LEDs for Menard Buildings

41woodieOGR Forum Member

I have several Menard structures on my layout including "Moe's Garage" quonset hut. The LEDs on it were just fine until recently. First one failed to light and today the other flickered several times and went out. There appears to be voltage at the base of both tiny little bulbs but as far as my electrical knowledge is concerned LEDs were left on our planet by an alien space craft and are not to be understood by man-kind.

Is there anything in particular to trouble shoot or do I just replace the "bulbs", and on that subject does anyone know a source for the bulbs Menards use?

1/15/176:53 PM

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cjackOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

What was the voltage on the wall wart you were using?

1/15/177:18 PM

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41woodieOGR Forum Member

I was using the wart that came with the Menard buildings, I believe it is 4.5v

1/15/177:37 PM

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cjackOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

There is a thread or two on how the Menards wall wart is unregulated and double or higher in voltage than what is written on the unit. That would eventually cause LEDs to fail. If you can, measure the actual voltage coming out of the wart.

1/15/177:49 PM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

The Menard's wall wart is your problem. After you fix the LED's, get a properly regulated wall wart.

1/15/178:27 PM

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41woodieOGR Forum Member

I'm beginning to not like LED's....I'll measure the wart voltage and see what's up. Any thoughts on a source for the "bulbs"

1/15/178:40 PM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

LED's are fine, incandescent bulbs will also burn out if you put two to three times their rated voltage on them.

What exactly do the LED's look like, if they are common type LED's, there is a host of sources, and they're dirt cheap as well.

1/15/178:57 PM

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41woodieOGR Forum Member

Thanks for all of the suggestions and thoughts. Today I ordered a new wall wart and a selection of LEDS, connectors, wiring etc from Evans Design. After this thread and some further research I'm jumping in with both feet, will update when the items arrive and I give it a go

1/17/178:27 PM

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