LED headlights?

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: JohnDM: Thanks for t he filing down info. that was going to be my next question. I had read that te white LED is in fact 3 separate LEDs in one package all firing at the same tiem and mixing their light to white. So, I thoufght, that must mean a bigger package. Apparently not, and thanks again for the info.

I don't think white LED's use three elements any more - that was the big breakthough in the last ten or so years with blue and white LED's.

For simplicity, I run a plastic optical fiber to each headlight and ditchlight, and route all the fibers in one end to an LED. That way two LED's can light everything. For independent ditch lights, it shouldn't be a big deal to put two LED's side by side and run the ditchlight fibers to one and the headlights to the other.

You also might try using surface-mount white LED's. I haven't tried them yet, but It would save space inside the hood, though they'd be trickier to solder to.

I'm in Halifax; email me offlist, and maybe I can show you the installations I've done on my locos.

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: JohnDM: Thanks for t he filing down info. that was going to be my next question. I had read that te white LED is in fact 3 separate LEDs in one package all firing at the same tiem and mixing their light to white. So, I thoufght, that must mean a bigger package. Apparently not, and thanks again for the info.

I don't think white LED's use three elements any more - that was the big breakthough in the last ten or so years with blue and white LED's.

For simplicity, I run a plastic optical fiber to each headlight and ditchlight, and route all the fibers in one end to an LED. That way two LED's can light everything. For independent ditch lights, it shouldn't be a big deal to put two LED's side by side and run the ditchlight fibers to one and the headlights to the other.

You also might try using surface-mount white LED's. I haven't tried them yet, but It would save space inside the hood, though they'd be trickier to solder to.

I'm in Halifax; email me offlist, and maybe I can show you the installations I've done on my locos.

[Anonymous]

Wow! you guys know a lot! thanx so much for all the help!!!!![:D]

[Anonymous]

Wow! you guys know a lot! thanx so much for all the help!!!!![:D]

[Anonymous]

Tiny bright LEDS?? - check out www.ngineering.com

[Anonymous]

Tiny bright LEDS?? - check out www.ngineering.com

[Anonymous]

One thing to watch out for - what glue you use if you glue fiber optics.

I don't recall WHERE, but I read about someone who glued lots of fiber optics in place on a model - and under the slightest movement (i.e. bundling them and routing them to a light source) they would break where they were glued.

I'm not 100% sure of the glue used - possibly CA. Either way, to save you heartache, it would be a good idea to test out a small strand of whatever fiber you use with whatever glue you're going to use - to make sure they are compatible.

Rob

[Anonymous]

One thing to watch out for - what glue you use if you glue fiber optics.

I don't recall WHERE, but I read about someone who glued lots of fiber optics in place on a model - and under the slightest movement (i.e. bundling them and routing them to a light source) they would break where they were glued.

I'm not 100% sure of the glue used - possibly CA. Either way, to save you heartache, it would be a good idea to test out a small strand of whatever fiber you use with whatever glue you're going to use - to make sure they are compatible.

Rob

[bruce22]

any electronic supply store shud be able to help u along with the appropriate dropping resistor to use in your specific situation

[bruce22]

any electronic supply store shud be able to help u along with the appropriate dropping resistor to use in your specific situation

[ndbprr]

Would it be possible to drill a small hole in a larger LED and superglue the end of the fiber optic or glue it where it met the hole with something like epoxy?

[ndbprr]

Would it be possible to drill a small hole in a larger LED and superglue the end of the fiber optic or glue it where it met the hole with something like epoxy?