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If I used 3mm LEDs with Details West DL 243 w/platforms ditch lighs will they fit? I know the grain of wheat bulbs fit but I would rather use LEDS. Would I be able to bend the LED forward so that it shines out of the casing and fit that way. Or would I have to just keep the LED pointing straight up?
I wanted to get the right advice before I went ahead to buying the lights and casings.
Thanks
Ngineering has LED's that emit from the side VS the "end".
Yeah I seen those. A bit pricey though. 2 for $7?
Do you have to use resistors with those.
I'm just planning on tying them in with my forward headlights.
Yeah, they're 3V LEDs mostly. Their site tells you what to use.
Dimming white LED's
I think the white LED's are too bright for ditch lights. I installed them on my GP40 and finally removed them because they blinded me when the unit came out a turn. I tried lowering the power some what but that didn’t work. Maybe someone here on the forum knows how to dim them. Their OK for head lights because the light bar cuts the intensity.
NYC_George
Resistors can dim them. If it calls for 680 Ohm, use a 750 ohm, it'll come out dimmer. Best part of the Ngineering is they have an incandescent colored LED, so you don't have to have the bright bluish white!
I found a spot on the RTR Lamp board for Funtions 3 and 4 to hook my LED ditch lights. But now since the lights that come with the engine are 1.5v and that won't be enough for the LEDs. What could I use for the common wire (power) for the LEDs? Could I use the + motor pickup, or the + rail pickup?
Your using DCC? don't use the motor or the rail!!!
Find the common for the other lights and see what voltage/ polarity it is.
Ken.
3mm might work for O scale ditchlights. For HO, I got some surface mount LEDs for 50¢ each at a local surplus store. Tamiya clear orange takes care of the blue. It is a little tricky to get them all the same but can be done, especially remembering I saved $6.
I am not sure where or how to attach them to the RTR board as it confuses me and usually goes away when I install a decoder.
Yeah i'm using DCC. I havent dropped a decoder in this particular engine yet though. I think the polarity/voltage of the light commons are 1.5v since they use 1.5.v bulbs already. Athearn has a diode installed on thier board to keep the lights at that rating when converted over to dcc.
I lready have 1K ohm Resistors solder to the function pads for the Ditch lights. shown in photo above.
Ok so they might not work at 1.5v with the resistors there too, just wire the ditch lights to the decoder when you put one in, most have 12v outputs, your 1k resistor is ideal.
Ken.
Oh ok thanks.
I'm going to use the D13SRJ decoder,i'm just plugging it in. I dont think there a place on the actual decoder to hook up the common. Could I snip the blue wire on the wiring harness that is connect to the light board and use that.
Not familiar with the decoder, but if it's got the wire harness and all the other lights are run off the athearn board then yeah, that'll work. Cut the function output wires too, unless they go to the athearn board?
Ken.
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