Lighting of buidings

[Nobbygas]

Hello,

What do people recommend as the best method to place lighting inside of the buildings? I want some of my buildings to be lit-up from the inside, and I'm also interested in placing some lighting outside of certain buildings, for example, as you see old churches and towers lit-up at night.

 

[Glengrant]

Try Led Flexi strips inside They usually come a metre long but can be cut into groups of 3 and self stick in place. Easy wiring and they should operate from 12v BUT small group of 3 ok on 6 or 9 volts. No rsistors required as they have their own built into the strip. You just cut where it shown on the strip for 3 group segments.
Loads of colours available. Just Google LED FLEXISTRIPS.

OK Ross, at the risk of being considered a namby-pamby, could you help out by naming one or two UK addresses for this, the ones I keep getting are all priced in US $

 

[Zerogee]

A good eBay supplier with UK-held stocks:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320937909009?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648 < Link To http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm...ksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

I've bought from them several times, with no problems. They also do some very useful push-on connectors for LED strips, which avoids the hassle of trying to solder to the little pads on each strip (but note these only work on the NON-WATERPROOF strips, which don't have the clear silicone sealant coating).

Jon.

 

[tramcar trev]

And you could use one of these to dim the lights.....
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless...299&pid=100015&prg=1006&rk=1&sd=400460599789& < Link To http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless-Remote-LED-Light-Dimmer-Brightness-Controller-Switch-DC-12V-Lamp-/400460599789?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D786052http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless...299&pid=100015&prg=1006&rk=1&sd=400460599789& < Link To 5817002033299%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D400460599789%26

 

[beavercreek]

I have run cables around the perimeter of the garden (hidden under earth or bushes etc) which are fed by two or three LGB transformers giving out 19V (I could have used a 2 to 3 amp transformer but had a bunch of the LGB 1 amp jobbies).
The cables then feed into buildings where I use either tungsten or waterproof LED strip (like mentioned) or LED bulbs in tungsten bulb holders.

I like the quality of light from tungsten in and outside some buildings but also like the low current draw from the LEDs. By roughing uo the led bulbs they do spread more light rather than being directional and also by colouring the LED strip with a brown spirit marker they do give a more 'tungsten' light. Some buildings just lend themselves to using LED light.

 

[UKSGR]

Can anyone tell me how long a strip of 3 leds is?

 

[tramcar trev]

Spectacular lighting, absolutely inspiring stuff...
To get a more tungsten temperature (I used that word just to impress you with the fact that I read the data on the leds) to your lights if that's what you want I found if I use a warm white LED then just "turn it on" it gives quite a good representation. I do that with my tramcar head lights, instead of 3.2V I use about 2.9v... does the trick but its best if you fiddle with the voltage using various resistors or an LM319 with a trimpot to adjust the output voltage....

 

[Zerogee]

I have been buying both the Warm White and the Yellow strips from the seller I mentioned above (post 4) in rolls of anything from 1m to 5m. As Ross says, a short strip of 3 LEDs cut from the roll works great on 9volts (a PP3 battery will last for ages running just one or two strips of 3). Buy your PP3s in bulk from somewhere like Rapid and you can get them in "trade" packs for a little over a quid each, as opposed to the usual £4-£5 from retail shops. On a test, I left a PP3 driving 6 leds (two strips of 3 in a coach roof) on permanently for over a week, and it was showing no sign of dying.
I use the yellow LEDs in old-time coaches where I want a soft yellowish light, and the warm white ones in more modern coaches.
As and when I get any of my current "stash" of Pola buildings assembled, I will certainly be using the same LED strips to light them.

Jon.

 

[mike]

leds here, as they are reliable, and easy to use, connected to a 12 volt battey charger in da shed , via a ring main under the railway, not every window ,building is lit, as in real life..some are, some not..