jfb I finally found a marked older package and did the math if there calculations for there products are wrong there is nothing i can do about that.
Sure you can, use a multimeter and measure the current draw. I agree with the others saying they are probably 30 ma (0.03 amp), not 300 ma (0.3 amp).
38 street light wiring harnesses and average 4 to a series connection. i guess i forgot to add the harness point. my total lights are 144 plus the signal bridges accesories etc and the total came up to what i stated. I understand the break down of power but needed to throw the total out there so if a older power pack was available at that size possible up grades would have sufficient power like more billboards that could easily be added to the wire looms that protect all of the harnesess. I have extra wiring run for upgrades like a magic kiss sign blowing smoke or more grain of wheat lights and more station lights the billboards get 2 to a splitter from miller engineering. station lights 3 or 4 to a series.
jfb the lights on average take .one third amps a piece at full brightness i would prefer to get them dimmer overall that would be 144 lights at full brightness it is in the math just remember that i am in series also. I am using atlas 205 connectors for a hook up point. I finally found a marked older package and did the math if there calculations for there products are wrong there is nothing i can do about that. I have exstensive light wiring on this layout and everything is individually wired for safety and future testing if needed in small wiring harnesses at least i know what the quality is of my connections with as little resistance as possible. cars have the same circuits just add up the needed amps and buy a alternator accordingly and make sure the wiring can handle the loads and it works period.
the lights on average take .one third amps a piece at full brightness i would prefer to get them dimmer overall that would be 144 lights at full brightness it is in the math just remember that i am in series also. I am using atlas 205 connectors for a hook up point. I finally found a marked older package and did the math if there calculations for there products are wrong there is nothing i can do about that. I have exstensive light wiring on this layout and everything is individually wired for safety and future testing if needed in small wiring harnesses at least i know what the quality is of my connections with as little resistance as possible. cars have the same circuits just add up the needed amps and buy a alternator accordingly and make sure the wiring can handle the loads and it works period.
jfbthe lights on average take .one third amps a piece at full brightness i would prefer to get them dimmer overall that would be 144 lights at full brightness it is in the math just remember that i am in series also.
Ok, in the previouos thread you said 38 lights. How many do you have in each series (in the previous thread you said five in one post and four in another)? Having them in series will reduce the total current draw. For example, if you have three one third amp lights in series at full brightness, then they will only draw a total of one third amp, not one amp. Additionally, if they are not getting their full voltage because of being in series, they will draw even less.
jfbthe lights on average take .one third amps a piece at full brightness
What kind of bulbs are you using? Randy is right. Typical grain-of-wheat incandescent bulbs like the ones from Miniatronics use about 30 milliamps, not 300 as your numbers indicate.
Most of the power used by incandescent bulbs ends up as heat. If you put 300 MA bulbs into a structure, you're going to melt plastic and maybe even set paper or wood on fire.
Unless your bulbs are very different from what most of us use, I smell a slipped decimal point in your calculations. And, I hope so. That much power for structure illumination could actually be dangerous.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
jfb...I have a answer and question you asked before for my amp needs and daytime it is 10 amps and night time with this included 46 amps for the accesories only...
I found a previous post you had on this subject (http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/254430/2843533.aspx#2843533), and unless you left an awful lot of stuff out, I don't see how you could possibly need that much current.
jfb...and smoke stacks from all of the buildings on the layout.
Are these operating stacks with smoke generators? Even so, the biggest of them are still under 1 amp, with most being considerable less.
Wow, that's almost insane - even if they are 30ma incandescent bulbs, 48 amps is over 1500 of them!
12V 10 amp power supplies are practically a dime a dozen on eBay, about 6 or 7 of those with the load distributed should do it - you don't load them to 100%, you want to stick around 75-80% peak load.
In comparison, at 12V, with 1K resistors, 46 amps is over 5000 LEDs.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
RR_MelWow! I just thought my layout took a lot of current for lighting. I’m hoping there is a mistake with your figures.
I agree with that. My layout takes 3 sides of a 24x24 foot room and has lots of streetlights and interior illumination. I run most of it on three 5-amp supplies.
I added up everything with a lot of research and work like I said this layout is exstensive and well detailed already very little is left to do but super fascia work and I did it all by myself period. I did it with blood sweat tears early mornings and a LOT OF DISCIPLINE! I did this with a train swap meet supplying the older great ho accesories that i collected over time wether i needed them at that moment or not it was having a mental picture of the finished product at all times and no blue print on paper. The almost finished product is beautiful from a functional and realistic point of view no fluff anf fantasy here just straight southside hard nosed working class realities. it keeps you straight and honest. I like action period like a actually maneuvering steel mill and smoke stacks from all of the buildings on the layout.
I run all my accessory lighting with 12-volt power supplies. You can get 5-amp, 12-volt DC supplies on eBay for a few dollars. The last one I got came direct from China, free shipping. It arrived in less than a week and works fine. I think it cost about $7.
These supplies to NOT have circuit breakers. If you overload them or short them out for too long, they will blow their single-use internal fuse and die. So, go to Radio Shack and buy fuse holders and fuses, rated for the same current as the supply or a little less for safety.
Most of my incandescent lights are rated at 16 volts. By running them at 12 volts, the give off a more pleasant and warm glow and they will last far longer.
I find that DC is more convenient than AC for these things. It's better for your LEDs. I also use mine for Miller Engineering animated signs by adding resistors to get the voltage right, and for my grade crossing circuits which want 12 volts DC.
well guys the weather is cracking and with it my responsibilities so work will slow on the railroad from fulltime to part time . I have a answer and question you asked before for my amp needs and daytime it is 10 amps and night time with this included 46 amps for the accesories only no train or switches they will have there own power sources. By the way to avoid super bright lights or burn out of them i would prefer dimmer lights and please see my earlier posts on this subject for further details. I had a idea tossed at me of a older lionel power pack for this need but how much amperage on the ac side do they put out on the normal power packs? I need suggestions guys thanks. jfb