CoggesRailway
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and nice to see mr hub around !
Ruritanian Railways - 2012
- Thread starter whatlep
- Start date
whatlep
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In the continuing cold weather, Zenda depot has taken the opportunity to install new lighting in the various railbus vehicles. Two different LED systems have been installed for comparative purposes. The important feature of both is that they feature "surface mounted diodes (SMDs)" rather than the more common bulb variety. These are powerful, yet very small LEDs as will be seen.
The first offering is a 330mm lighting bar from Massoth. This is specially designed to fit in a Piko railbus, even having a notch to match the Piko interior moulding, but it can be used in a wide variety of vehicles as described in the instructions. Even better, you can cut it in two and produce two 165mm long lighting bars for use in LGB 300mm coaches! Mine cost Euros 14.35 from Modell-land in Germany (plus postage). The first couple of pictures show the basic installation.
The bar comes complete with wiring to link it to a power supply and two screws to attach it to the railbus (or a vehice roof). As you can see, it's necessary to make soldered joints to the bar, a skill at which Zenda depot is still on a learning curve! Power input can be AC or DC. The manufacturer recommends 14-24 volts input to avoid flickering lights, but tests have shown that a 9 volt battery works well. On Ruritania's DCC fitted railbus and trailer, the bars have been fitted directly to the F1 and constant positive terminals on a Massoth XL decoder. The miniature size of SMDs can be seen by the one just right of the "+" and "-" markings in the next picture.
The light bar works oustandingly well - in fact too well in one respect. The white light output by the 8 SMDs fitted is piercing and really too much. One of the depot staff came up with a solution to this which has made matters better, though still rather brighter than the management would really like. The individual concerned likes to - as you say in English - "pimp his wheels" with coloured film on his car headlights. Some strips of this self-adhesive film have been wrapped round the light bar, producing a rather less intense effect. That's another SMD just to the right of the word Massoth, by the way.
The first offering is a 330mm lighting bar from Massoth. This is specially designed to fit in a Piko railbus, even having a notch to match the Piko interior moulding, but it can be used in a wide variety of vehicles as described in the instructions. Even better, you can cut it in two and produce two 165mm long lighting bars for use in LGB 300mm coaches! Mine cost Euros 14.35 from Modell-land in Germany (plus postage). The first couple of pictures show the basic installation.
The bar comes complete with wiring to link it to a power supply and two screws to attach it to the railbus (or a vehice roof). As you can see, it's necessary to make soldered joints to the bar, a skill at which Zenda depot is still on a learning curve! Power input can be AC or DC. The manufacturer recommends 14-24 volts input to avoid flickering lights, but tests have shown that a 9 volt battery works well. On Ruritania's DCC fitted railbus and trailer, the bars have been fitted directly to the F1 and constant positive terminals on a Massoth XL decoder. The miniature size of SMDs can be seen by the one just right of the "+" and "-" markings in the next picture.
The light bar works oustandingly well - in fact too well in one respect. The white light output by the 8 SMDs fitted is piercing and really too much. One of the depot staff came up with a solution to this which has made matters better, though still rather brighter than the management would really like. The individual concerned likes to - as you say in English - "pimp his wheels" with coloured film on his car headlights. Some strips of this self-adhesive film have been wrapped round the light bar, producing a rather less intense effect. That's another SMD just to the right of the word Massoth, by the way.
whatlep
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While our colleague was in the "pimp your wheels" part of Zenda's car parts shop (von Helfurds), he noticed this product on sale at the equivalent of GBP2.79. Subsequent research has shown that such items can be purchased on eBay for 99p each! These are strips of SMD LEDs, normally available in 300mm or 600mm lengths and able to be trimmed to other lengths if required. The strips come ready wired and with a self-adhesive backing handy for sticking to coach roofs.
As the strips are for car use, 12 volts DC is specified, but, as might be expected, tests have shown that 9 volts is ample and the strips will tolerate 18 volts (though for how long we cannot say). On our DCC fitted vehicles, the strips will be connected directly to the usual Massoth XL chip, with the F1 voltage adjusted downwards to 12 volts via the relevant CV. On a trailer car without DCC supply, a simple 9 volt battery has been used. There is no on/off switch : the battery connector acts as one. The pictures should make everything clear. Note that this was a 600mm strip, trimmed down.
The light from this product is very muted, even at 12 volts. In contrast to the Massoth bar it is probably too muted, though further trials will be made as different suppliers' products do produce different levels of "whiteness". Given a choice, most passengers prefer the more muted lighting at night and this product's price is significantly better from Ruritanian Railways viewpoint!
Once again - modern ideas from Ruritania!
As the strips are for car use, 12 volts DC is specified, but, as might be expected, tests have shown that 9 volts is ample and the strips will tolerate 18 volts (though for how long we cannot say). On our DCC fitted vehicles, the strips will be connected directly to the usual Massoth XL chip, with the F1 voltage adjusted downwards to 12 volts via the relevant CV. On a trailer car without DCC supply, a simple 9 volt battery has been used. There is no on/off switch : the battery connector acts as one. The pictures should make everything clear. Note that this was a 600mm strip, trimmed down.
