Lighting...

[MrWhippyO]

Do people have any suggestions or tips when it comes to lighting my layout? I am going to light the inside and outside of my engine shed, also, my newly build station platforms.

Also! Can I run my signals and lights from a 12V power supply and control them separately?

Cheers!

 

[Don2912]

Hi,

There are two methods, miniature bulbs (grain-of-wheat or grain-of-rice), which can be run easily on either a 12 - 14V AC or DC supply. Alternatively, you can use LEDs (light-emitting diodes).

Where the bulb method is pretty easy to set up, there are certain disadvantages, for example, bulbs will run hot and can damage plastic buildings, or at worse, start a fire. (Yes, I have seen this! Not on my layout though!) There is another disadvantage, light "bleed through", where you get glowing walls.

LEDs run cool, and last much longer. They do require more care in installing.
They can only be connected one way, and will require a series resistor, (unless they are 12v types), as well as a regulated power supply.
For the regulated power supply, you can either purchase one, or build your own. I chose the latter route, and you can see the results of my labours here. (Scroll down!)

For more info, and very good advice, I would recommend joining the New Railway Modellers Forum. It is free.

In answer to your second question, yes. You will (probably) need a second PSU though.

HTH,

Don

 

[Yew]

Personally I would use a power transformer like one used often for powering guitar effects pedals (gives 9v DC) as a start, before experimenting with how much voltage the LED's need (which resistor in series with the LED(s) Before possibly using a potentiometer (variable resistor) To give you some fine brightnes control (form example if you used one power supply for say. 20 LED's and you had 10 in an engine shed, and 10 in a platform, you could use 2 potentiometers to give you individual level control, however they would react to eachothers levels slightly. If you get me some specifications of what you want to do, and any preffered LED types. I could probably work out the values and a schematic for you.

Nb; I am and undergraduate engineer, and on my electronics assesments I ascheived 90% and 80% respectively

 

[MrWhippyO]

I think I will go down the LED route (as I don't fancy fires!) I have loads of spare resistors lying around so I can try them in series, or just get some 12V ones, cheers guys

 

[sparky 2]

Hello mr whippyo, log on to hornby, check scalesdale lighting system, it is ideal for what you want.
sparky 2