He's doing separate resistors for each LED. While their SHOULD be no chance of contact benign made to connect both the red and green while flipping a toggle, it's valid - especially if wanting to equalize the brightness of the LEDs by using a different resistor for green and red. One for each toggle, wired to the center terminal, really would work here though.
I used a small piece of perf board for the wiring poitns (and I used screw terminals for the power input and the lines out to the Tortoises) on that panel I made - frankly a mistake as I resulted in wires all over. Chip's way of using copper clad strips as terminal tie points is making for a neater control panel, Although if the LEDs and toggles were spread out as in a track diagram type of thing I would probably go back to the perf board unless there was enough spacing between control and LED to allow horizontal tie blocks.
The same sort of thing could be made with strips of perf board, it's just that the common side would have to all be soldered together, you get that feature automatically with the copper clad.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
gmpullman May I suggest LED panel sleeves or bezels for holding your LEDs in the panel?
May I suggest LED panel sleeves or bezels for holding your LEDs in the panel?
I'm now waiting on the bezels. What size holes do I drill for them? If I knew, I could paint the panel and wire everything but the LEDs.
I often use the plastic ones. There are times when I have to replace a defective LED and these make it easy to snap a new LED in place — and, they look Eloquent IMG_0168 by Edmund, on Flickr
I often use the plastic ones. There are times when I have to replace a defective LED and these make it easy to snap a new LED in place — and, they look Eloquent
IMG_0168 by Edmund, on Flickr
I like this switch panel. Very clean. I also like your solution to hip bumps.
When you say you snap a new LED in place, can I assume you still have to desolder it and resolder the new one?
And to devolve a bit, what did you do to keep the edges of your carpet from fraying?
Is the panel metal? That would be asking for trouble...
No, it's painted plexiglass. I may be stupid, but...
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
SpaceMouse When you say you snap a new LED in place, can I assume you still have to desolder it and resolder the new one?
RR_MelIf you would like to use sockets for you LEDs the wires are standard 0.10” spacing and these header strips would work. They make them in both single and double row strips, male and female.
Thanks Mel.
I think in this case it would be easier to switch out an LED than it would be to employ the socket, but I am saving the idea for future applications.
If you guys keep this up, you might turn me into an electronic wizard. I'm already thinking about taking the DVD drive out of my son's broken PS4 and putting it into my PS3 with a broken DVD drive.
I inhereted the PS3 from my dad when he passed. My dad put a DVD into it forgot about it, then put a second DVD in and it didn't work. He forgot about it and shoved a third DVD in. Don't ask me how.
Anyway, I got the DVDs out, but now the drive won't read anything. Go figure.
Anyway, I might try to jury rig the game system while I wait for parts.
There should be some info on the bezels on the seller's page. I forget offhand what size they are. 1/4" maybe, although that may be the size for the small toggles, the plastic LED bezels would be smaller - maybe 1/8".
Unless you goof up the wiring, the LEDs should last longer than you and I combined have left on this earth. Having them plugging in to be easily repalceable is really low on my list of desires. Plus when I do have a dead component I rarely waste time desoldering it - just cut the leads off the bad one, pop it out of the bezel, put in a new one, and solder the wires back on.
rrinkerThere should be some info on the bezels on the seller's page.
Nope.
I sent the seller a message.
rrinker Unless you goof up the wiring, the LEDs should last longer than you and I combined have left on this earth. Having them plugging in to be easily repalceable is really low on my list of desires. Plus when I do have a dead component I rarely waste time desoldering it - just cut the leads off the bad one, pop it out of the bezel, put in a new one, and solder the wires back on. --Randy
RR_MelMy connectors have connectors
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
SpaceMouseI'm now waiting on the bezels. What size holes do I drill for them?
Hi, Chip
I use four different types of bezels,
3mm metal = 15/64" (1/4" will work but a little sloppy)
5mm metal = 9/32"
3mm plastic = 3/16"
5mm plastic = 1/4"
The plastic ones push in from the front and two fingers on the back grip the bottom flange of the LED. The metal ones come with a little plastic "Cork" that has two holes in it for the LED leads. Slip this onto the leads then it presses into the back of the bezel, which is secured with a threaded hex nut from the back.
IMG_0170 by Edmund, on Flickr
Also, by default, all my switch toggles face down for the "normal" route. All I have to do is go around the layout and be sure all the levers are down and I know everything is lined for the main. That guarantees there will be no wrecks, right?
Sure, you still have do un-solder the LED. I know you're trying for nice-tight wiring but... It is handy to be able to unclip or unscrew a device (switch) and have enough of a lead on it so you can 1) have enough extra wire to cut and strip a new length of "virgin" copper and 2) be able to pull it away enough to get the solder and iron in there, plus your stubby fingers.
You see I like to use the blank cover plates as "mini-panels". The Lexan ones are thin and easy to drill. I wire them with at least an extra 9" to a foot of wire so I can pull it away from the fascia and have easy access to the underpinnings.
Most of these are pre-wired at the bench and then wired to the layout using various types of barrier strips.
Yes, those "hip, hip bump protectors" are nice. Plain old cabinet hardware.
https://tinyurl.com/y9j99hu6
Or similar...
That carpet doesn't easily fray. I use a new, Stanley knife blade to trim the top and bottom and most of the panel openings I cut and beveled the carpet so it wraps to the inside of the fascia. The butt joints are nearly invisible and there's only one every twelve feet.
https://tinyurl.com/ybzqqyvz
Home Depot or a place like that has it in several colors. I love it! I had the store use their cutter machine to make the heights that I needed (12" up to 22") saved me from using a straight edge on my hands and knees .
It is cheap, does not scuff, deadens sound, Velcro sticks to it and the dark green compliments the layout scenery.
I even used the tan and wrapped it around some of the legs of the layout:
IMG_8469_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Here's how I was applying it a few years ago:
IMG_8436_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Once the glue was dry I just used the Stanly knife and cut the top edge to follow the contour of the layout. You can see the old fascia covering. Green vinyl wallpaper (amazingly durable) and the gray stuff it the molding made for melamine paneling used as edging and joints. I cut this stuff off before I glued on the new carpet covering.
Hope that helps, Ed
rrinkerUnless you goof up the wiring, the LEDs should last longer than you and I combined have left on this earth.
That is certainly true of "first-run, top grade" LEDs. But the cast-offs and rejects that we buy by the bucketful for two-bucks including shipping from Asia don't quite have the same dependability that NASA or Boeing pays for.
I've had maybe a dozen or so go South. Mostly the red/green bi-color ones that I use on turnout indicators. You can't ignore them when they fail either. No turnout control when one side is out.
I always test the LED before putting it in a locomotive or passenger car. At least I know it is good to begin with...
Thank You, Ed
gmpullman rrinker Unless you goof up the wiring, the LEDs should last longer than you and I combined have left on this earth. That is certainly true of "first-run, top grade" LEDs. But the cast-offs and rejects that we buy by the bucketful for two-bucks including shipping from Asia don't quite have the same dependability that NASA or Boeing pays for. I've had maybe a dozen or so go South. Mostly the red/green bi-color ones that I use on turnout indicators. You can't ignore them when they fail either. No turnout control when one side is out. I always test the LED before putting it in a locomotive or passenger car. At least I know it is good to begin with... Thank You, Ed
rrinker Unless you goof up the wiring, the LEDs should last longer than you and I combined have left on this earth.