Athearn Genesis Led installation

[Ohio Central]

I am going to be adding LED's to my genesis sd70Ace that has tsunami sound decoder. I plan to use 3mm warm white led's with fibre optic strands. I have several questions before I purchase the supplies to do it.

What size of fibre optic strand works for the head lights and what size (if possible for ditch lights)?

The LED's will essentially be wired in 4 parallel circuits; one for front head lights (2 LED's in parallel), 2 for each front ditch lights that alternate (1 LED each) and last one circuit for the rear head lights and ditch lights (4 led's in parallel). 

Using the 14 volt pad, I calculate the for the front head lights I will need a 295 ohm resistor, but everybody says use 680. Why? 

For the read head lights and ditch lights, I calculate 147.5 ohm. Does this sound right? 540 ohms for each of the ditch light circuit. This resistor values seem to be on the low side. Is my wiring plan flawed?

[wholeman]

Before you buy any supplies, you might want to give Ulrich Models a try.  They offer a kit for this specific application.  It is pricey, but it has everything you need and detailed directions.  

http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/the-615/Athearn-SD70ACe-LED-Lighting/Detail

I have used that kit in about 5 locomotives and they have all worked flawlessly.

[gmpullman]

Hi, O-C

I think Will's advice is your best bet, too. If you still want to do your own install I'd scratch the 3mm LEDs and go with these pico or nano size LEDs. http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/smd-chip-leds.html 

Still, with the Ulrich option you get prototypically alternating ditch lights. Something that Athearn should have provided anyway!

Ed

[richhotrain]

I have used miniature surface mount LEDs that I purchased from Ulrich Models to light my Athearn Genesis F7A locos.

This stuff is pricey, but Ulrich Models provides great customer service, so this is something to seriously consider.

Rich

[woodone]

I have done several of these installs. I used some Fiber Optic cable that I got from Fiber Optics Products in Clearlake Oaks Ca. I used the 1.5 MM size and Surface mount LEDs from Richmond Controls. I used the ones with the wires already attached. The hard part is getting the old bulbs out. Some times there is a lot of glue holding the bulbs into the shell openings.

[Mark R.]

Bib Al has some great conversion kits on ebay. They include the SMT LEDs already attached to a length of fiber optic. Enough to do at least two engines ....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171181412111

 

Mark.