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Replacing bulbs?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 7:20 PM

mbinsewi
You get 15 of them for the $8.

If you want a US Ebay seller, it's 30 cents per LED and 3 cents for a resistor. If you are willing to deal with China, less than 10 cents for the pair.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 5:36 PM

York1
 
mbinsewi
I think it's great.  I also buy prewired LEDs from Evans Designs, as well. Mike. 

If you want some really small LEDs, Evans has very small ones and they ship very quickly.  I get what they call pico size (1mm), and they now offer "z" size, about 0.6mm).

https://evandesigns.com/collections/hobby-leds/products/chip-nano-pico-leds 

Yeah, those are called surface mount devices (SMD), marvels of modern technology.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 4:47 PM

mbinsewi
I think it's great.  I also buy prewired LEDs from Evans Designs, as well. Mike.

If you want some really small LEDs, Evans has very small ones and they ship very quickly.  I get what they call pico size (1mm), and they now offer "z" size, about 0.6mm).

https://evandesigns.com/collections/hobby-leds/products/chip-nano-pico-leds

York1 John       

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 3:43 PM

mbinsewi
 
richhotrain
With a resistor installed and heat shrunk no less.  

I think it's great.  I also buy prewired LEDs from Evans Designs, as well. 

Good site, thanks Mike for the link.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 10:40 AM

richhotrain
With a resistor installed and heat shrunk no less. 

I think it's great.  I also buy prewired LEDs from Evans Designs, as well.

Mike.

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Posted by reasearchhound on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 10:04 AM

The existing bulbs are simply affixed with black tape to a channel cut in each of the lead weights located at both ends. Lots of space. Ended up ordering the 3mm - one day delivery from Amazon. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

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Posted by tstage on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 9:53 AM

Sometimes it's easier to just utilize the lightpipe - albeit trimmed back or untrimmed.  And to make the junction between the lightpipe and the LED, I slide a piece of heatshrink over both ends and shrink it for a snug fit.  That's where matching the lightpipe and LED bulb is beneficial.  The heatshrink also helps to reduce light leakage - especially if the LED is exposed to the cab area - e.g. the front headlight of an F-unit.

And should I need to replace the LED for any reason I can just slide it out of the heatshrink.  No ungluing needed.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 9:43 AM

mbinsewi
 
richhotrain
I use 3mm LEDs when I convert from incandescent bulbs. 

Same here.  Ed (gmpullman) turned me on to a supplier that sells prewired 3 mm LEDs.  So much easier.

Here's the link.  I had them in a week.  You get 15 of them for the $8.

Mike. 

With a resistor installed and heat shrunk no less. 

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 9:11 AM

 Pretty sure the bulbs are nowhere near the shell, there are light pipes front and rear. The sample pictures on the TCS web site show what look to be 3mm LEDs, soldred right to the end of the A4X board replacement decoder, though it looks like there is plenty of room for a 5mm LED.

 I use whichever fits best, some locos have smaller bulbs and a 3mm LED drops right in the place the bulb used to be (sometimes needing a little filing of the ridge around the base - this won't hurt the LED). Others, like the older Atlas/Kato RS3s, you have to do some work because they came with long light pipes and a single bulb in the middle. I cut the light pipes back and since there is a fairly large cross section, glue a 5mm LED to each end.

 So it all depends. 3mm more common, but some cases a 5mm is fine.

                                       --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 7:58 AM

richhotrain
I use 3mm LEDs when I convert from incandescent bulbs.

Same here.  Ed (gmpullman) turned me on to a supplier that sells prewired 3 mm LEDs.  So much easier.

Here's the link.  I had them in a week.  You get 15 of them for the $8.

Mike. 

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    September 2004
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 4:20 AM

reasearchhound

Would 5mm LED bulbs work well? 

The question is, will 5mm LEDs fit?

I use 3mm LEDs when I convert from incandescent bulbs.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, February 22, 2021 10:03 PM

5mm is 17” in HO, 3mm is 10”.
 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

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Posted by reasearchhound on Monday, February 22, 2021 9:55 PM

Would 5mm LED bulbs work well?

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Replacing bulbs?
Posted by reasearchhound on Monday, February 22, 2021 9:37 PM

Have an Atlas ALCO RSD 4/5 (HO) that I put a non-sound decoder in years ago but now am putting in a new decoder that has sound. Wondering if at this time I should also replace the front and back bulbs with an LED version, assuming they exist. If so, any recommended ID number or size you would suggest I go with? Or, should I leave well enough alone for now?

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