Illuminating Track Side Buildings

[Anonymous]

I have a number of oriental Pagodas around my latout near the track. As I am into night runnings i would like to illuminate them and a few other things as well.

We put a candle in a few of the Pagodas and the result was terrific, but there must be a better way. I have track power I'm not sure if it is 29 V AC or 48 V AC.


Any ideas?


Ian Kawana Island etc.

[Anonymous]

Use those low voltage lighting sets they sell in hardware stores. You can get the bulbs in different colors and they provide the right amount of light. You can get a whole series of lights with a transformer for around $20.

[Anonymous]

iandor,
If I remember correctly you are running the MTS system.What you could do is use a L55034 light function decoder.The lights could then be fed from the track with the ability to turn them on and off and also adjust the brightness.Troy

[Anonymous]

In landscaping we run low voltage 12V lights.
You can find the kits at home hardware stores.
Don't by the solar because you will be returnig them like several my customers had to, there very low light out put.

Abit fancy is flicker flame bulbs (that is there name) produce a nice warm flame like glow when behind rice paper like I have mine. They are 110v though.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

I have a number of oriental Pagodas around my latout near the track. As I am into night runnings i would like to illuminate them and a few other things as well.

We put a candle in a few of the Pagodas and the result was terrific, but there must be a better way. I have track power I'm not sure if it is 29 V AC or 48 V AC.


Any ideas?


Ian Kawana Island etc.

Ian,
In about a year, when my fence is up, I plan to light my structures by "Frankensteining" some of those solar power garden lights that I saw at the local Wal*Mart. Ian, with your expertise, you could rir up someting like that and save on batteries or electrical.


With me it would be a good deal of trial and error.

Capt Carrales

[bman36]

Hi Ian,
The only thing I found with the Solar lighting is the lack of light output. The hard wire sets are coming down in price. People seem to be too lazy to wire them in so they go with the Solar. Then they find out that they are not very bright and either go back or give up. If a soft lighting effect is what you want then you can take apart a Solar. Otherwise it is time to wire it in. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Hi iandor
When I put in the track wiring I put in a 50mm waste pipe and pits for wiring lights
so it will be easy.
If you good with electronics and get the new briliant white LED's
like they use in the solar lights and pannels and battery holder ect from *** Smiths
you can solar power lights.
For hard wired building and yard lights lights my rcomendation would be a seperate transformer I would keep the japenese lanterns for citronela candels.
thats[2c] worth
regards John

[Anonymous]

Gentlemen, thank you.

Joe. I love your new word Frankensteinining I will use it myself.

I know about solar and if its not too bright, that may not matter.

I would like to use track power but i'm a bit confused as to how it will effect light bulbs, what is actually across the rails of an MTS is pretty murky.

Troy I would love to use those decoders not only in track side buildings but in my many illuninated carriages but unfortunately I am no richer than the rest of you, now that i am retired.

The idea of citronella ccandles is economical and easily done, in fact it is what we are using at the moment.

John the new LEd's may well be the answer from the Electronic ***, I am concerned about voltage spikes and high and varying voltages hurting any normal incandescent bulb .

Thanks

Ian Kawana etc.

[Anonymous]

Hi, Ian! I suggest you to put a low voltage LED in every building you have. It looks superb!

[grandpopswalt]

Iandor,

I assume you have Radio Shacks or their equivelent there down-under. I've always found that these folks are more than willing to work with you to choose the right parts and will give you hints as to how to go about putting things together. If you have a source of steady power, ie; constant AC or DC track power, you can add a rectifier chip, a voltage regulator chip,a couple resistors and a capacitor (all this for about $2) to produce a steady and safe source of current to your white LED's. As far as I know the new white, bright LED's still only draw about 20 milliamps so you could power up to 50 of them on one 1 amp regulator chip.

Grandpopswalt

[Anonymous]

Yes Walt we do have Radio Shack or Tandy as they are called here but we also have the Electronic *** (*** Smith) and they are closer in fact I' m motivated; as soon as i finish here i'm going right down there and get into it. I think LED's are the way for me.

Regsrds Ian Kawana etc.

[bobgrosh]

Ian
You can use 18 volt bulbs from LGB and wire them to the rails with MTS.

But, here is a better idea.

Find a string of Christmas tree lights, The small ones. You want the kind that if one goes out, they all go out (wired in series). If they are for 110 volts then 110 divided by 25 (the number of lights = 4.4 volts per bulb

That is about right for what we will do.

Now go to Radio Shack and buy some power diodes, The little black plastic ones, not the glass signal diodes.

Cut two lights out of the set so that you have two bulbs wired in series ( about 9 volts ), That's perfect.

Make sure the bulbs are in series, like this ----------0------------------0---------------

Now attach one end to one of the leads of the diode.
(radio shack sells telephone splices that are perfect for doing this. just inset the wire in one end of the splice and a diode lead in the other end and crimp with pliers.)

Now your lights look like this ---------0--------------0-----------=-----[[[[[]]]]]-----

Turn off your track power.
Connect one end to one rail and the other end to the other rail.
Don't worry about the polarity of the diode or the track.
Turn on the track power.

Are the light too bright or too dim?
Fine!
Now Select loco 0, That's the address used to run unconverted locos, (you have decoders in all you loco's I hope)

Turn the speed all the way up and watch the lights.
Reverse Loco 0 and turn the speed back down to zero.
Play with it till you get the right amount of brightness

Connect some more pairs of bulbs the same way.
You may notice that some lights get bright while others get dim. If that's not what you want, then reverse the wires at the track.

As a last step, smear some of that LGB contact protector or rubber cement over the diode and splice.

Have fun.

B0B

[Anonymous]

Bob mate I am sorry but i do not have a knob to turn, my layout is digital.
Anyhow, how did this get dragged up again? very interesting and knowledgable comments though!

I have solved this problem. my LGB 24 V 6 amp transformer (not power supply) has a special circuit for this type of thing and I had forgot about it.

Rgds Ian