connectors

[ta152h0]

Anyone know a retail source for small connectors as used by Bachmann DCC ready equioment ?

[Yampa Bob]

Hi TA
Which connectors are you referring to? Please make a list of all connectors you need.

[ta152h0]

I am also into 1/32 scale slot cars and they also have the same 2 pin connectors in their boards ( 2 pin male and female ) I have not seen any 4 pin type yet )  The board indicates connections to LED lights.

[Barney R]

Hello ta152h0- I don't know what connectors you are looking for, However, here is a site that you might check-

http://www.miniatronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=4

Barney

[pdlethbridge]

I use these, you can get them in 2 3 and 4 pin. The pins in the header pull out easy. Wrap stripped wire around them, shrink wrap them and slip them back in the header. Only use about 1/8" to solder the wire to. If I'm doing a light, I just use the pins without the header and slip them into the female part.
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/CON-243/3-PIN-CONNECTOR-W/HEADER-.1-/-/1.html

[Yampa Bob]

I suggest the UK standard 6 pin NEM 651M male connectors, mated to 651F female, or Loksound number 51951 prewired female sockets Available at Litchfield Station.

The connectors are actually smaller than the 2 and 4 pin Bachmann connectors combined. 

They are not polarized, so you would need to mark them.

[ta152h0]

i am totally sold on LED lighting. I use 150 ohm resistor and only burned out one light on the breadboard when i exceeded 18 v ac. I also have a lot of MARKLIN locomotives to convert.

[Yampa Bob]

You might consider using a 560 or 680 ohm resistor for the LED to limit current to 20 milliamp.  Very little difference in brightness, but safer for the LED.

Typical voltage drop for an LED is about 3 volts.  18 volts minus 3 volts = 15 volts, the amount of additional voltage drop needed to limit current to 20 milliamp.

15 / .020 = 750 ohms.

Just a suggestion.

Regards

[richG]

I have one loco with LED lighting that uses a 680 ohm resistor and allows about 15ma current.

The others with LEDs use a 1k resistor which allows 10ma current. Not much difference in brightness.

My NCE Power Cab has a 13.5 volt power supply.

Rich

[ta152h0]

time to go visit my favorite radioShack and clean out their 1K resistor bin. Just 5 blocks from my house. Their LED bin is wiped out so I must not be the only one that is converting to LED's.

[hotrainlover]

For 3mm Led lights, I bought a string of 100 led Christmas lights.  It was $6.99 On sale!!  I have used these in 4-6 engines,  front and back.