The light from this product is very muted, even at 12 volts. In contrast to the Massoth bar it is probably too muted, though further trials will be made as different suppliers' products do produce different levels of "whiteness". Given a choice, most passengers prefer the more muted lighting at night and this product's price is significantly better from Ruritanian Railways viewpoint!
Once again - modern ideas from Ruritania!
CoggesRailway
Registered
execllent will be interested to see some pics of the results in a darkened room!
shropshire lad
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I use strips like these for coach lighting,you get a good run time off a PP3 rechargable and they look great. 
whatlep
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yb281 said:All hail the downtrodden masses of Ruritania! Thanks to their most excellent efforts, the population of the Wetton Valley may well be experiencing the delights of electric lighting to see them through the Summer nights this year.
Hope the Gooey peasants can work out that electrickery doesn't leak out of the sockets like gas does. Nor do you have to light it with a match....
beavercreek
Travel, Art, Theatre, Music, Photography, Trains
Great Find Peter
Do the strip lights at £2.79 have a capacitor to reduce flickering like the Massoth ones? What are they like at track power?
Do the strip lights at £2.79 have a capacitor to reduce flickering like the Massoth ones? What are they like at track power?
whatlep
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beavercreek said:
No to the capacitor, though I've not observed any flickering so far. I'm still testing the "pimp my rides" so I'll post more results as I have them. On battery power they are excellent, so they will certainly have a role in Ruritania's buildings. At 99p a time from eBay (ex Hong Kong) they're a no-brainer on a 9 volt PP3 or 12 volt Li-ion battery in my removable buildings.
whatlep
Registered
Oh dear, another embarrassing incident with the French ambassador this evening. In an attempt to erase the hideous memory of the pre-Gourmino catering incident http://www.gscalecentral.net/fb.ashx?m=72647 France's representative was invited to review the new LED lighting systems at Zenda depot. First he was shown the cheap Chinese system. Remarkably, he understood the phrases "light strip" and "pimp my ride" immediately and was all smiles. Here's a picture of the railbus in daylight with the lights on and then in complete darkness.
Not very bright, I think you'll agree. Indeed Monsieur L'ambassadeur made a very amusing comparison to a foreign finance ministry at this point, but discretion prevents us saying more. So does the lack of a Greek character set. Further Chinese LED strips will be tried to see if a better light results.
On then to the Massoth LEDs. The ambassador was informed that the system was German engineered and it was then activated. The ensuing few seconds are unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry. Cries of "Non Fritz, pas encore la lumiere!" rang out, followed by "I surrender" in three different languages. Assured that he could lower his hands, His Excellency's bodyguard was handed back his pistol and the tour hastily concluded before the visitors could partake of a small offering of our national dish, black pudding and pork scratchings in a curry sauce.
Anyway, for what it's worth, pictures of the Massoth equipment by day and night:
Zenda depot wits are now cruelly claiming that the Massoth system is brighter than a French soldier's white flag. Oh dear, oh dear.
Not very bright, I think you'll agree. Indeed Monsieur L'ambassadeur made a very amusing comparison to a foreign finance ministry at this point, but discretion prevents us saying more. So does the lack of a Greek character set. Further Chinese LED strips will be tried to see if a better light results.
On then to the Massoth LEDs. The ambassador was informed that the system was German engineered and it was then activated. The ensuing few seconds are unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry. Cries of "Non Fritz, pas encore la lumiere!" rang out, followed by "I surrender" in three different languages. Assured that he could lower his hands, His Excellency's bodyguard was handed back his pistol and the tour hastily concluded before the visitors could partake of a small offering of our national dish, black pudding and pork scratchings in a curry sauce.
Anyway, for what it's worth, pictures of the Massoth equipment by day and night:
Zenda depot wits are now cruelly claiming that the Massoth system is brighter than a French soldier's white flag. Oh dear, oh dear.
playmofire
Registered
The Massooth is by far the better both for intensity and colour.
jameshilton
Registered
Peter, I presume the Massoth has the 'yellow' wrap added - that would help the colour of the 'el cheapo' solution from China 
I look forward to the resolution as I want to add lighting to my remaining driving railcar
I look forward to the resolution as I want to add lighting to my remaining driving railcar
garrymartin
My Family,Railways, Beer and the Seaside
In the first night picture it looks as if your DMU has been fitted with one of those UV things for killing insects, a bit like a chip shop 
Still at that price the experiment was worth it for the benefit of us all.
Still at that price the experiment was worth it for the benefit of us all.
beavercreek
Travel, Art, Theatre, Music, Photography, Trains
I have tried to find them at £2.79 on Halford's site and at 99p on ebay but no luck. Could you post any links if possible Peter?whatlep said:
whatlep
Registered
beavercreek said:
Try this. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45fc8c032e
Usually under "car tuning & styling" on eBay. Keywords LED strip flexible.