@gunrunnerjohn posted:Project #8 in the Electrical Reference Materials thread.
Cool. Just opened one of the non powered cars to convert it. I'm not in for a standard conversion with the strips due to the ceiling detail attached to the lighting track. I'll have to use either 3mm LEDs or (probably a better option) push in Cool white LEDs. Where can I find the push in style?
I have no idea where you find those. 
Not sure if your press-in bulbs are the bent-wire-terminal (like traditional Christmas bulb strings) such as MTH CI-0000009, but if so T&C has an LED version (albeit apparently only in WARM WHITE). It was recently discussed in this OGR thread. My guess though is these may not be bright enough based on your photos of your first conversion.
As for an LED strip blocking the air flow from your ceiling fans, how about cutting the strip at a cut-line and then placing 3-LED sections where they fit and then soldering a pair of wires to the copper pads to connect them. Note that the most common strips are 300 LEDs in a 5-meter reel...so each 3-LED section is 5cm (~2 inches). This may be too long. In which case you can buy double-density strips where there are 600 LEDs in a 5-meter reel so each 3-LED section is only 1" long. Seems like a lot of busy-work but appears you are willing/able to work at the component-level.
And if your LEDs are the press-fit style shown above, later in the linked thread the T&C LED is dissected which would show how to roll your own in the LED color of your choice ... for example if you want to replace their Warm White with Cool White or whatever. It would be quite tedious but the component cost would be just pennies per LED and presumably you could re-use the plastic holder from the bulb.
Get flangless LED's and no sanding required.
@stan2004 posted:Not sure if your press-in bulbs are the bent-wire-terminal (like traditional Christmas bulb strings) such as MTH CI-0000009, but if so T&C has an LED version (albeit apparently only in WARM WHITE). It was recently discussed in this OGR thread. My guess though is these may not be bright enough based on your photos of your first conversion.
As for an LED strip blocking the air flow from your ceiling fans, how about cutting the strip at a cut-line and then placing 3-LED sections where they fit and then soldering a pair of wires to the copper pads to connect them. Note that the most common strips are 300 LEDs in a 5-meter reel...so each 3-LED section is 5cm (~2 inches). This may be too long. In which case you can buy double-density strips where there are 600 LEDs in a 5-meter reel so each 3-LED section is only 1" long. Seems like a lot of busy-work but appears you are willing/able to work at the component-level.
And if your LEDs are the press-fit style shown above, later in the linked thread the T&C LED is dissected which would show how to roll your own in the LED color of your choice ... for example if you want to replace their Warm White with Cool White or whatever. It would be quite tedious but the component cost would be just pennies per LED and presumably you could re-use the plastic holder from the bulb.
Cutting the strip where the light bulb was crossed my mind. I might give that a try since I have them.
@stan2004 posted:Not sure if your press-in bulbs are the bent-wire-terminal (like traditional Christmas bulb strings) such as MTH CI-0000009, but if so T&C has an LED version (albeit apparently only in WARM WHITE). It was recently discussed in this OGR thread. My guess though is these may not be bright enough based on your photos of your first conversion.
how about cutting the strip at a cut-line and then placing 3-LED sections where they fit and then soldering a pair of wires to the copper pads to connect them. Note that the most common strips are 300 LEDs in a 5-meter reel...so each 3-LED section is 5cm (~2 inches). This may be too long. In which case you can buy double-density strips where there are 600 LEDs in a 5-meter reel so each 3-LED section is only 1" long.
Are the strips you showed the standard one with the 5cm spacing or the the double density ones? If the double density where can I find them?
My photo was just a cut and paste onto your photo - without regard to scale. Whether eBay, Amazon, or wherever, search "600 LED cool white". These are sometimes called "double-density" strips; and, yes, there are even quad-density LED strips though I don't think you need to go there!
In above example off eBay, you can get 1 Meter of the double-density cool whites for $1.60 with free shipping from Asia. At 120 LEDs/Meter, you could cut 40 individual 3-LED sections 2.5cm (~1 inch) long which ought to be enough to populate your 2nd subway consist. Obviously you will find similar on Amazon or domestically for a bit more coin.
