BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL

[grizlump9]

i have a spectrum heavy 4-8-2.  excellent locomotive but that stupid blue headlight looks like a K-Mart sale coming down the track.  i'm sure some of you have replaced these and i would appreciate any detailed instructions on how to go about it.   particularly what led you used and where to get it.

thanks, grizlump

[rrinker]

 I'll leave the mechanics of how to open it up to get at the blue LED to someone who has one, but for a replacement you should be able to unsolder the stock LED and replace it directly with a Miniatronics Yelo-Glo. Probably the 3mm size. Any resistor/etc would be the same, so no need to change that.

                                           --Randy

[cacole]

 There are different versions of this locomotive, depending on when it was manufactured.

On newer Spectrum steam engines, the front of the boiler can be removed by carefully prying it off.  The headlight LED is then exposed, mounted to a very small circuit board.  The only way you can determine the polarity thereof is with a Voltmeter and the headlight turned on.  Select an appropriate Golden Glow or whatever color LED you like, pull the circuit board out, and replace the LED.  You'll need a controlled temperature soldering station or iron with a very small tip to do this and not damage the circuit board.  It also helps to have prior experience and the tools required for circuit board component removal and soldering.

BUT, on an earlier version Spectrum Heavy Mountain, the headlight was an incandescent bulb half way back in the boiler, shining through a plastic light pipe that extended to the front.  To replace this type, the boiler had to be removed from the chassis.

Since yours is blue, it must be the newer one with an LED.

Good luck.

 

[locoi1sa]

   I have to agree with David B. on this one. Try the yellow or orange marker first. If you are not happy with the result then replace the LED.  As my BLI steamers have come in for class repairs I have been swapping the horrid orange LEDs with yellow glow. Much better visually. It is a little tricky to unsolder and solder the new LED with my fat fingers and beat up hands but worth the effort. Before desoldering the old blue LED look for the flat spot at the flange and the replacement will go the same way.

       Pete

[kansaspacific1]

 Just before I read this post, I read a tip on a Factory Model Trains e mail credited to Simon Brown from Melbourne Australia:

 Use Tamiya Model Paints Clear Orange.  Either brush on the led or dip in the paint jar.

Much easier than doing all that work to replace an led.

Chuck

 

[Graffen]

 Too bad that it wont work the other way around, the awful yellow LED´s that some locos have isn´t so easy to fix......

[rrinker]

Graffen

 Too bad that it wont work the other way around, the awful yellow LED´s that some locos have isn´t so easy to fix......

 Yes, have to swap out all my Stewarts. Soldering is secont nature for me though, takes just a few seconds. The Baldwin switchers don't even require soldering - just bend the leads to match the original LED.

                                       --Randy

[Graffen]

I don´t mind the soldering, it´s the part where you take it apart that scares me sometimes . I can almost bet that the manufacturers tries to make it hard for us sometimes (read Rivarossi).

[climaxpwr]

Bachmanns newest engines like the Berkshire, the LED swap out is super simple, no circuit board and no soldering.  The wires to each LED are just press fit slip connectors, simply unplug and replug the wires onto the Yelglow LED and put the LED back in the tube that leads to the headlight.  I do this with the engine and tender connected and on my test track strip on my workbench as you have to trial and error get the wires on the right side of the LED.  Its not marked from the factory but there are only 2 ways for it to go.  Wish the OEM's would just put the right LED in there in the first place.  Oh well, keeps us modelers busy.   Cheers  Mike