Christmas Lights for Lower Levels??

[Anonymous]

I personally know of two layout using christmas lights in our area. Both are seriously underlit.

In my experiments with double deck lighting, I could not get them birght enough to work for me. I also tried the halogen under cabinet lights. They worked well, but they they were power hungry, the variety I used sucked down over one amp for three bulbs... I will be using high color temp flouresents with some Halogen 12V spots if I can find some that draw less amperage...

Guy

[Anonymous]

I was wondering about those tubes computer modders use to light the interior of computer cases. Would any of them work?

[foxtrackin]

I mounted them 2' apart and 3' above my layout(I am in HO). The ones I have are 20w but there is also 10w available they are halogen bulbs and do give off some heat, but because they are low voltage and low watts they havent caused me any problems and I have 60 of them over my layout.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Foxtrackin, I saw those under cabinent low voltage lights just yesterday at my favorite home improvement store. They can be surface mounted but what problems have you experienced with heat? How far apart did you mount them. Thanks to all for your suggestions. This forum works!!

[foxtrackin]

I used the undercabinet low voltage 12v 20w halogen lights. They give off a crisp white natural light and they are dimmable. They are the lights used under the upper cabinets in kitchens and they are good displays lights.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Fluorescent tubes (singles will be okay) behind the valance. Check out Ted York's Cajon Pass web site. After operating on his layout, I went home and did the same.

[Jetrock]

In that case, then, what do folks recommend for a good, bright layout light? My layout's "seasonal setting" is late summer in the Sacramento Valley, characterized by 100+ degree heat and cloudless skies. It's a shelf layout, with a lighting valence/upper shelf two feet above the layout surface. What can I do to get things fairly bright without resulting to massive floodlamps and actual 100+ degree temperatures in the layout room?

[ClinchValleySD40]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

Originally posted by clinchvalley

I agree with Paul, if you do it you're going to be disappointed. Poor light.

Let me amend what I said...I suppose there would be enough light if you used enough of them, but the cost, power consumption and heat build up could get pretty excessive, IMO.

Layouts using the bulb strings that I've personally seen - and I was refering to the larger type bulbs in my original message, BTW - just weren't bright enough. Of course most of the layouts I've seen never seem quite bright enough. I'm currently considering making part of my layout double deck, and don't know what I'll end up using for the lighting of the bottom deck, but it will probably be some type of fluorescent fixtures. Just don't know if the heat from the lights sitting under the top deck, which will probably be using foam board for lightness, will be a problem and if so, how to protect the foam from the heat...any ideas or experiences dealing with that?

Thanks...

Well said. You will be amazed at how much heat those little guys put out. I ended up using C7's (the smaller of the two sizes - other is C9) for some staging yards. Lights are spaced about 8" apart and give just enough light to see the trains (not enough to read reporting marks). And the heat they give off is a lot.

Larry

Larry

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