I've got several cabs on the layout now and I think it would be fun to light up the overhead light on them if possible. Has anyone done that. There is 8-12 volts AC or DC just below the position of the lights. I figure someone has probably done this. I have a small package of yellow 3.5 V LEDs, but am not sure that is the way to go.
I'm particularly stymied about if, how, and what to make in place of removing the stock lights, which is not feasible to fit with a light, ear as I can tell.
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I've got several cabs on the layout now and I think it would be fun to light up the overhead light on them if possible. Has anyone done that? There is 8-12 volts AC or DC just below the position of the lights. I figure someone has probably done this and can explain how best to do it. I have a small package of yellow 3.5 V LEDs, but am not sure that is the way to go.
I'm particularly stymied about if, how, and what to make in place of removing the stock lights, which is not feasible to fit with a light, ear as I can tell.
Can't help much other than I got a completely lighted taxi at this past York. It has headlights, tail lights, and of course the taxi sign on top is illuminated. Have not put it on the layout yet....
Alan
Lee
This should be an easy job for you to do. I am not familiar with the cabs you are using but have done many others. If the top sign is made of plastic and attached through the roof with pins which are usually melted over it should be simple. The plastic will transfer the light to the sign. This is the type of led I would use for this I get them here:
He will send the resistors for free just request them with order.
This below is based on a 12dc power source:
Take the led and sand a little off the top of the rounded surface making it slightly flat place a (470 ohm for white 560 ohm for yellow) resistor on the + side. Place the led tight against the plastic inside the car hold it in place with hot glue. I hide the wires behind the door pillars.
Hook it to the 12V dc. I place a piece of electrical tape over the lighting so it does not show inside the car.
Just make sure to insulate the leads on the led from the metal body of the car.
If the car does not have plastic pins you will have to remove the sign. Use the same led listed but place shrink tubing over the leads. Drill two small holes in the roof under where the sign mounts so the led will sit inside the sign wire the same as above.
If you are going to reverse voltage in the cars to back them up you will need to also add a bridge rectifier to the dc side so the led will not go out in reverse.
Headlights (warm white) and taillights (red diffused) are done the same way if they have the plastic lens coming through the body I use 3mm led’s for this using the same installation method. The taillights usually do not have the plastic so I just drill them out and use the led mounted inside the body and just let the light shine out. I always sand the tip of the led’s for use as vehicle lighting. If the taillights are really small I use fiber optic strands back to a single led.
I know this is long but could not think of a shorter way to describe this.
Thanks guys. I have a package of twelve LEDs that look to be identical to those NelsonW gave me a link to. Also so 600 ohm resistors -I'm going to try that. I'm just going to light the top roof-mounted cab light, not the headlights, etc.: they will be driving around during the day.
The cars, by the way, are a Solido '50 Chevy, an Amer Hobby '60 Checker, and an American Heritage '50 Ford, all diecast models grafted onto K-Line and WBB 'Streets chassis and all normally run at about 11-12 VDC.
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