RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted January 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2012 Today I was in IKEA and found some LED lighting strips (LEDBERG Product Code 901.920.71) the pack costs £10.99 with 3 LED bars in the pack. As they were 12V DC and 0.6W I thought they may prove a cheap source for coach lighting, so when I got back I tried it initially in a Class 153 and connected to the blue and white wires on the decoder plug and then I mocked up the same lights as they might be on a Bachmann Mk1 (see pictures below). The lighting strip is just the right size for a Mk 1 though I cut the top of the bulk heads between the compartments to allow the light to spread a little more evenly. From the initial trials it could be a very cheap way of lighting coaches at just over £3.50 per coach! The strips are contained within a plastic cover, so I removed the lugs that kept it in place and removed the strip. On the Class 153 Showing the strip on the coach roof and the other two still in their plastic sleeve. Before the bulkheads were modified. In a Bachmann Mk 1 Attached to the roof - a perfect fit! After I modified the bulkheads. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Definitely worth a look, nice find. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzie Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Seven LEDs makes it ideal for first class anyway... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I would also look here http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Optoelectronics/LED-Strips Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted January 30, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2012 I have tried similar flexible strips and they provide reasonable lighting. I have been having a further play tonight with these LED strips and fitted the three of them in some Bachmann Mk 1's I have tried various lighting units in, including the flexible LED strips. Here a few pictures, I have used one decoder in the guards van and connected the carriages using home made corridor connectors with copper strip on the ends to provide the connection between carriages. The rack of three carriages Showing the copper connectors. Whilst it works OK, I need to do some work on improving the pick ups and I will make some new corridor connectors to improve the connections between the carriages. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McC Posted February 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2012 That actually looks great! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I paid a visit to IKEA today and purchased a pack of these; it looks like you could shorten them easily. I intend to fit one of my 3 car Calls 501's with lighting. am I correct in assuming that a single DCC chip output will have be able to power the 3 strips? XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted February 4, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2012 I have used one chip to light the 3 Mk 1's above. I bought some DCC Concepts stay alive chips today at Stafford which I want to try and I'll report back probably tomorrow. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzie Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Rapid 56-0450 56-0478 look to be the most interesting alternative, with enough to do two coaches (240mm - 250mm). Slightly higher cost than Ikea, but more LEDs (12 or 15 per coach) so less of a problem with the location of the compartment partitions, and they can be chopped down to three led modules to help with positioning if required. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I have used one chip to light the 3 Mk 1's above. I bought some DCC Concepts stay alive chips today at Stafford which I want to try and I'll report back probably tomorrow. Regards, Peter Thanks Peter. My intention is to fit all 3 coaches of the Class 501 with lighting and use working jumper cables between the coaches as per the prototype. I have come up with a what I think might well be a robust and workable solution I will post more info when I have fitted the lights and have them working in the Class 501. XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted February 5, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2012 I have noticed that sometimes only half the bar comes on, seen as I am snowed in today and can't get up to the club rooms I will have a play and investigage and I will try the DCC Concept chip and report later. I came up with the idea of using the copper tape as I wanted an easy way of taking coaches on and off, whilst it seems to work OK it's not perfect, but using jumper cables is a good alternative. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37023 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Pete pop in to tims tomorrow, one of the forigen companys uses NEM style connectors with wires fed into them, similar to the ones on the bachy 150's but he can get them a spares.., if I recal correctly that is! Let us know how it goes because you might end up with aload of SCR gear to do for GQS ta for now Chris W Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I got a pack of these a few months ago to light up a glass cabinet (nothing railway-related) but only needed two of the three strips... you can probably guess what I had in mind for the third! They are a much more sensible price than the equivalent products from model railway suppliers (although you could make something even cheaper using a strip of PCB board or veroboard), and the LEDs give off a fluorescent-like colour which is perfect for any rolling stock in the last 30-40 years. I look forward to further progress with this - please keep the photos coming! Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 If they are capable of providing light in a cabinet, do you think they would provide adiquate layout lighting mounted on the back of a pelmet instead of the heavier alternetives often used? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I have seen LED light strips used for layout lighting but they never seem quite adequate (in my opinion). It would be more cost-effective to use fluorescent tubes, as you'd need an awful lot of LEDs to produce the same amount of light as one tube. Worth bearing in mind is that the LEDs are quite directional too. They could be used quite effectively as 'cyclorama' lighting for backscenes, or as backlighting to complement stronger light sources from the front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 The flicker free units from DCC Concepts wont power the Ikea lighting strips as the strips are 12v and the output from the flickerfree units is around 3.5 to 4v Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Mc Comb Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Today I was in IKEA and found some LED lighting strips (LEDBERG Product Code 901.920.71) the pack costs £10.99 with 3 LED bars in the pack. As they were 12V DC and 0.6W I thought they may prove a cheap source for coach lighting, so when I got back I tried it initially in a Class 153 and connected to the blue and white wires