LEDs & resistor specs for Tortoise-Hare combo

[hardcoalcase]

My staging area has two turnouts, each will be controlled by a Tortoise-Hare combo to allow for auto-throw.  I also want to include optional manual controls for each turnout, from either of two different panels, using push buttons (NO, MC) and green LEDs indicating the route selection.  I'm using NCE Power Cab.  

 

Anything electronic beyond plug-n-play is above my pay grade, so can someone provide the spec's for the LEDs and resistor?  If you have catalog #s, and sources, that would be great, but I can find them once I know the spec's.  The ambient lighting in my train room is pretty bright, so that might be a factor in LED selection.  

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Jim

[Old Fat Robert]

Hardcoal: I believe you will find the answer to your questions on the circuitrom web site.

Old Fat Robert

[hardcoalcase]

Old Fat Robert

Hardcoal: I believe you will find the answer to your questions on the circuitrom web site.

Old Fat Robert

 

Been there, as well as other sites, and its apparent that I'm not savey enough to determine exactly what product specs I need; but the search did help me to better define what I want; so let me expand my query:

I want to use green LEDs on control panels to indicate turnout position. The lighting in my train room (21' x 18') is intentionally quite bright (6 florescent ceiling fixtures, each with 4 “daylight” T8 32 watt 48” tubes – that's enough light to do fine precision tasks at any bench height, anywhere in the room) so I want the LEDs to be bright enough to be noticed against the ambient lighting, but not so bright as to be distracting.

I have two different applications where I want to use the 2 green LEDs to indicate the selected route: 1) for turnouts that are Tortoise (only) powered, and 2) for turnouts with Tortiose-Hare units.

So, what type of LEDs and resistors (I understand the Hare serves the resistor function) do I need?

Part #'s and websites would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Jim

[gmpullman]

hardcoalcase

Part #'s and websites would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Jim.

There's dozens of places to get LEDs and all that stuff but one in particular that I have good luck with is LED-Switch. com

For Tortoise indicators I usually use 5mm bi-color red/green, two lead, milky white.

http://www.led-switch.com/5mm%20LED.htm#5mm%20Book%20Bi-Color

[Item #: L052RGD]

On some of my panels I've used a water-clear 3mm bi-color because he offers them in yellow/red and true green/red too. I like to use the yellow/red for secondary trackage (not on the main). The true green is a very deep "signal" green.

http://www.led-switch.com/3mm%20LED.htm#3mm%20Bi-Color%20Color%20LED%20Mark

Item #: L032RYD

 I notice the 3mm LEDs are very intense compared to the 5mm when wired in series with the Tortoise. I do not have any Hares so I can not comment on the resistance or brightness.

For the regular Tortoise I wire a pair of bi-color LEDs cathode to cathode then in series with either leg going to pin 1 or 8 on the Tortoise.

I also suggest using the chrome-metal LED bezel which will provide shielding from the overhead lights and reduce side glare.

Something like this:

https://lighthouseleds.com/5mm-led-bezel-chrome.html

You can find these on ebay or Amazon, too. LED-Switch has plastic retainers but they don't shield the light so much.

Page four of the Hare instructions show panel LED wiring:

https://www.dccspecialties.com/products/pdf/man-hare-draft.pdf

 By using bi-color LEDs when one flips red, the other automatically flips to green.

IMG_0168 by Edmund, on Flickr

(This one shows the plastic bezels) and I haven't labeled it yet. The LED to the right on the main is for a drawbridge. Two on the left are for route alignment.

Hope that helps, Ed

[richg1998]

I used the simple way. The tortoise draws about almost 20 ma at stall using 12 vdc.

My two lead 3mm red/green LED's were 20ma. No resistors needed. I put the LED in series with one tortoise lead. That drops the voltage a little. No big deal.

Drilled holes in the facia. Applied labels.

Rich

[hardcoalcase]

Rich & Ed,

Thank you for your help, its exactly what I needed!

Jim