Lighting for HO Passenger Cars

[garya]

Shock Control

I currently have Easy Peasy but I'm not happy with them for a number of reasons. 

What do you recommend, and what options are more affordable than others?  

Looking for something generic and not brand-specific.

 

Are you using DC or DCC?  

I use some peel and stick LEDs.  There were a few threads in the past covering the topic:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/267418/3027730.aspx

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/272907/3105415.aspx

Maybe Ed (gmpullman) will chime in.

 

 

[RR_Mel]

I just go with parts.  I found out that I get the best results using wide angle 3mm warm white LEDs.  I close space them for even lighting, 8 to 10 LEDs per car. 

 

Early on I used a pair of #26 bare wire as a buss tacked to the roof, one on each side.  I solder one lead for the LED to one buss the other lead to the other buss using a 4.7KΩ ⅛ watt resistor in series.

 

 

About two years ago I tried using ⅛” wide copper foil tape.  I tack solder one lead of the LED to one strip and a resistor in series with the other lead to the other copper strip.

 

I power all my passenger cars from a 4 volt source and use a 4.7KΩ ⅛ watt resistor.

 

The 4.7KΩ resistor operates the LED at .4ma each which I have found gives the most realistic light.  The average 72’ car has 8 to 10 wide angle LEDs.  Ten LEDs operating a .4 = 4ma per car.  4ma can be a bit to bright for realisms so I use a 2KΩ pot in series with the buss to dim the lighting.

 

https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2018/08/august-18-2018-heavy-weight-sp-club.html

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[Shock Control]

I currently have Easy Peasy but I'm not happy with them for a number of reasons. 

What do you recommend, and what options are more affordable than others?  

Looking for something generic and not brand-specific.