hi,when you wire 2 leds together, i.e. combining the positive and negetive of 1 led with the positive and negitve of another led, do you need 1 resistor or 2? also is there a board i can buy to put directional lighting in an athearn BB, and if so how would i install the board?
Samuel A. Kelly
I can draw pictures with my keyboard!
-------- ( It's a worm)
sakel,
Are you using one LED for the front headlight and the other for the rear headlight? If so, the anode (+ or longer) lead of each LED can be connected together. This is the common lead of the LED. Here's a diagram that may be of help:
Each anode can share a single 1K resistor.
The cathode (- or shorter) lead, OTOH, should be connected to the decoder; assuming you are installing a decoder. The white wire connects to the cathode of the front LED; the yellow wire to the cathode of the rear LED.
What Athearn BB locomotive are you installing the LEDs in?
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
What color are the LEDs? White and yellow-glow LEDs take different size resistors, and color LEDs different yet.
Generally, if you connect two LEDs in parallel, you will be OK with one resistor if it is double or slightly more than the value required for one LED. (As long as both LEDs are the same.) If the LEDs are different types, use a resistor of the proper value for each type LED.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
You should be able to buy a lightboard directly from the Athearn parts/service department. Email or call them and explain what you're trying to do.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
it is a gp-38-2, and i am running dc for now.
they ane yellow LEDs.
what kind of resistor would i need to use?
680 to 1000 ohms at 1/2 watt on each LED. It doesn't matter which lead of the LED they go on, but you should be consistent. Wire them in series with the LED.