LED lights for your MTH engines- making your own

With PS3, they already should be LEDs. You can replace them if needed. Usually there's a connection problem at the shell if they're out.

With PS2, the main lights will work with LEDs and resistors anywhere between 500 ohms (dim) and down to 200 (bright.) for each.

The PS2 markers are already tiny LEDs wired in series.

If it's factory PS/3, Joe is correct, they're already LED.  If it's a steam upgrade, they're 6V bulbs, and the instructions for PS/2 lights work, the LED and a 220 ohm 1/4w resistor.

I buy my LED's on eBay in quantity for peanuts, I try to have all the colors on hand in 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm sizes.  I also buy the flangeless 3mm LED's, they slide in places where the standard MTH bulbs go smoothly.  I recommend you have warm white and cool white available, that way you can make the headlights match the time period of the locomotive.  Other than special purpose LED's, flickering, flashing, etc., I don't pay more than a few cents for an LED, no reason to have to pay more.

I'm with John (imagine that!). I just got 100 super bright 5mm wide angle for $1.99.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

If it's factory PS/3, Joe is correct, they're already LED.  If it's a steam upgrade, they're 6V bulbs, and the instructions for PS/2 lights work, the LED and a 220 ohm 1/4w resistor.

I buy my LED's on eBay in quantity for peanuts, I try to have all the colors on hand in 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm sizes.  I also buy the flangeless 3mm LED's, they slide in places where the standard MTH bulbs go smoothly.  I recommend you have warm white and cool white available, that way you can make the headlights match the time period of the locomotive.  Other than special purpose LED's, flickering, flashing, etc., I don't pay more than a few cents for an LED, no reason to have to pay more.

thanks john  220ohm 1/4 w resistors.  Get those on Digikey?  Ill look that up.  I may have those anyway from my flickering firebox setups. 

Now the LED's.  What voltage? up to 18v?   and these would be for DC?  since they are coming off the DCS circuit for the headlight?  

where do you get that thin wire that Evans has?  that is like really thin, but great for gluing into the shells and running in tight spots.  

sorry for all the questions!  trying to save money!  thanks!  

chris 

Chris D posted:

thanks john  220ohm 1/4 w resistors.  Get those on Digikey?  Ill look that up.  I may have those anyway from my flickering firebox setups.

You can get 220 ohm 1/4w resistors almost anywhere, certainly Digikey has them.

Chris D posted:

Now the LED's.  What voltage? up to 18v?   and these would be for DC?  since they are coming off the DCS circuit for the headlight?  

I think you need to clarify the question, what exactly are you asking?  The DCS circuit is the one I use a white LED and a 220 ohm resistor on.

Chris D posted:

where do you get that thin wire that Evans has?  that is like really thin, but great for gluing into the shells and running in tight spots.  

I have a large stock of Kynar wire #30 from my wire-wrapping days, I don't know, other than searching for it, where you'd get it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-8mm-...KVI3VJPlEwcT9u0v7cOQ

found these on Ebay.  the small 1.8mm like Evans.    20mA  3 volts looks like.  so using the 220 ohm 1/4 w resistor, I can use these for the markers and headlights an cab lights for my engines.  I can tap off the headlight leads for this setup.    

I found the Kynar #30 wire  at lighthouse LED store   http://lighthouseleds.com/30-a...ered-black-5-ft.html

I know evans uses a capacitor and bridge rectifier for universal use.  

Look closer.  The 1.8mm refers to the bump at the end, the square part is a lot larger than 1.8mm.  Specifically, it's a 2mm x 3mm rectangle with a little 1.8mm bump of a lens on top.  I have them in red, amber, and green, and I've only ever used a couple of the red ones in the last several years.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Look closer.  The 1.8mm refers to the bump at the end, the square part is a lot larger than 1.8mm.  Specifically, it's a 2mm x 3mm rectangle with a little 1.8mm bump of a lens on top.  I have them in red, amber, and green, and I've only ever used a couple of the red ones in the last several years.

John is correct as usual.. Does anyone know a source fora marker lens to add to a Railking E-8 that came with only dimples??

I use the 2mm post LED, drill a 2mm hole and shove them through from the back.  If the post ones aren't large enough, I use 3mm flangeless LED's for the job.

What size are the oem LED marker lights in the later PS3 diesels? I replaced one a couple of years ago in the engine below..a little mismatched..i must have grabbed a "greenie" of a circuit board at the time.

MTH uses 2mm ceramic LED's for many markers.

