Locating LED Headlights

[Anonymous]

I recently installed a yellow glow LED as a headlight in my Atlas RS-1. I love the effect it provides as a headlight. I plan on installing them as both headlights and backup lights and seeing I have over 30 engines this could be a considerable cost if I use the Minitronics packages. Does anyone know of a source for LEDs that match the Minitronics models that I could buy direct from? I have an ample supply of resistors, I just need the LEDs.

Part numbers or spec for the LED would be greatly appreciated as I am not an electronics engineer and could never look at a spec sheet and pick the right type of LED for our use (or as a substitute for the Minitronics LEDs).

[Anonymous]

I did check the Litchfield web site and at .50/ LED I find that a little high. I'm looking for a direct electronics supplier company. Somewhere I can get 100 count bags of LEDs.

[nfmisso]

DigiKey, All-electronics
http://www.digikey.com/
http://www.allelectronics.com/

[Anonymous]

Part numbers please. They all look alike on the spec sheets. I have no idea which one is which. I've been to both of these website and cannot make head or tail of the specs. I don't see yellow glow, or white LED listed anywhere (sorry for lack of knowledge).

[cwclark]

mouser, digikey, radio shack, jameco, and a lot of electronic mail order stuff is out there..if you call these companies they usually will send you a free catalog of all their stuff...I used to use LED's but have found that the 1.5 volt grain of rice bulbs look better if a circuit containing a capacitor, a bridge diode, two resistors, and a voltage regulator that can be installed in the roof of the engine shell with two sided tape works a lot better...Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

Part numbers please. I know where to go once I have the part number or exact spec of the LED. Things like type of LED, diameter, voltage, amperage, etc. would be usful.

[ckape]

The main problem is that you want yeloglo or golden white LEDs, which are some of the most difficult to locate. As far as I can tell model railroading is their main use, so most of your regular electronics sources may come up empty (I couldn't find them on Mouser, digi-key, or Jameco) Your best bet would be to just do a google search for "golden white led" and see if you can find any deals.

[cwclark]

you will be safe using a 2 mm or smaller led and resistors that are rated between 250 and 500 ohms...they will work with voltages not exceeding 16 volts...(that's what the resistors are for..to keep the voltage way down so they don't burn out the led)..another thing is that the LED is a diode which causes the current to go thru them and light them in one polarity only...if you want them to light when the train goes in both directions, you will have to install two led's with the cathode and anode sides wired together...part #?..i have no idea..so get a catalog and look it up...Chuck..

[cacole]

I haven't seen Yellow Glow LEDs available yet in the Mouser, All Electronics, or Jameco catalogs, so appearently they are still relatively new and confined to the hobby circuit. All, in particular, deals only in surplus items so it will probably be a long time before they have any. It appears that you may be stuck with having to pay $1 each or more.

[Anonymous]

How is it a $100.00-130.00 loco doesn't justify a $.50 light? A lot of the people here spend over $30 for one freight car, so I would think it a small investment, right? Isn't that just $15 for 30 engines???

[bcammack]

I understand that acceptable results have been achieved with plain bright-white LEDs by coloring the lense/tip with an orange Sharpie marker.

[Anonymous]

Not to beat a dead horse here, but none of the responses posted answered my question. You are all quick with a source for locating the LEDs, but no one has givena part number. I'm guessing none of you bought from the source you offered. Otherwise you would be able to supply me a part number you have used in the past. As for Litchfield Station, he wants to sell me whats on his shelf, Antonio45, do you get some kind of kick back from this guy?? Your answer to every question is call Litchfield.

As for my pofessional field, I wouldn't be asking this question if I could go to another person in my company and have them offer me the information I'm looking for here.

We all need to stop replying to posting just for the sake of posting.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Most of these guys aren't electrical engineers either. They don't know the part numbers, nor would I. They thought they were being helpful. If they hadn't responded, this question may have gone unanswered. Remember this is a free website , and is supposed to be fun. It is not a job for anyone.

If you want to see posting for the sake of posting, check out Trains Magazine's forum. There are a few people there that think having the most posts makes them special, yet they know little or nothing about trains, and rarely ever talk about them at all.

The kind of LED you seek is fairly new to the market. Red, yellow, and green are very common. Blue and white are not. Here is another source, again no part number. I got this link from another topic a while ago. The guy who posted it is an electrical engineer.

http://www.richmondcontrols.com

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link Elliot, very usful information. Now at least I can search 3mm and 5 mm LEDs.

Now if I could just find out where Richmond gets their LEDs I'd be set.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Try
http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&handler=data.listcategory&Ne=400&terms=3mm+white+LED&Ntt=*3mm*%2b*white*%2b*LED*&Ns=MfgrPartNumber%7c%7cSField&N=430&crc=false

Maybe nobody gave a part number because nobody uses them. Best I could find is .95 for one, cheaper for bulk pricing.

