Mike at C&M Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I am currently assembling a laser cut card kit of Mariazell station in 'HO' scale. The full building is some 2 feet long. I wish to install some lighting under the platform canopy, but with a very limited knowledge of electronics, I do not feel confident enough to tackle this. Hence my seeking advice. The platform, as seen in the pictures below, has a structure of struts down the length of the platform which could be used to support a light weight. It is still possible at this point to drill small holes within the main part of the building to lead wires through, or they could be run down the vertical supports at the front of the structure I am looking for a soft white or dim yellow light down the length of the platform, and would anticipate using a few LEDs for this. Ideally, I would like all to be switched on/off by a single switch. So, can someone please advise me of what components I need (LEDs, resistors etc.) and what the circuit would be that I need to build. As much details as possible will be appreciated. Thank you to all respondents, in advance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2013 There are lots of different types of lamp available such as this http://cir-kitconcepts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=180 (okay, USA, but you get my drift). I managed to get a couple of these http://www.dccsupplies.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=2673 before they became out of stock. This picture shows the the DCC Supplies bulb under a Knightwing fuelling point and bright white leds on the shed in the background. Edited to correct company name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 The lights will be hidden from normal view under the platform canopy, so their origin does not matter, other than the fact that they are easy to source. Thanks 96701 , for your posting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2013 The thing about the miniature incandescent bulbs is the light is more yellow, nowhere near as bright, have flexible wires and can be run off batteries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 The thing about the miniature incandescent bulbs is the light is more yellow, nowhere near as bright, have flexible wires and can be run off batteries. Are there any issues with heat generated by the bulb? Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that LEDs generate no heat, whilst bulbs, by their very nature, do generate heat. Cetainly, the idea of flexible wires is a feature I like the sound of. All the electrical connections can then be made away from the building. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted June 21, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 21, 2013 It's possible to get LED's that mimic incandescent and gas lamps. Helmsman Electronics sell them. They can be wired in strings with very thin wires due to the low current draw. I'm plannig to use them on my layout and may use the relatively rigid wires from the LED's to support them.They can be bent to shape and then glued to the support structure. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2013 The little bulb has very fine wires that are glued to the plastic knightwing kit and is powered by a AAA battery. I inadvertently left it on one night, and there was no problem with heat. It all depends on what wattage the bulb is, that one is 1.5volt 20mA, so very low power. You can also run incandescent lamps at a lower voltage which will reduce their temperature and increase there life. If you can get to a shop that deals with dolls houses, there's loads of little bulbs and holders that you can experiment with, no maths, no pain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Quite by accident, I have discovered what seems to be the perfect solution. Many of you will have seen the strips of LEDs that can be bought. Lots of pence if you buy a 5cm strip, and dirt cheap if you invest in several metres on a spool. We are currently fitting long lengths to display shelving in the shop, so what will it look like if I try this offcut on my station? Things could not work any better, if I had wanted them to. The strip rests between the roof supports and roof structure, due to the backing strip being so thin, the individual LEDs all fit neatly between the individual struts - there isn't one which fouls the structure. The wiring is simply 2 wires at one end of the strip, rather than the mass (or mess) of wiring I envisaged I might need, and best off all, the LEDs do dim if you run a lesser voltage through them. In this case, about 5V d.c. seems about right, whereas the strip is rated at 12V d.c. And so to the results. Firstly, in daylight, secondly in darkness and finally a close-up of the expected end result. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 23, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 23, 2013 Fabulous. Glad you've found a solution that suits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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