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Post by superwarp1 on Mar 13, 2024 16:52:48 GMT
I just acquired 7 MTH B&M woodsided passenger cars. Being incandescent lighting, for me anyway an upgrade to LED is in order for long lasting flicker free operation. So instead of going the route I went with my MTH madison passenger cars (adding a AC to DC buck converter, with LED ribbon strips). I decided to see what I have left over in the drawers from past projects.
So what I found I have plenty of: Are 1000 uf capacitors, tons of resistors, 22uH inductors/chokes (So not to kill the DCS signal), full wave bridge rectifiers and a billion warm white LED. So since I run command exclusively, I really don't need a regulated power supply. I just need to pick the correct limiting resistor for the intensity I wanted, not to exceed the 3 volt operating limit of the LED.
So after a little testing of different resistors, I came up with a 620 ohm 2 watt resistor to run five LED (1 watt can be used, barely gets warm). All I needed to do is junk the bulbs on the MTH lighting strip and install my components. So it's not the prettiest but you'll never see them installed and they give the right intensity, close to the original.
Here's a pic and schematic of what I came up with, if you want to do it yourself. Parts can be had from Amazon, Mouser, Digikey, others.
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Post by atsda on Mar 13, 2024 18:33:41 GMT
Gary, very excellent work. Thanks for sharing the info - not all of us have a degree in electrical engineering. Alfred
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Post by atsda on Mar 13, 2024 18:43:59 GMT
The first thing I thought about after reading your thread title: Be cautious in deciding which parts to cut off.
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Post by superwarp1 on Mar 13, 2024 19:24:34 GMT
The first thing I thought about after reading your thread title: Be cautious in deciding which parts to cut off. I am a terrible proof reader, think I've gone back five times already to fix things.
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Post by curtis on Mar 13, 2024 20:57:59 GMT
I just acquired 7 MTH B&M woodsided passenger cars. Being incandescent lighting, for me anyway an upgrade to LED is in order for long lasting flicker free operation. So instead of going the route I went with my MTH madison passenger cars (adding a AC to DC buck converter, with LED ribbon strips). I decided to see what I have left over in the drawers from past projects.
So what I found I have plenty of: Are 1000 uf capacitors, tons of resistors, 22uH inductors/chokes (So not to kill the DCS signal), full wave bridge rectifiers and a billion warm white LED. So since I run command exclusively, I really don't need a regulated power supply. I just need to pick the correct limiting resistor for the intensity I wanted, not to exceed the 3 volt operating limit of the LED.
So after a little testing of different resistors, I came up with a 620 ohm 2 watt resistor to run five LED (1 watt can be used, barely gets warm). All I needed to do is junk the bulbs on the MTH lighting strip and install my components. So it's not the prettiest but you'll never see them installed and they give the right intensity, close to the original.
Here's a pic and schematic of what I came up with, if you want to do it yourself. Parts can be had from Amazon, Mouser, Digikey, others.
My question is what did you do with the parts you took out. I would be interested in them as some of those parts are no longer available.
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Post by Adam on Mar 13, 2024 22:42:49 GMT
Nicely done!
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Post by superwarp1 on Mar 13, 2024 23:08:58 GMT
I just acquired 7 MTH B&M woodsided passenger cars. Being incandescent lighting, for me anyway an upgrade to LED is in order for long lasting flicker free operation. So instead of going the route I went with my MTH madison passenger cars (adding a AC to DC buck converter, with LED ribbon strips). I decided to see what I have left over in the drawers from past projects.
So what I found I have plenty of: Are 1000 uf capacitors, tons of resistors, 22uH inductors/chokes (So not to kill the DCS signal), full wave bridge rectifiers and a billion warm white LED. So since I run command exclusively, I really don't need a regulated power supply. I just need to pick the correct limiting resistor for the intensity I wanted, not to exceed the 3 volt operating limit of the LED.
So after a little testing of different resistors, I came up with a 620 ohm 2 watt resistor to run five LED (1 watt can be used, barely gets warm). All I needed to do is junk the bulbs on the MTH lighting strip and install my components. So it's not the prettiest but you'll never see them installed and they give the right intensity, close to the original.
Here's a pic and schematic of what I came up with, if you want to do it yourself. Parts can be had from Amazon, Mouser, Digikey, others.
My question is what did you do with the parts you took out. I would be interested in them as some of those parts are no longer available. only thing I removed was the bulbs and the bulb sockets. Due to the heat of the bulbs, most of the sockets crumbled in my hands while removing
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Post by harborbelt70 on Mar 13, 2024 23:23:10 GMT
The first thing I thought about after reading your thread title: Be cautious in deciding which parts to cut off. I am a terrible proof reader, think I've gone back five times already to fix things.
There are LED power supplies aplenty for O scale 3rail passenger cars, mainly using LED strip lighting. I think I have used them all at one stage or another and I am working my way through the surplus.
It's not rocket science.
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