I want to light my layout with LED but am not sure of the best approach. My layout is U shaped with about 50 feet of lighting needed. Unfortunately, I do not have a overhead valance with a uniform level to attach lighting to. Some track area has overhead cabinets with about 18" clearance while other areas are open up to a low ceiling about 4 feet above the track. I have considered several approaches to installing some type of a surface at a uniform level above the track to hold the LED lights. The approach that seems to work best for me to install a row of low profile fluorescent light fixtures that I can modify into LED fixtures. I can see several approaches and would like your inputs on the good, bad and ugly of each approach.
Option 1: Install a cheap T8 fluorescent fixture with a hood to shield the light from viewers, rip out the ballast and rewire it for the T8 LED light bulbs that can operate directly on 120V line voltage. There are several other styles of T8 LED bulbs but this eliminates the ballast and appears to be best overall approach to using T8 LED bulbs. Also, easy to change out light bulbs if they have a problem. Bulbs are not cheap but as they become more popular, I expect prices to drop. One way to help spread the cost is to operate with fluorescent at first and then modify to LED later.
Option 2: Install a fluorescent "style" fixture which has the LED's permanently installed. No bulbs involved. This cost less than option 1 for intial installation but it appears that the whole fixtures would need to be replaced if it had any problems. They advertise a long life for these fixtures but I have my doubts.
Option 3: Similar to option 1 in that I would buy a cheap fixture and remove the wiring and ballast then just use the fixture as a mounting location for LED tape lights. Would need multiple rows of strips. Depending on selection of LED strips, (cheap vs higher quality/brightness), this could cost more or less than option 1. I like the ability to operate the fixture on 12VDC rather than 120V line voltage.
Option 4: Same as option 3 except that I would use cheap plastic rain gutter for my light fixture. I think I can mount it upside down with the LED strips inside the guttering. Probably the least expensive initial cost but I am not sure of the performance. The guttering is somewhat stiff but will probably need some added support. Right now I am leaning toward option 4 due to lowest initial cost but I have no experience with the LED tape strip and am not sure if I can get the job done with the less expensive tape. Going to the higher price tape gets me more brightness but may offset any cost advantage to this option.
Comments?
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
Hi PED:
My layout is roughly U shaped and it will occupy an area of 23' x 12' irregular. Based on your details I think our layouts require about the same amount of light.
I have purchased LED strips and power supplies but I did that before the LED T8 tubes were on the market. If I had waited I would have gone for the LED tubes.
The issue with using 12 volt LED strips is that the power needs can add up. I calculate that I will need 42 meters (135') of lighting strips to run three parallel strips. That equals 42 amps @ 12 volts. The three seperate power supplies I am using put out 18 amps @ 12 volts each, but they are divided into 9 x 2 amp fused circuits. They are designed for CCTC cameras. I bought 5 meter 5 amp LED strips. I have to cut the strips into 1.7 meter lengths (= 1.7 amps) and feed each strip independantly. There will be a bit of wiring involved but nothing extreme. However, using the LED tubes would be a lot simpler.
I will mention that I didn't pay much for the LED strips so it remains to be seen if they will be bright enough. If they aren't I will just toss them and buy newer brighter strips.
I have a low ceiling so the strips will be mounted right on the ceiling.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Have you considered track lighting? You can now get LED bulbs to screw into track light fixtures.
Track lighting is flexible, in that you can easily add more fixtures, and many of them can be adjusted to put the light where you want it. If you get appropriate dimmers for the bulbs you've got, you get brightness control as well. Make sure you get the right dimmers - the old ones in my house will not support CF bulbs. I'm not sure about LEDs.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley Have you considered track lighting? You can now get LED bulbs to screw into track light fixtures. Track lighting is flexible, in that you can easily add more fixtures, and many of them can be adjusted to put the light where you want it. If you get appropriate dimmers for the bulbs you've got, you get brightness control as well. Make sure you get the right dimmers - the old ones in my house will not support CF bulbs. I'm not sure about LEDs.
I gave track lights a quick glance but all the ones I saw were a row of individual spot lights. I have not ever use any lighting like that but it looks to me like they would create very irregular (spotty) lighting unless they were a good ways away from the track level to even them out. I don't have the space to do that.