@stan2004 posted:My photo was just a cut and paste onto your photo - without regard to scale. Whether eBay, Amazon, or wherever, search "600 LED cool white". These are sometimes called "double-density" strips; and, yes, there are even quad-density LED strips though I don't think you need to go there!
In above example off eBay, you can get 1 Meter of the double-density cool whites for $1.60 with free shipping from Asia. At 120 LEDs/Meter, you could cut 40 individual 3-LED sections 2.5cm (~1 inch) long which ought to be enough to populate your 2nd subway consist. Obviously you will find similar on Amazon or domestically for a bit more coin.
Cool. Thank you!
I found some on Amazon but there pretty expensive. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J..._apa_i_uEpEFb4HJG7H3
In my experience there aren't many $1-2 Amazon items. Here's a 5 meter cool-white double-density strip for $8...which of course is the same unit price as $1.60 for 1 meter. Remains to be seen what you'd do with the ~500 extra LEDs. 
@stan2004 posted:In my experience there aren't many $1-2 Amazon items. Here's a 5 meter cool-white double-density strip for $8...which of course is the same unit price as $1.60 for 1 meter. Remains to be seen what you'd do with the ~500 extra LEDs.
I'm sure I can find a use for the rest of the reel. I'll go in for that one since it's a better cost.
I got my LED strip today. They will fit perfectly. Just one issue, how to power them? Any thoughts?
@gunrunnerjohn posted:
I could use that and I probably will, I'll just pull the capacitor so they still flicker. However, I need to find a way to connect the LEDs to the metal strip on the car, I don't know how to do that without damaging anything. Under the LEDs, which I can get a better picture of, there's the metal strip which was for the push in bulb. Could I just cut it how I need to get it to line up and then solder the strip to it. The other issue becomes securing the LEDs to the board, there no real way to do that.
Why would you pull the capacitor?
In the times I've used the metal strip, I just solder to it.
FWIW, I normally pull that whole lighting strip out of the car and put a full row of LED's down the ceiling of the car. With the regulator board, you can adjust the intensity to anything you like and you have nice even lighting throughout the car. If there are any "nubs" that hold the lighting fixture, I just whack them off. Here's one of many examples, on this one the regulator board is stuck to the ceiling, it's well above the window line and not visible through the windows. This is a slightly fancier job where I had side markers and a rear taillight on an observation car, those were wired individually. After I'm all done the loose wires you see are secured with hot glue.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Why would you pull the capacitor?
In the times I've used the metal strip, I just solder to it.
FWIW, I normally pull that whole lighting strip out of the car and put a full row of LED's down the ceiling of the car. With the regulator board, you can adjust the intensity to anything you like and you have nice even lighting throughout the car. If there are any "nubs" that hold the lighting fixture, I just whack them off. Here's one of many examples, on this one the regulator board is stuck to the ceiling, it's well above the window line and not visible through the windows. This is a slightly fancier job where I had side markers and a rear taillight on an observation car, those were wired individually. After I'm all done the loose wires you see are secured with hot glue.
I'd pull the capacitor because I want them to flicker over switches and the like since its a subway. The only problem with removing the lighting strip is I can't, the ceiling fan and strap detail is attached to it. I have to keep it.
Well, if you really want flicker, I don't think this is the module for you. The regulator requires filtered dc to operate, it needs a capacitor. It could be a smaller one, but that probably won't really achieve the result you're looking for.
BTW, you're the first, most people buy the module specifically because they want to eliminate the flicker! That's also why I originally designed it for my use!
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Well, if you really want flicker, I don't think this is the module for you. The regulator requires filtered dc to operate, it needs a capacitor. It could be a smaller one, but that probably won't really achieve the result you're looking for.
BTW, you're the first, most people buy the module specifically because they want to eliminate the flicker! That's also why I originally designed it for my use!
For subways only I want flicker. For my other passenger trains they will get this regulator as intended. Yes, I'm one of the odd ones. Anyway, here's what I need to do, get the leds connected to the metal strip.
Think I figured it out. I cut the metal strip down. I should be able to solder to it now
Success! After some more cutting of the metal I was able to solder the strip in. Ugh. Only 4 more to do on this car and 5 other cars to do. I'll be on this for awhile.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
