LED reels- found stores- are these ok?

Those will definitely work. Decent price too.

Go for it!  Start saving "wall worts", great source for 12vdc.

A friend and I went in for a few reels of these. Work fine.

Pete

Pete, that's an awesome price, and if you say they work fine (i rely on yours, GGG's, & GRJ's opinion for things electrical), i'm ordering a few reels just to have in stock.

jackson

I think they are all made in the same place. Coming from China delivery may be slower. I think ours took about a month to show up.

Pete

Pete,

For that price i can wait a month. I usually try to buy my supplies ahead of time anyway. I always have more Evergreen styrene in stock than the local hobby shop, keep at least two new tubes of Goo on the  shelf - same with one extra roll of silver solder, etc. Don't like running out of something at 9 at night or 4 on a Sunday afternoon.

jackson

Does anyone happen to know what the "typical" light output is (in lumens)  from the bulbs usually used by Lionel (or anyone else for that matter) in lighted cars (e.g., passenger cars, cabeese, etc.)?  I know it depends on the voltage, but lets say at the track voltage used for TMCC (15 v AC?).

I want to replace the bulb-based lights in the cars with an LED strip and the question is whether having one of these strips the length of the car will be too bright (or dim, for the matter).  I hadn't planned on incorporating a variable resistor in the circuit to power the lights (but could).  the alternative would be to cut the strip into three SMD segments and spread them out along the length of the car - doable but seems like a real PITA.

Second related question, these particular LEDs are 3528 - I've seen others described as 3550 and 3570 (I think) - the latter two claiming to be 'very bright'.  I gather they do that by actually assembling several SMD's into a cluster.  In any event, does anyone have a handy-dandy 'guide' to these devices and how they 'scale' (light output, current draw, etc.) with 'part number'??  Or is it the usual problem of having each device manufacturer with their own sizing descriptor.  I guess what I'm looking for is the equivalent to saying that I know when to use a 60 watt bulb vs a 100 watt bulb...

If you use a full length strip (I use 15" in an 18" car) the light will be much brighter but they are easy to dim with a resistor regardless if you go with a constant current or constant voltage circuit. Many threads here on how to do that.

Pete

banjoflyer.  wow.  im getting a bunch of reels!  wow!  thanks!

Chris

from that supplier I got 3 reels and saved even more!  ill use them in my buildings or something.!  cant beat that price! 

Keep shopping, here's the new price champ.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WARM-W...;hash=item2a4bb07c14

You can beat any price when they are out of stock

John, I just bought some of them, maybe that's why.  It's the cheapest I've ever seen them!

If you don't like those, how about $2.99 for a 5M strip?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-SMD...;hash=item1e97e9eae7

John, I always like your advice. I still have 2 reels from a while ago when you first put me on to them. I haven't got to the DC part yet. I'm still working on a few more AC feeders. I did salvage a PC power supply the other day at the town refuse station. This one even has a switch. I can power a ton with 300 watts from that.

boy you cant beat the price!!!!.  I wondered on the supply end when they cost cut them like that cheap. all the sudden the supply is GONE!  then it takes 2 months! 

I got 3 reels, so I may never need them again!  I think im lining my cabinets in the kitchen with them and my garage cabinets too.  just LED everything! 

Chris

I have a bunch in the closet, and more on the way.  I'm sure at some point the supply will dry up.

GRJ, Which did you buy?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WARM-W...;hash=item2a4bb07c14