Modeltrains2021
Active Member
Hi can put a led in the rivarossi mallet?
Led head light for mallet
- Thread starter Modeltrains2021
- Start date
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Is it DCC or DC ?
Modeltrains2021
Active Member
Dc but going to be dcc soon
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
There's no reason you can't if it already has a headlight, or there is sufficent space for one, but I would wait till you convert it to DCC, save having to do the wiring twice.
If you want to fit one now, you will need to add a resistor in line, (LED's are 3v not 12v) and just wire it into your existing power. This will mean the LED is always on, In DCC it will switch off in reverse or you can toggle the light on and off manually usually with F0.
When fitting an LED you will need to eliminate light bleed, this can be done by either painting the LED, (which is my preferred method), or using heat shrink tubing.
If you want to fit one now, you will need to add a resistor in line, (LED's are 3v not 12v) and just wire it into your existing power. This will mean the LED is always on, In DCC it will switch off in reverse or you can toggle the light on and off manually usually with F0.
When fitting an LED you will need to eliminate light bleed, this can be done by either painting the LED, (which is my preferred method), or using heat shrink tubing.
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I find using a thin piece of styrene glued to the interior bodyshell with the wires sandwiched between, but not glued, helpful, just need to leave enough wiring to remove the bodyshell.
I normally use a piece of shrink tubing to hold the led in place so if I pull too hard the LED just pops out the tubing without damaging the wires.
Modeltrains2021
Active Member
Okay will a normal or a micro led work?
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Both should work, LED's are 3v, see how much space you have to work with.
Snowman
Well-Known Member
There's almost never anything about any particular brand of HO locomotive that would prevent doing this, although some might be easier to handle than others. Presuming you can wire it up, you can almost always do it. Just FYI. If it had room originally for a micro-bulb in the first place, then there are many LED's that'll work for you.
evandesigns.com
That^ is just one source for very small LED's, and you can even make them smaller in many cases by trimming, filing or sanding some of the plastic off. Usually, if you can do that without damaging the pins, it'll work, and it's not too expensive just to try in many cases.
Moreover, most of even micro-LED's (Z/Zed size) will have a sort of rim, which is typically used to lock a LED in place just by pushing it in from the back. It's sort of like hat brim. If you can live without that feature, you can make most of them even smaller.
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If you are thinking of putting a headlight in a Mallet, then you will want a "warm white" or "soft white" LED. Just as when you look for replacement bulbs or tubes for your home. Warm/Softs are more yellowish in color, than are "hard" or "blue" or "sunlight" bulbs or LEDs.
The latter are much more like modern lights--or overhead sunlights/grow lights. White lights in particular are often described in terms of Kelvin (tempurature), and overhead sunlight can run up around 6000K, whereas "soft light"...and even sunlight in the early morning or evening will go much lower...perhaps 3000K. If you see numbers more like the latter, you are much closer to the sort of light you would see on a steam engine...a Mallet.
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evandesigns.com
That^ is just one source for very small LED's, and you can even make them smaller in many cases by trimming, filing or sanding some of the plastic off. Usually, if you can do that without damaging the pins, it'll work, and it's not too expensive just to try in many cases.
Moreover, most of even micro-LED's (Z/Zed size) will have a sort of rim, which is typically used to lock a LED in place just by pushing it in from the back. It's sort of like hat brim. If you can live without that feature, you can make most of them even smaller.
========
If you are thinking of putting a headlight in a Mallet, then you will want a "warm white" or "soft white" LED. Just as when you look for replacement bulbs or tubes for your home. Warm/Softs are more yellowish in color, than are "hard" or "blue" or "sunlight" bulbs or LEDs.
The latter are much more like modern lights--or overhead sunlights/grow lights. White lights in particular are often described in terms of Kelvin (tempurature), and overhead sunlight can run up around 6000K, whereas "soft light"...and even sunlight in the early morning or evening will go much lower...perhaps 3000K. If you see numbers more like the latter, you are much closer to the sort of light you would see on a steam engine...a Mallet.
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Snowman is correct a "warm white" would be pro-typical for a steamer.
I find using micro LED's although certainly space savers, a very fiddly LED to use and I've never been able to prevent light bleed from one yet, but I'm getting on in years now so......probably just me.
I prefer 3mm LED's, just dunk in black paint, let dry, and polish/sand the front, wire up and done.
I would suggest you try both and see for yourself which works for you, and also looks correct to you.
I find using micro LED's although certainly space savers, a very fiddly LED to use and I've never been able to prevent light bleed from one yet, but I'm getting on in years now so......probably just me.
I prefer 3mm LED's, just dunk in black paint, let dry, and polish/sand the front, wire up and done.
I would suggest you try both and see for yourself which works for you, and also looks correct to you.
Modeltrains2021
Active Member
Okay thank you.
KB02
Well-Known Member
That's something I haven't thought of. Hmmm...
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
The front of a 3mm LED is quite thick, you can polish/sand the front flat, that will then fit flush with the lens (or take the lens out and fit it flush with the Loco nose), all the light goes forward with no bleed into the loco., but make sure that you dip it past the back of the LED and let it dry thoroughly, if you attempt to power it, the paint will cause a short and blow the LED.
I normally use a black enamel paint as it's a lot thicker than acrylic and usually only needs one dip, acrylics take 2, 3 or maybe 4 before no light can be seen.
Modeltrains2021
Active Member
Alright thnxs will deffently do that.
