make bulb wires stiff.

[hon30critter]

raptorengineer:

According to the Tsunami web site, the gn-1000 already has the resistors in place to safely run 1.5 volt bulbs:

http://www.soundtraxx.com/dsd/tsunami/1000gn.php

Dave

[raptorengineer]

so i got 2 pack of 20 Miniatronics bulbs and i got to say is wow. they where easy to install in the ditch light housing and i didn't have to rip out the housing to put them in. and wires are good size too. anyway for thouse who use the Miniatronics bulbs what type of resisters do i use with tsu-gn1000 gevo decoder. 

[mlehman]

One of my narrow gauge buddies has one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XxUn_vC7AM

[raptorengineer]

ya i not to fond with working with tiny stuff and figering out witch resister to use. i know with the leds i might have ot rip out the ditchlight housing to place the leds in. that why i went with bulbs cause you can slip the bulb up to the ditchlight with out ripping them out. but ya i i been looking up video on how to install leds on decoder. 

[mlehman]

If you're using SMD (surface mount device) LEDs, buying with leads attached is well worth the cost unless you're fond of working with really tiny stuff.

[raptorengineer]

actuly i was looking at that too fiber optics wire. that might work for ditch lights. and if i go with leds i go with prewired 0805s but i also saw that you can cover the leds in clear resin and shape it in a bulb form 

[rrinker]

 Get some proper size fiber optics, and put bulbs or (we still haven't convinced you?) LEDs inside the shell. Fibers will snake through the castings, and then there will also be no heat generating light bulbs in the tiny castings to potentially melt them.

                                  --Randy

 

[hon30critter]

raptorengineer:

I can feel your frustration.

Here are a few suggestions that might make installing the lights easier, hopefully.

Miniatronics bulbs have fairly thin wires. One way to stiffen them would be to glue the ends of the two leads together with CA. Don't glue the whole length of the leads together. Just glue enough to allow you to get the leads out of the bottom of the hole.

Don't strip the wires before trying to feed them through the holes. The bare wire ends are sharp and they tend to get caught in the sides of the opening. The insulation is not as sharp and will not hang up as much. If the wires are already stripped, cut the bare ends off. You should still have plenty of length the make the connections. If the wires are very thin, fold the sharp ends back on themselves so you have a rounded end going into the hole.

Twist the wires together. That will make them stiffer.

If the wires have to go around a bend, pre-curve the first bit before inserting the end in the hole.

Alternately, if you have a piece of wire that you can get through the hole, put it through, then CA it to the ends of the bulb leads and use it to pull them through the opening.

Lastly, consider using LEDs instead of bulbs. LEDs will last a lifetime whereas the bulbs will eventually burn out and then you will have to replace them again. You can get pre-wired 0402 warm white or bright white LEDs on eBay which will fit quite nicely into the ditch light housings. If the housings are metal, paint a little clear nail polish over the LED and the start of the wires.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/T0402WM-20pcs-Pre-soldered-micro-litz-wired-leads-Warm-White-SMD-Led-0402-NEW-/261552594821?hash=item3ce5bfdf85:g:QRQAAOSwbqpT34cC

Don't forget resistors if needed. If the decoder is feeding 12 volts to the ditch lights you will need resistors for either the bulbs or the LEDs.

Hope this helps!

Dave

 

[raptorengineer]

ok i giving up on soundtraxx lightbulbs the wires are too thin. so i been looking at miniatronics light bulbs. question for thouse who have try miniatronics light bulbs are the wires the same thickness as athearn bulb wire. athearn bulb wires think is 28 gauge wire i think,  soundtraxx bulb wire where 36 gauge i think and when i try putting bulbs though the nose headlight they bend alot and i got mad lol. i had no trouble with athearn bulb wires. so befor i order some i just want to know the thickness. 

[mlehman]

Brass tube will work, but substituting a piece of skinny shrink tubing should suffice to get things to stand  up and also unlikely to short anything. Doesn't even need to be heated to work well.

[Anonymous]

Get a piece of the smallest brass or copper wire you can find. Solder the wires on the microbulbs to one end of the wire (small amount of solder).  Feed the brass wire through the casting and pull the bulb wires carefully in.  Stop and try something else if you feel like you are going to break something.

[Mark R.]

davidmbedard

Soundtraxx makes bulbs?

 

Bottom of page ....

http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/wiring.php

Mark.

[raptorengineer]

i have question. i trying to feed soundtraxx bulbs to the ditchlight housing and the wires are way to soft. is there type of cement or glue to make the wires stiff.