Thanks to all of you who responded to my post. I now have much better information and some very helpful comments. I feel as if I received a short graduate course in EE! Model railroading is fun, but I think the model railroad community is even better! Warm regards, Andy Chandler
Hi Andy:
I'm glad you got helpful answers. That's what we are here for.
If I could make a suggestion: It might be better to post your note of gratitude on the original thread. Most of us follow the threads that we have contributed to, so if you post your thanks on a fresh thread you run the risk of having those who helped you miss your response. Nothing serious, but it helps to maintain the continuity of your thread.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
andychandler Thanks to all of you who responded to my post. I now have much better information and some very helpful comments. I feel as if I received a short graduate course in EE! Model railroading is fun, but I think the model railroad community is even better! Warm regards, Andy Chandler
So what did you do to replace the DC bulb with an LED?
What type of LED?
What type and value of resistor?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Rich
Alton Junction
Well Rich, in hoods I use SM LEDs coupled with 1.5mm fiber optic or .0625 styrene rod. In Proto Es (and other cabs) I use a 3mm or micro. I mate with a 1K resistor, maybe higher if I think the resulting light is too bright. Likewise in the Proto cabs I use the original lighting lenses to mount the LED.
I've found a 3mm LED fits nicely in the space under the black plastic cover on the Proto Geeps where the light bulb used to be, and shines nicely though the stock light pipes.The trick is filing a slight bit of a flat on two opposite sides of the LED (in the thicker bottom rim), just a little bit, and then it pressed right in the slot in the frame.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
When I put LED lights in an ho scale train engine I usually hard wire it if it's not a DCC equipped loco. I have a Bachmann HO scale EMD SD40-2 and I used a 5 MM bright white LED as a replacement for the dim 3 MM golden white LED that was in there before. It's DCC equipped so I just soldered it right to the decoder's front headlight circuit.