None of the epoxies I'm familiar with do anything to resistors. In fact the most common 'potting' materials to make circuits shock- and weatherproof are epoxies.
crossthedogI was wondering the same thing, cuz it sure looks like they've wrapped a tiny resistor in there, but this package of LEDs I bought specifically because I wanted some withOUT built-in resistors. So I think that's just the soldered joint under there.
crossthedog The only "specs" I have for the LEDs is that the package is labeled Warm White and 9.0 to 12.0 volts.
A white LED will typically have a voltage drop of 3-3.5 volts, If they are labeled 9 to 12 volts, then they do have resistors so you shouldn't have to add any unless they are too bright.
CSX RobertA white LED will typically have a voltage drop of 3-3.5 volts, If they are labeled 9 to 12 volts, then they do have resistors so you shouldn't have to add any unless they are too bright.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I can see the profile of the resistor under that heat shrink. It looks like a snake that swallowed a dumbell. I have dozens of that style, too. They're perfect for a direct replacement of the old Life-Like bulbs in their locomotives.
Good Luck, Ed
gmpullmanI can see the profile of the resistor under that heat shrink. It looks like a snake that swallowed a dumbell.
I feel sheepish having run everyone "all around Robinhood's barn" all day trying to figure out how to get resistors into the wiring.
It's actually not that much brighter than the test with resistors, but the fact that the bulbs didn't blow up proves that they are protected by embedded resistors. I think I was sold something I did not order, or else there was "order incompetence" on my part.
You can see that greenish cast to the light in the cafe. It's worse in person. I may paint the inside of the lower floor white -- and the ceiling -- to see if I can make it more like a busy diner in there. I may also put up a false wall in front of those wires coming down the inside. Or paint them, as someone suggested. And I'm hoping that painting the exterior of the building will take care of the light leak that's showing right through the outer wall above the upper windows.
The upper floor light I like a lot, although I may have gone a bit heavy on the red paint on the bulb, because it almost looks like firelight, and I was aiming more for a reading lamp vibe.
Anyhoo, this parTICKular job will be much easier than I'd anticipated. But thank you all. I will save this thread and refer to it because I'll only be doing more and more structures in the months to come. I have a five or six story hotel to do, and I may wire it up with Brent's copper tape method before I even assemble the walls.
crossthedogI have a five or six story hotel to do, and I may wire it up with Brent's copper tape method before I even assemble the walls.
Hi Matt,
I think that learning how to plan ahead for details like lighting and wiring is one of the more challenging aspects of building a structure. In the past I have been a bit like a bull in a china shop. I always wanted to charge ahead with putting the major parts together when I should have spent much more time planning for the interior details. My bad!
Good luck with your lighting project!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
That slightly greenish color is how I remember the ceiling in Hopper's Nighthawks. I thought of it then as being light reflected from pale celadon green interior paint. I think if you put further resistance in the line to those particular resistors you could re-create that 'look'.
(I went back to check if I remembered this right and there are all sorts of 'corrected' tonal ranges in commercial prints of the painting...)
OvermodThat slightly greenish color is how I remember the ceiling in Hopper's Nighthawks.
I also see that you can buy the whole Nighthawks neighborhood in HO scale.
Be careful if you are using different LEDs in the structure. They may have significantly different resistance values so using parallel wiring may "steal" the power from one LED to light the other. I wired a signal bridge using red, yellow and green LEDs, and my parallel wiring didn't work and I had to re-do the circuit for series wiring.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/calculator/v5/led.php
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
lots of useful info here https://electronicsclub.info/leds.htm
I used an orange translucent paint (Tamiya?) to warm up a bright white led. That might take the green out of the lower floor. I wouldn't use too much though, or else it will look close to the top floor.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Henry, that's the exact look I'm aiming for. Wow, that bookstore or library is amazing, complete with a print of The Flying Cloud on the wall!