on March 01, 2021, 11:25:25 PM
I am going to use spandex thread for power lines throughout the entire layout
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Terry Toenges on March 02, 2021, 12:33:50 AM
All I can say is "Wow!" You guys and these power stations and refineries.  Just to be able to figure that all out and build it is something else.
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: Grumpy468 on March 02, 2021, 09:02:03 AM
Terry One of my biggest customers at work is the local refinery. I have taken so many pictures out there, to help me. I am lucky, i have a birds eye view of a real refinery. There are lots of little sub stations around here as well, so i hopped in the car and went for a drive, and took lots of pictures as well.
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: OLDERTIMER on March 02, 2021, 01:57:52 PM

Excelently done, like your work, Paul G
Title: Re: HO scale lighting
Post by: jward on March 02, 2021, 02:17:42 PM
When I worked with the railroad one of my regular runs served a large power plant. You could drive right next to the generator building, cooling powers and the substation where the generated power was fed into the 500Kv lines that took off in every direction. Unfortunately, photography was forbidden in the plant, and though I had my camera with me I had to keep it hidden. I would have loved to have photos of that place from the inside.