LED headlights?

[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?

[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

[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

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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

[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]

[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.

[der5997]

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.

[der5997]

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.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by der5997

Wouldn't your friendly neighbourhood telephone man use glass fibre? If so, be careful handling the stuff in case it decides to take up residence in your skin [;)]
Also, with the glass fibre, does it melt easily to form a lens? I've not tried it, and am currious.

It takes a very high temperature to melt glass, a gas burner or electric arc. Also the light carrying core of glass fiber is very small, 10 micron diameter in telephone singlemode fiber; 62.5 micron in LAN multimode fiber, which to your eyes would look like a pinpoint. The entire fiber diameter if you did form a lens is 125 micron, thin as a hair. The fiber is too small to efficiently couple light into it. Large core plastic fiber is better for model RR use.

You are right about getting it into your skin. Ouch!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by der5997

Wouldn't your friendly neighbourhood telephone man use glass fibre? If so, be careful handling the stuff in case it decides to take up residence in your skin [;)]
Also, with the glass fibre, does it melt easily to form a lens? I've not tried it, and am currious.

It takes a very high temperature to melt glass, a gas burner or electric arc. Also the light carrying core of glass fiber is very small, 10 micron diameter in telephone singlemode fiber; 62.5 micron in LAN multimode fiber, which to your eyes would look like a pinpoint. The entire fiber diameter if you did form a lens is 125 micron, thin as a hair. The fiber is too small to efficiently couple light into it. Large core plastic fiber is better for model RR use.

You are right about getting it into your skin. Ouch!

[Anonymous]

Have you tried white LED ditch lights. The only White LEDs I can find are large 5mm types. I was able to file them down to about 2mm (= 6.85 inches) and installed them in white metal frames (Details WEST?) under the anti clmber of a RPP SD90.
If you look at the electrodes within the LED , you can clearly see that they do not take up much space. I simply filed around the electrodes being careful not to file the face of the LED which becomes the lens.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried white LED ditch lights. The only White LEDs I can find are large 5mm types. I was able to file them down to about 2mm (= 6.85 inches) and installed them in white metal frames (Details WEST?) under the anti clmber of a RPP SD90.
If you look at the electrodes within the LED , you can clearly see that they do not take up much space. I simply filed around the electrodes being careful not to file the face of the LED which becomes the lens.

[der5997]

Wouldn't your friendly neighbourhood telephone man use glass fibre? If so, be careful handling the stuff in case it decides to take up residence in your skin [;)]
Also, with the glass fibre, does it melt easily to form a lens? I've not tried it, and am currious.

[der5997]

Wouldn't your friendly neighbourhood telephone man use glass fibre? If so, be careful handling the stuff in case it decides to take up residence in your skin [;)]
Also, with the glass fibre, does it melt easily to form a lens? I've not tried it, and am currious.

[Anonymous]

I've used LEDs I bought from eLED, eled.com, and had good success. Like B-dubya, I use a 1K ohm, 1/4 watt resistor for DCC applications. I have Digitrax and TCS decoders, and they've worked fine with my old Command 2000 and my new Prodigy control stations. I have not tested the ouput from the decoder to see if it's AC or DC, but I get good bright light. A little blue, but it looks ok to me.

Gary

[Anonymous]

I've used LEDs I bought from eLED, eled.com, and had good success. Like B-dubya, I use a 1K ohm, 1/4 watt resistor for DCC applications. I have Digitrax and TCS decoders, and they've worked fine with my old Command 2000 and my new Prodigy control stations. I have not tested the ouput from the decoder to see if it's AC or DC, but I get good bright light. A little blue, but it looks ok to me.

Gary

[Anonymous]

I attach fiber optics to lights with a dab of clear automotive silicon. It is easy to remove to change bulbs and doesn't discolor. Another source of cheap fiberoptic cable of high quality is used computer stores and your freindly neighborhood telephone man.

[Anonymous]

I attach fiber optics to lights with a dab of clear automotive silicon. It is easy to remove to change bulbs and doesn't discolor. Another source of cheap fiberoptic cable of high quality is used computer stores and your freindly neighborhood telephone man.

[Anonymous]

On my F-7s, I use some clear plastic tube to fill the headlight hole. I drilled holes to hold the lights. TRhe lights are in series with the motor. I polished the outer end using brass polish on demin. When the lights alternate, it looks like the Mars flasher. The cheap diodes 1n4001 have a 1.2v drop so if you parallel light the diode handles the current and pegs the light voltage. If you use a bridge you get directional lighting and it starts when you put more than 1and a half volts on the locomotive. I use a 20 watt light in the cabbose as a thyristor to protect lights. So you can use lights or LEDs. There are plenty of references to these diode ciircuits and they are simple. Lindsay

[Anonymous]

On my F-7s, I use some clear plastic tube to fill the headlight hole. I drilled holes to hold the lights. TRhe lights are in series with the motor. I polished the outer end using brass polish on demin. When the lights alternate, it looks like the Mars flasher. The cheap diodes 1n4001 have a 1.2v drop so if you parallel light the diode handles the current and pegs the light voltage. If you use a bridge you get directional lighting and it starts when you put more than 1and a half volts on the locomotive. I use a 20 watt light in the cabbose as a thyristor to protect lights. So you can use lights or LEDs. There are plenty of references to these diode ciircuits and they are simple. Lindsay

[Anonymous]

Fibre optic are in the Walthers catalog by several manufacturers. Not the cheapest way to buy, but they are available.
I do use my lighter to shrink the heat shrink tubing (carefully!).
I only use lighters for modeling and fireworks. I do not smoke.

[Anonymous]

Fibre optic are in the Walthers catalog by several manufacturers. Not the cheapest way to buy, but they are available.
I do use my lighter to shrink the heat shrink tubing (carefully!).
I only use lighters for modeling and fireworks. I do not smoke.

[der5997]

rocky451: Thanks for that heat shrink tip for keeping LED light out of the loco cab. ( I guess you don't use your lighter for shrinking that? [;)] )