How big a deal is it to go to LED's for model lighting? How long do the standard incandescent bulbs usually last in model buildings? The same for street lights? I know that LED's last longer, use less power, and aren't nearly as hot, but is it worth it to replace everything?
Art
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Well, I don't think so to the point I do it all the time. I replace incadescent with LEDs when ever:
-I am up against a power limit. I have a 4-pullmor motor Lionel Superchief set with seven cars to which I have added two additional ones. With all incandescent lighting in those nine cars, and the four motors it had, it pull 11 amps when starting out - more than my ZW-L will provide without tripping its breaker. Replacement of incand. with LEDs reduced that to about 6-7 amps.
- or whenever they burn out
- or when I think the heat they cause might melt/damage something
- or when I want a softer or more even look. LED's alone don't necessarily do this, but if I have to take part, say, a caboose because the single bulb inside it is both visible through the windows and too intense in one area, I will replace the bulb with an LED(s) while moving them to the roof/installing relfectors and shades, etc.
I buy 12V LEDs and just wire them in directly - I seldom run trains at over that and run most accessories at that so they seem to last a long time.
LED strips are relatively inexpensive on eBay. They provide more consistent lighting without hot spots and as has been said low power and less heat.
Can they be powered by a z500 transformer?
How big a deal is it to go to LED's for model lighting? How long do the standard incandescent bulbs usually last in model buildings? The same for street lights? I know that LED's last longer, use less power, and aren't nearly as hot, but is it worth it to replace everything?
Art
Funny you should ask that today. After years of watching switch lanterns melt under heat of running at 18 volts in command, last week I replaced the 24 volt bayonett base lamps in 8 of my PW switches and 24 of my modern era Lionel O-72 switches with multidirectional LED's. Would have done it years ago had I located a multidifectional LED bright enough and cheap enough for the switches.
I will probably use the 24 volt lamps in pre command era passenger cars and cabeese that have sat for years because of their low voltage lamps.
Joe
Have any of you used the LED replacement bulbs in your buildings? At first LED's didn't have the warm white color spectrum bulbs and looked too much like fluorescent lights to me. Now I have been getting rolls of the warm white, but have not used any bulb replacements yet.
Art
Now I have been getting rolls of the warm white, but have not used any bulb replacements yet.
They have the look your going for, you'll like them.
I agree about the earlier bluish LED's. I just pulled out an early Atlas RS
-1 that has bluish LED's for the headlights. I need to replace them with the warm white LED's.
This is what I use. 100 of them for $50.00.
Have any of you used the LED replacement bulbs in your buildings? At first LED's didn't have the warm white color spectrum bulbs and looked too much like fluorescent lights to me. Now I have been getting rolls of the warm white, but have not used any bulb replacements yet.
Art
Art,
I've been using the bulbs for almost six-years. I've yet to have any burn out either. I prefer the blue/white light over the warm white. Each and everyone of my passenger cars and my engines are now LED/bulbs. I was using one Lionel Z-Type Transformer just to power all my lighting. Now, I'm using less than 1/4 as much power. With the LED/bulbs there's no heat generated. On my layout I now have over 125 LED/bulbs. I like them so much I plan to add another thirty streetlights.
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