Oh, yea - that's right. I have a Proto 0-8-0 switcher that has a similar set up. On my Blueline Niagara the LED is soldered to a small circuit board that's screwed into the center of the inside front of the boiler.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage You're welcome, Terry. If your 0-6-0 uses a light tube, a piece of 1/8" OD heat shrink around the head of the LED bulb and the light tube will keep the two aligned so the light beam is focused through the headlight lens. My SW1 didn't come with a light tube but the light board was aligned with the front headlight lens. Since the light board frame butted right up to the front interior of the hood, I placed the 1/8" heat shrink over the head of the LED bulb so it was even with the frame: The same principle applied when I added a light tube to the rear headlight lens in the cab using 5/32" OD styrene tubing: Simple...but very effective. Tom
You're welcome, Terry. If your 0-6-0 uses a light tube, a piece of 1/8" OD heat shrink around the head of the LED bulb and the light tube will keep the two aligned so the light beam is focused through the headlight lens.
My SW1 didn't come with a light tube but the light board was aligned with the front headlight lens. Since the light board frame butted right up to the front interior of the hood, I placed the 1/8" heat shrink over the head of the LED bulb so it was even with the frame:
The same principle applied when I added a light tube to the rear headlight lens in the cab using 5/32" OD styrene tubing:
Simple...but very effective.
No light tube~~~ the bulb has 2 bare prongs that plug into the boiler weight's built in plug and sits under the headlight lens
But your idea is impressive
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
dante Terry, For what it's worth, I have a LLP2K original run 0-8-0. No light tubes and 1.5v, 50 ma incandescent bulbs. If you are not yet DCC but intend to install a decoder in the future, TCS makes decoders that are plug-n-play for your loco. They have the LL-8 for incandescents and the LL8-LED for LEDs that has built-in resistance. Check their web site for info, including a pictorial regarding installation in your loco. Dante
Terry,
For what it's worth, I have a LLP2K original run 0-8-0. No light tubes and 1.5v, 50 ma incandescent bulbs. If you are not yet DCC but intend to install a decoder in the future, TCS makes decoders that are plug-n-play for your loco. They have the LL-8 for incandescents and the LL8-LED for LEDs that has built-in resistance. Check their web site for info, including a pictorial regarding installation in your loco.
Dante
I plan to add a TCS Wow Sound to it
tstage Terry, I believe the ones I installed in my SW1 above were the 3mm (T1) Miniatronic Yeloglo. I bought the 10-pk knowing I would be installing them in other locomotives at some point. They work so well that, if I turned off the lights to the layout room, the front headlight would illuminate both the track ahead, as well as the wall it was facing. Tom
I believe the ones I installed in my SW1 above were the 3mm (T1) Miniatronic Yeloglo. I bought the 10-pk knowing I would be installing them in other locomotives at some point. They work so well that, if I turned off the lights to the layout room, the front headlight would illuminate both the track ahead, as well as the wall it was facing.
Bought a pkg on Ebay
Thanks Tom
The ones I've used in all my locos are Miniatronics Yelo-Glo. Depending on the loco I use either 3mm or 5mm ones, mostly 3mm. You can buy them much cheaper on eBay from any number of Chinese sellers - 100 or more for the price of one Miniatronics 10 pack, but I like the color of the Yelo-Glo ones (perfect for late steam and early diesels) and while the Chinese ones are surely available with the same color, and despite the cheap cost, I'd rather not get 100 and find they are the wrong color and then have to order another 100. Plus many hobby shops have the Miniatronics ones in stock, if they carry Miniatronics parts.