The one on your locomotive far side looks like a 3mm LED.

GRJ...none on the bay so far

willygee posted:

GRJ...none on the bay so far

edit...Digikey:

http://www.digikey.com/catalog...-flat-top-leds/35259

Those are the LED's used in many of Lionel and MTH class and marker lights, I indeed buy mine from Digikey.  I also occasionally do a global search, I found a place doing a closeout of the red ones and bought fifty of them for 25 cents each, a third of the Digikey price. 

I've seen other types used, Lionel has 2mm post LED's on the GP-7/9 Legacy class lights, and some locomotives use 3mm LED's.

I've used any and all of the above, depending on the specific locomotive and what fits and will look best.

Here are the red ceramic LED's for 50 cents: http://www.surplusgizmos.com/L...LX203CIT_p_2764.html

What is the significance of the "ceramic"?

It enables them to make a true 2mm LED that doesn't have a larger base, apparently they can't do that with the standard molded plastic manufacturing process, at least I've never seen one.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the 2mm post LED, drill a 2mm hole and shove them through from the back.  If the post ones aren't large enough, I use 3mm flangeless LED's for the job.

   

hmm. those look alot better.  First im going to drill out the J class markers.  there are none in there. these look like it would fit nicely from the inside of the shell.  In the J class. I assume that Yellow is the way to go on the steamers. 

http://www.digikey.com/product...t=LNG422YKY&v=10

John, digikey has that post through type in amber.  color looks bland. but do they emit a nice yellow?  ever use these ones?    2.2 volts at 20mA.  

I buy mine cheaply on eBay.  I have a number of styles and colors, I've never been at a loss to find one in the collection that works out.  As far as the "bland" color, the color of the plastic has nothing to do with the color emitted.  I have LED's that are red, amber, green, blue, and white, all are in water clear plastic.  I don't know the exact color those will emit, but conveniently Digikey has provided a full specification.

Looks like around 580nm is the peak of the light output, let's look at a color chart.

Looks like it's between orange and yellow, that would indeed be amber.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use the 2mm post LED, drill a 2mm hole and shove them through from the back.  If the post ones aren't large enough, I use 3mm flangeless LED's for the job.

   

John, apparently I'm not searching in the right place(s).. Would you provide a link(s) to these LEDs?? TIA

Neel

Go to eBay and search for "2mm tower led".

For the flangless models, search for "3mm flangeless LED"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100x-W...b:g:bm8AAOSwtfhYq6bn

Product Description

Chris D posted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100x-W...b:g:bm8AAOSwtfhYq6bn

Product Description

Package Type: 3mm Round Top Flangeless LED

Lens: Diffused

Wavelength: 3500k (Warm White)

Quantity: 100x

Voltage: (DC) 3.0v - 3.4v

Current: 20 mA

Brightness: 16000 MCD

Angle: 140-160 degrees

 

Voltage DC 3 to 3.4v.     I want to use these in my F3 ABA.  there are 3 lights for headlight, markers, and 1 cab.  Im assuming the incadescent ones use alot more voltage?     220 ohm 1/4 watt resistor.  do they mark the polarity of these things?  

 

thanks 

Chris 

The long lead is "+" .

There are two ways to tell.  Most of the time the long lead is positive, but I have several in captivity that the short lead is positive.  Look through the side of the LED plastic, the smaller electrode is positive.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

There are two ways to tell.  Most of the time the long lead is positive, but I have several in captivity that the short lead is positive.  Look through the side of the LED plastic, the smaller electrode is positive.

Well, if you're looking to increase your inmate population, I'll send you some of these... smaller electrode is negative.  But you'll have to look far and wide for one of these exceptions.

Yet another way typically found on the common 3mm and 5mm diameter LEDs is if the base looks like a "D" instead of a round "O".  In which case the flat side is usually negative.  The example above is also a counter-example.

For eBay no-name LEDs without a datasheet, I'd just hook it with your resistor and see which way works and note the physical attribute whatever it may be (terminal length, electrode size, flat base edge, whatever).  Then assume that's what it is for batch and mark the bag accordingly for your future reference.

Interesting Stan, I never saw one where the big electrode was the positive, there's an exception to every rule!

One of the better investments I made was the $2 LED tester.  It's always in the drawer of the workbench and I can quickly test an LED instead of grabbing a resistor and hooking it up to the DC supply.

I wonder if it's worth the extra 6 cents to have "TESTER" in English than Chinese?

Stan, mine is the English version.

Well i just bought one..thank god for E Packet

good enough!