"lighthouse type" LEDs

[70000 Britannia]

Hi folks! I would welcome some advice.

 

I have some locomotives that have failed incandescent bulbs that are about 1.4mm in diameter.

 

I have sourced some 2mm lighthouse type LEDs from DCC Supplies and the holes will therefore require widening. My question is, as an alternative, what would be the likely impact of carefully reducing the diameter of the tip of the LED. Does anyone know if it would degrade the brightness?

 

I do not intend to conduct radical surgery. I might slightly increase the hole width and marginally reduce the LED.

 

Comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

[spice1977]

I've never had that problem if done carefully. Express Models do the same for the side lights on DMU's such as the 158. They start with a 2mm tower LED and file it square on all sides to fit the rectangular light slot.

[70000 Britannia]

I've never had that problem if done carefully. Express Models do the same for the side lights on DMU's such as the 158. They start with a 2mm tower LED and file it square on all sides to fit the rectangular light slot.

 

 

That's good to know - thanks very much for responding

[RAF96]

I regularly stick mine through the body and file them down to suit. The post part can be carefully cut back almost to the diode junction.

 

Same goes for reducing the diameter.

 

Rob

[14Steve14]

As the LEDs are cheap enough, why not experiment and report your finding back here. I would imagine that as the LED is solid at the tower part no harm should come to it, but it may need to be smoothed so it comes back red and shiny for best light and colour.

[70000 Britannia]

As the LEDs are cheap enough, why not experiment and report your finding back here. I would imagine that as the LED is solid at the tower part no harm should come to it, but it may need to be smoothed so it comes back red and shiny for best light and colour.

 

Thanks, I have reduced the diameter of the tips and there would appear to be no brightness impairment.

 

Having done that I have since attached filed down (diameter) 1.5 mm fibre optics to LEDs, with equal success.  One thing I have noticed (with some spare fibre optics that needed straightening) is that using boiling water/steam, the fibre optic appeared cloudy - reducing brightness.

 

Other than that all is well.

[RAF96]

The ref to boiling water reminds me that you can thus bell the ends of the led and then rework to suit.

Rob