[Anonymous]

THANK YOU CLINCHVALLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I plan on buying in bulk and then selling them to the guy at Litchfield Station!

[AntonioFP45]

Clinchvalley

Thanks guy! Looks like a very good source since I'm going to be using L.E.Ds for lighting passenger cars, street lamps, and signs.

Cheers!

[ckape]

As far as that mouser link goes, I'd just like to remind everybody that unless they specifically say otherwise, most white LEDs are going to be the kind with the blue tint. You can probably use the orange marker trick that bcammack mentioned. And do not to get the surface mount LEDs unless you know what you're doing with them.

[jfugate]

To defend Antonio, I find his posts to be most useful. I've never seen him (or many others on topics with actual questions) to be posting just for the numbers.

One of the rules of good email etiquite is to give folks the benefit of the doubt and avoid making accusations. It's easy enough to misconstrue things via email as it is!

As to the topic at hand ... any LEDs smaller than 3mm available? The headlight bulbs I use that fit wonderfully in SP headlight housings are 1.2mm in diameter, use a #55 drill and they are a nice press fit. Any white LEDs that small?

[ClinchValleySD40]

Sorry, big typo in my previous post. The price should be "2.95", sorry for the confusion.
These are the really white ones.

[bcammack]

I just ordered 50 5mm ultra-bright white LEDs (for a different project) for $19.95 from www.batteryspace.com, which, btw, is a great source for NmHi rechargable batteries.

One thing to consider about fitting LEDs into small mounting locations: The source the light from an LED is a semiconductor junction at the back of the device. One could conceivably mount a 3mm LED in a variable-speed electric drill, leads first, and use it as a rudimentary lathe to reduce the front 2/3rds of the barrel of the LED down to the desired diameter. I'm picturing a jewelers file as the cutting tool.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bcammack

I just ordered 50 5mm ultra-bright white LEDs (for a different project) for $19.95 from www.batteryspace.com, which, btw, is a great source for NmHi rechargable batteries.

One thing to consider about fitting LEDs into small mounting locations: The source the light from an LED is a semiconductor junction at the back of the device. One could conceivably mount a 3mm LED in a variable-speed electric drill, leads first, and use it as a rudimentary lathe to reduce the front 2/3rds of the barrel of the LED down to the desired diameter. I'm picturing a jewelers file as the cutting tool.

Bcammack,

Am looking for LEDs that be could be used for the Class Lights on plastic HO EMD diesels. Would these then, fit the bill? My intent was to drill out the plastic class light holes in Athearns and insert an "White" L.E.D.

Thanks!

[bcammack]

5mm is a pretty big LED.

[ckape]

For lights smaller than the LEDs I've found that it works pretty good to buy the detail associates lenses for the light you want and install the ones with the stem on them, and then just put the LED inside the shell behind the light, making sure to put black electrical tape around the LED or make a holder that blocks the light from escaping in any other direction.

Of course, this doesn't really work well for lights without much clearance solid area around them or with little clearance behind them.

[Anonymous]

Check out the nano (VERY SMALL) chip LEDs suitable for Z scale applications at www.ngineering.com. I have used the slightly larger size for detailing buildings.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TommyToot

Check out the nano (VERY SMALL) chip LEDs suitable for Z scale applications at www.ngineering.com. I have used the slightly larger size for detailing buildings.

Tom,

Thanks! Even though most of the products are meant for N scale, the lighting items can be applied to HO. I've bookmarked the website!

Cheers to you!

[Anonymous]

bcammack,

Could you provide more detail on the drill/lathe concept? Are you saying I could trim down the diameter of the LED to get it to fit into an existing headlight opening? Are you saying that by grinding/sanding down the diameter I would cause harm to the actual LED?

[bcammack]

You can't turn down the back part of the LED where the leads come out. That's where the semiconductor junction is located the produces the light. The front part, however, is just the lens/lightpipe. That could be turned down to fit a smaller hole, provided you have space behind it to fit the larger diameter body.

[Big_Boy_4005]

If anyone is having trouble with the link to www.batteryspace.com The problem is that the comma became part of the address. When posting links or typing URL's you have to be careful not to accidently attach punctuation. You can use the prewiew button to test links before posting.

By the way, very nice source. I marked it too.[tup][:)]

[cwclark]

i've never found any white led's out there that small joe...most are 5 mm and greater...I bought 20 of them from mouser once and i really don't have a use for them since they are so big...and plenty expensive at that..might use them in a lighted building someday but for engine lighting...I don't think so!...Chuck[:D]