I have several building fronts that I want to install over a photo backdrop. How can I show lighting in some of the building windows? I would expect to use LEDs for this effect, but I haven't a clue how to make some, not all of the building windows glow from interior lighting.
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I assume that the building fronts are thick enough to allow them to be wired for small gauge wiring for LED's.
I would check out evandesigns.com for model railroad LED lights, wiring and associated products.
You might also look at Miller Engineering for small window signage. I believe both are either Forum sponsors or advertisers.
Most building flats are not 100% flat. They’re usually an inch or so deep. If all they are is front faces, then add 1/2” or so of material to the sides to give yourself some room to run some LEDs behind the windows.
Miller engineering sells EL panels which are flat, but I don’t think you’d get the right effect to light windows here and there.
FWIW, I'd recommend one of two basic approaches: Either run individual LEDs to the windows you want to light, or use a strip of LEDs to light the entire building flat interior & black out the windows you don't want to light up.
Evan designs does have good options for lighting individual windows, as noted above (i.e. a single lead with multiple bulbs fanned out from it). With this option, you could potentially frame/box in the window on the interior to contain the light for each lit window. If lighting the entire inside, you can black out the windows you don't want to light up with black posterboard (which would be behind any glass/curtains/shades/etc), but you also need to better ensure the back/sides are sealed to prevent light leaks. The latter is my preferred method for the sake of efficiency, but I use both.
One additional thought - depending on the brand of building/flat, you'll want to coat the inside with black spray paint (or silver spray paint) to prevent the building itself from glowing when lit. First building I tried to detail out was made of thin plastic and had an unfortunate "glow" that ruined the night-time effect.
Some of these building fronts are prints on foam core and some are Korber castings. I intend to place them on large panels of masonite which have background scenery prints glued onto them. The masonite panels will then be sitting in a groove cut into 1x2 boards screwed to the wall and finished in a neutral color, wall color, or black. The lighted buildings are intended to enhance the effect of night time scenes. There is an elevated level of wood deck/walkway along the wall behind the train tables for gaining access to trains on the far side. Tables with track are six to eight feet wide so the elevated walkways are important. There should be sufficient room behind the backdrop panels for running wiring for leds or possible animation of "something else." Any elevation of building fronts attached to the scenery/backdrop panels could create a hazard for catching on clothing when using the walkways. I'm a bit of a dare devil, so I'm not reluctant to build these backdrops with some projection from the wall. Thank you if you have already offered suggestions for lighting. I will apply all the good ideas offered on this forum.
One problem with LEDs in tight places is that it is difficult to get uniform lighting without hot spots. One trick for this is to make little light pipes of the kind that Lionel used to use in their high-end cabooses. Just get a clear stick of acrylic, grind one end into a wedge, and shine the LED into the other end, parallel to the face of your flat.
Another approach is to use UV fluorescent paint on the windows and light them from the front with a UV spotlight.
One very simple solution if you have a few inches of room behind the flats and the mounting material. is a simple 7 watt bulb in a lamp socket mounted so the bulb shines where you want the light. here is an example. $4. bucks gaet a few of them... and your in business... These have 6 foot cords... 7 watt bulb is a very tiny round bulb.. they are available in LED format also. but are much brighter then the incandescent type... they run cool not hot due to the very low wattage'...
I use strip LED's for all my lighting, just block out the windows you don't want illuminated. Here is my Hood's milk factory which was built only with the fronts of the buildings 2" deep on the right side and 1/2" on the left front. The building on the left is not illuminated but has white paper in the windows , the other windows have frosted acetate to let the light show.
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