on the decoder plug and then I mocked up the same lights as they might be on a Bachmann Mk1 (see pictures below). The lighting strip is just the right size for a Mk 1 though I cut the top of the bulk heads between the compartments to allow the light to spread a little more evenly. From the initial trials it could be a very cheap way of lighting coaches at just over £3.50 per coach! The strips are contained within a plastic cover, so I removed the lugs that kept it in place and removed the strip. On the Class 153 Showing the strip on the coach roof and the other two still in their plastic sleeve. Before the bulkheads were modified. In a Bachmann Mk 1 Attached to the roof - a perfect fit! After I modified the bulkheads. Regards, Peter Off to Ikea Friday for a set, thanks for the great info.Regards Hugh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Mc Comb Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I would also look here http://www.rapidonli...nics/LED-Strips Andrew Hi Andrew, Used these to light my HST Maintenance Shed and to Floodlight My Church, see Galleries Layout Lighting.Hugh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldmansminion Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 hi, sorry if i'm seeming a bit dim, but if the lighting strip is 12 volt, and you runing them on a non dcc layout, why do you need the chip? surely, if you put droppers in, they will permantely be on? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Hi, If I understand it correctly if you wire the lights into the track as it were (via bogie pickups) they won't work all the, because on DC, there is only powered supplied to the track when you turn the knob on the controller to move the train, when the train is stopped and the knob at 0, then no power is supplied to the track, so the lights wouldn't work. Basically, no movement no lights. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that using a DCC Decoder will allow power to kept to the lights all the time, allowing them to be lit all them time, when stopped and when moving. Hope this helps! Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldmansminion Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 hiya simon, i think that clears it up, so actually that has got me thinking, if your on a DCC layout, then you wont need a decoder at all? if that is the case, would you encounter problems on a reversing loop? sorry if i've hi-jacked Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted February 25, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25, 2012 i think that clears it up, so actually that has got me thinking, if your on a DCC layout, then you wont need a decoder at all? I must admit I have thought of this and not using a decoder and seeing if it works, I have just not had a chance recently, I will post the results when I get round to trying. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 For multiple units or modern stock I wouldn't bother with a decoder as the lights are always on when in service. However, you may wish to fit a bridge rectifier to make the most of the 'raw' DCC supply* and an extra current-limiting resistor to adjust the brightness. On older stock the lights would only be on at night or in tunnels, so a decoder could be used to keep your DCC 'guard' busy switching them on and off St. Simon, I don't mean to sound picky (famous last words!) but your post may give the impression that a DCC decoder can provide uninterupted lighting on a DC layout, which isn't the case. I'm sure you didn't mean it to sound that way theoldmansminion, you wouldn't encounter any problems whatsoever on a reversing loop, although someone more knowledgeable on DCC may be able to advise you on the length of the isolated section which is switched by the reversing module. It may be (and I hope I'm wrong) that this section needs to be long enough to accommodate all vehicles with pickups, so as not to cause a short circuit. Cheers, Will * This would also allow the lights to work on a DC supply in both directions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeman Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Looks like others have been doing same as me. I've not accessed RM web for a while now as my PC has been telling me it was still down, even 30 mins ago. However, I am now on my 10th rake of 5 coaches using similar setup. The last led strip i bought was on Ebay coming from Hong Pong, 5Mts for £9.99 inc post. best deal I could find, especially when others are asking a Fiver for 800mm. Its made good use of my motor stuffed decoders where the F1 and lighting O/Ps were still working. Mounting a decoder in the brake with relay and 1.8mm tail light. This allows loco change, not being powered from loco decoder if desired. I've used the lighting O/P's each thro a diode to enable the relay,. so relay on/off controlled by the lighting switch, direction change not affecting. The brake has pickups on all 8 wheels, decoder same address as loco. The coaches connected with a through connection from the relay in the brake and fed through the other 4 along with the 'other' track supply to the other coaches. I have a 1/2 wave diode in the switched line. although even with this the strips will light slightly when connected the wrong way ?. I have a 680 ohm resistor in each coach to reduce the light from the strip and find the Quality Street wrappers ideal for colour enhancement. Although the strips are warm white the colour looked too modern, and now look warm and inviting inside. Having used all my stuffed decoders I've fitted a couple with the small slide switches from the flickering tea lights, and some not switched. One advantage this way is drag reduction only having one coach with pickups. My coaches are connected by .45mm brass wire fitted to the bogies using a loop and pin system, works well once set up with no derailing and coaches able to be uncoupled, Once adjusted 'connectors' rub together with no flickering observed, no need to fit fancy units if 8 wheels are fitted with pickups or storage capacitors, these could create what might appear as a short due to charging surge, and still lit shunted into storage sidings if desired. With painted interiors and seated passengers, look good . Beeman Just done a check, the strip I got has 60 led's /metre , 3 led's/50mm, and has a protective plastic cover, with sticky back. think this is the waterproof variety, Gresley teaks will take 4 segments of the strip so 12 led.s, perhaps why I needed to reduce the light O/P, 12 giving better light spread. The various 70footers will accept 5 segments so15 led's.seems far better value than the IKEA, product. Contemplating fitting to the lounge wall unit to save on the bills instead of the low watt flourescents. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 one of the forigen companys uses NEM style connectors with wires fed into them, similar to the ones on the bachy 150's but he can get them a spares.., if I recal correctly that is! Roco 40345 http://www.euromodeltrains.com/cgi-bin/search_item.pl?ss=Um9jb3w0MDM0NSAg Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.