You will end up with a bunch of incorrect resistors - the Miniatronics LEDs come with 2 different resistors, one of about 470 ohms which is good for using them on DC, and the other around 680 ohms which they say is for DCC but is much too small - you want a 1K at least. Those I will buy from the Chinese sellers on eBay, they are 1 to 2 cents a piece in quantity, so you can get 100 for a buck or two. Enough for 50 locos, if they have a headlight and a backup light.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
tstage Terry, If the output of the LED is very dim then there is too much resistance to it. LEDs emit a very bright, focused beam of light. For that reason they work especially well as headlight lamp, along with producing very little heat. I use 3mm(T1) LEDs on all my headlights (front & rear) and have been VERY happy with the results: Tom
If the output of the LED is very dim then there is too much resistance to it. LEDs emit a very bright, focused beam of light. For that reason they work especially well as headlight lamp, along with producing very little heat. I use 3mm(T1) LEDs on all my headlights (front & rear) and have been VERY happy with the results:
Where do you niy them ?
Here is a link about LED's and light bulbs.
1.2mm, 1.5 volt light bulbs from Miniatronics are low current. I have used a few. There are some decoders with 1.5 volt output that do not vary in intensisty like light bulbs with a series resistor on the standard decoder output.
If you happen to buy a high intesisty LED, you will have to increase the resistance.
http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn1/Lights_in_DCC.htm
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
DC or DCC? If you used a plug-in decoder AND a 1K resistor witht he LED, you may already have a reduced output from the decoder meant to handle the LL light bulbs, in which case a 1K resistor on the LED is way too much. A 1K resistor is the proper one if the LED + resistor are connected to a function output on the decoder that provides full voltage. If the decoder is meant to work in Proto 2000 locos without repalcing the light bulbs, the voltage on the functions is actually slightly too low for a white LED to work properly.
For a DC loco, a 1K resistor is also too big, it will either not light or barely glow at low speeds. You would want something more like a 470 or 560 ohm resistor, so the LED lights decently at slow speeds yet still is ok for those times when you crank it wide open.
Given the pain it is to tear the loco apart and get at the light - I'd definitely do the LED, you should never have to tear it apart again.
I tried a LED but got a very dim light????? it was a left over tender light attached to the PC Board in an old tender
so im playing around with a 1.5 volt Incandescent and will use Decoder Pro to Dim it down
Hi, Terry
I just completed some "upgrade" work on my L-L 0-8-0 which is practically a twin to your 0-6-0.
Years ago when I first installed a basic DH-121 decoder in the engine I left the original LL lamp in there which may have been a 5 volt lamp. After a bit of running I began to notice an odd bubble in front of the stack and, sure enough, found that the lamp had melted through the plastic there.
As you may already know, the lamp is below the headlight and is piped through acrilyc tubes to get the light out.
As Tom suggests, an LED is your best bang for the buck. I had several dozen warm-white, flat faced 3mm LEDs that I cemented directly on to the flat face of the acrylic light pipe. It is pretty effective.
Inside the smokebox was a small PC board that has a blue and white wire fed to it. In either DC or DCC you want the anode (+) of the LED on the blue wire.
If I recall, the wires were just long enough to reach the resistor and LED by skipping the PC board. I used an 860Ω resistor. If you ever install a DCC decoder in the tender you will not have to fuss with the headlight since you will already be setup. I believe the factory light board will work with the LED on DC (with the added resistor)
If you still want to use incandescent lamps you can find them here:
https://www.hobbytown.com/Shop/PEF434-Perfect-Parts-Clear-Grain-of-Wheat-Bulbs-12V-w-6-Leads/
Or here:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Life-Like-Grain-of-Wheat-Bulb-14V-DC-p/433-1217.htm
Again, I'm not certain about the voltage of the original lamps, they may have been below the 12-14 volt ones commonly used. Still, on a switcher, having both the front and rear headlights both on dim would be a realistic way to operate the engine.
Good Luck, Ed
Replace it with an golden-white or yeloglo LED, Terry. While I love incandescent bulbs, an LED will project a much more focused beam, look better, operate cooler, and last a lot longer than an incandescent. You can purchase the golden-whites from Litchfield Station or Ulrich Models, or the yeloglos directly from Miniatronics.
Know where i can buy one ?