Matt Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find... I've noticed at exhibitions how the overall lighting of a layout can make or break a layout, and am painfully aware my lighting is really bad (too yellow, too directional and very energy intensive as good old halogen spots...). In an effort to improve things I'm planning to add a proper lighting gantry with aim of providing nice even white light across the layout. I purchased some fluorescent tubes today but have immediately found these are totally inadequate (too low wattage). Is anybody able to provide any guidance on getting this right? I'm thinking fluorescent tubes but only as many of the layouts I've seen with good lighting seemed to use these. What sort of wattage should I be targeting? My baseboards are 4ft deep and scenic section around 30' long. Am thinking lighting gantry will be more or less level with front of layout and sit about 3 ft above scenery to prevent my head knocking off it all the time. Any guidance welcomed! Am doing this before I start the scenic spots as reckon it will change all the colours... Cheers, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted January 16, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2016 Hi Matt Would echo dutch master - go for LEDs We have 8 x 60 watt equivalent LED spots on a rig for Abbotswood - tried a cantilever arrangement but wasn't happy so we now have a four poster arrangement. As Dutch master describes... at the front of the layout angled towards the rear If you follow the youtube link on my signature look at the Abbotswood at GETS video which was shot under these light ... not happy its perfect yet but certainly better than relying on venue lighting Cheers Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub39h Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Get the LED spotlights from Home Bargains. £2 each and very excellent. Available both in warm white and daylight but weirdly daylight is not showing on the website. They definitely exist, I'm under 3 of them at present! http://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/11052-ecolight-mr16-warm-white-led-bulbs-case-of-12.aspx http://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/9567-ecolight-gu10-warm-white-led-case-of-14.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I'm just working on getting the right balance for my layout, using a combination of cheapo Chinese 10W LED spots (£11.84 for 4, but check if they've bothered to connect the earth wire, they don't usually) and light bars made up with 3 strips of LED's, which were only about £9.40 for 10 metres The spots are warm white and the bars are bright white with 120 LED's per metre, hopefully I can then get the right balance, if not I will swap some of the bright white strips for warm whites. Using LED's means there is likelly to be less weight on the rig, little or no heat, and they are less prone to getting broken, they are cheap and if you want you can also introduce the RGB strips to mix in any colour you want, with a suitable dimmer/mixer. I was sceptical about using them, as I didn't think they had enough output, but have been converted. For larger layouts there are 20W and 50W spots available. I used to use 200w and 500w halogens, but they do tend to give you sunburn! For the sake of a fiver try a roll of tape out and see what you think. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161248007358?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=460290553818&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I think the strips are better to get an even spread of light. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakydoke Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Relying only on spots may not be the right solution, because of they tend to concentrate light into pools and create shadows. Made worst if the beam width is particularly narrow. Poor positioning is another factor. Strip lighting is generally more effective, so I'd personally go along with the suggestion of LED strips. Colour choice includes warm white, neutral white and daylight white, but look out for the claimed colour temperatures as these can vary. One manufacturers warm or daylight white, won't be the same as another's. I recently tried some daylight white GU10 LED's in our utility room. They had a very high CT figure and they were unbearably bright, on the blue end of the spectrum. Not helped by the wide 110 degree beam width. They were replaced by a neural white which gave off a much better light. Most electrical trade emporiums stock ranges of LED strips at reasonable costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted January 17, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2016 Or for a wide choice try somewhere like led hut Just installing some of their LED strips under our kitchen cabinet - SWMBO is mighty impressed Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thanks for all your replies. Interestingly the consensus seems to be LEDs rather than fluorescent. I've now returned the fluorescents where they came from and need to consider what to buy. Looking in the DIY store they had loads of led strips but the lumens ratings on these was less than 50% of the fluorescents I returned so would not have given off enough light for my application. Am guessing this might just be their poor range and that others have more intense LED sets. What sort of lumen level are you guys using. The fluorescent was 1550 lumens and this was way too dull - however I don't want to go over the top and end up with something too glaring... After all I am modelling Scotland! Cheers, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted January 17, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2016 Have 8 x 50 watt equivalent GU10s on Abbotswood Matt Did you have a look at https://www.ledhut.co.uk/- probably have a much wider range than your local DIY/Hardware shops Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thanks Phil. I was on led hut website earlier and, yes, a little more choice than b&q... i can prob work out the lux level you get on abbotswood and use this as benchmark. Ta, M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLT 0109 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 LED Hut are very helpful - it might be worth giving them a call to see what they recommend. LED's come in different outputs and strips come with different numbers of LED per meter so some strips of the same length are brighter than others. You will need to select a transformer with adequate current capacity for what you choose. I use LED strips to light the lower level of my layout - they are 60 per metre of the lower output but they are installed only 15" above the baseboard so you may find that power insufficient for you circumstances. My 5m strip is rated at 24w so needs a 2amp transformer (12v). I hope these figures help. Harold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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