I really don't think it would take very long to sell 500 of them.

Gunrunner, check your email.

I thought that about the Super-Chuffer, but I was wrong.

If you decide to sell some of your first boards as a kit I'll take 10 or 12.

Sounds good, I sent you an email.

 

John I kinda understand the issue with the chuffer board. Someone like me who doesnt really know much about electrical is too intimidated to try and use that. Half the battle is getting the engines apart. Then when you open them up....its like WHOA! Now what? I hope I can get it back together and it works properly. I want to upgrade my Pecos River Hudson to ERR with a smoke unit and your chuffer board, but I'll have to pay someone to do it. I wouldnt even think about trying it......YET!

Now the light circuit.... no problem. I'll take apart any passenger car or caboose and install LEDs with your new board. Im not at all intimidated by that, maybe a lot has to do with cost of the item Im working on. A $1200 engine or a $150 passenger car or $75 caboose. To me, upgrading lighting for passenger cars is much easier to even consider that upgrading electronics in a steam engine.

Let me know when you want a chuffer board installed.  I'm pretty sure I'm the resident expert on that particular install.

 

I also agree. I have a lot to learn about smoke units.  Fan drive vs puffer and so on.  What situation is the chuffer board called for?  I wouldn't put it in my newer Legacy engines.  

I am good at basic electronics but need more experience with engines.  Upgrading passenger car lighting is much easier and don't need any knowledge except basic electronics. The audience is much much larger for passenger car lighting. 

I may have a coupled of engines that might qualify for the chuffer board but I have ~ 23 passenger cars that could use LED lighting, many others have much more.

Dan

GRJ,

 

I think Laidoffsick has brought up a valid point about your chuffer board.  I can see where many people would hesitate to purchase because of their comfort level with installing.

 

The one thing that I am curious about that has not been brought up yet is how many passenger cars are out there versus the number of steam locomotives.  I know many of us have more locomotives than we need (or than freight/passenger cars).  It would seem that demand for your passenger car lighting board could be greater just due to the "installed base".

 

I know you mentioned a minimum number for production of the board.  If you offer the complete kit, is there a similar issue with the balance of components (LEDs, etc.)?  If not, would an option to purchase board only or complete kit increase your potential customer base?

 

Thanks for your efforts.

 

Larry 

Interesting point Larry, I can't really say.  In order to get the price on the assembly down to a reasonable level, I have to assemble 500 boards!  So, I'd like to be fairly certain of a market before I commit to that expense, since you obviously have to have the components before you can send them out for assembly.  I could have several Vision Line Big Boys instead of a box of electronic parts, so it's something to consider before leaping off that bridge.

 

I am giving some thought on how to package this.  Selling the kits individually ends up being somewhat expensive to package, so I was thinking of selling them in some multiples.  I hate to run up the cost just to have a bunch of separate packages, I'm sure most folks would rather have one package and a cheaper price.

 

Having an option for just boards is something that I've considered, and I'm likely to have them both complete and just the boards. 

 

 

2, 6, and 12 packs.... no, not beer!

Pretty good packaging for beer as well.

 

John, email me when you get a chance please.  

In Tamiya's airplane model kits that have electrical wiring they pre-strip wires leaving the insulation on.  As shown in the inset the modeler then slowly twists the insulation when pulling it off and the stranded wires neatly wrap in a bundle rather than having to twist tiny bare wires.  I always thought this was a nice touch - perhaps other kit vendors do this too but this was where I first saw it.

 

 

I don't know if by 6" you mean 150mm like in these ridiculously priced (~10 cents) eBay wired connectors but note how they have short stripped ends too short for splicing.  Most guys might have a basic wire-cutter/stripper, but it still takes some finesse to strip small gauge wires without nicking or whacking off some strands.

 

John, Ill take 25 or 30 depending on the kit size when your ready

John, For a 70' Full vista dome car with lights above and below, are two of these units required or will one handle both upper and lower lights? will simple instructions be included for the electrically challenged?  Thanks,  Joe

Forgive me if this was already answered, but what is the minimum voltage needed to get the lights to turn on? I'm pure conventional, and would be concerned if it won't come on at low speed.

 

I made a rig that works at about 3 volts, which is also about the same minimum voltage to get a conventional motor running. I used bridge rectifier and a voltage regulator module that came pre-built from China (and has been discussed on this forum before).

 

Have you considered doing a Kickstarter project? Good way to gauge interest, and raise capitol for the first run.

These modules are really more for command.  Since the strips require around 10 volts to light at a decent intensity, you need around 7-8 volts on the track for them to light.  I have posted voltage doubler circuits that are more appropriate for conventional lighting, they allow you to operate down to 3-4 volts on the track.

 

I think a Kickstarter project would be for something a bit more involved.

 

Thanks John!

 

I'll stick with my rig then. Bit more work, but works well for conventional.

 

And 500 boards sounds pretty involved to me!

Are you using 12V LED strips?  Are you using a boost-only, or a buck-boost regulator module?  I think there are other conventional operators who would be interested.

 

GRJ's new board comes the closest, but to my knowledge, no one offers the "universal" solution to drive 12V LED lighting strips that handles DC, AC, conventional, and command (TMCC/DCS/DCC).

No. Just 6 separate LEDs run in parallel.

 

I'm off camping with Scouts this weekend. When I get back I'll try to post a pic of my rig with parts list. I made it about a year ago, and haven't gotten back to it.

LED's in parallel usually work if they're identical types, but variations in intensity are common.  Since you have a fixed voltage going to them with plenty of current that works for you, I'd stick with what you have.

 

 

After a long, exhausting weekend of camping with Scouts (many smores were defeated in tests of endurance!), here is my lighting rig:

 

It includes a 1A/50V Silicon Bridge Rectifier (far right), a LM2596 Output 1.23V-30V DC-DC Buck Converter Step Down Module Power Supply and four 'super-bright' warm white LEDs wired in parallel.

 

Since this was just a test, I used the finest recycled cookie box available as a support for the LEDs. I metered the step-down converter and adjusted the pot to the voltage needed for the LEDs (approximately 3V).

 

All parts were purchased through Ebay in quantity so as to keep the cost down, and were shipped from far shores.

 

For conventional use there is no way to avoid the lights going out while changing directions (at least not without a capacitor of some kind). But for my purposes this is enough. Once the lights are on they stay on at the same brightness. And 4 LEDs was enough to light a baby Madison passenger car throughout.

 

Using the LM2596 step-down converter was not originally my idea. I 'appropriated' it from another post of this forum. Unfortunately I don't recall who's it was, so I can not give proper credit.

Would this still work in command?  I'm one that wants LED lighting in everything I have, but it has to work in conventional and command as I run everything in both environments.

If you use a bridge rectifier on the input, you can probably get down to around 5 volts track voltage to light the LED's.

 

John, I look forward to you making these available. I will be in need of a few!

John, How could I find this post?

 

These modules are really more for command.  Since the strips require around 10 volts to light at a decent intensity, you need around 7-8 volts on the track for them to light.  I have posted voltage doubler circuits that are more appropriate for conventional lighting, they allow you to operate down to 3-4 volts on the track

I have posted many voltage doubler circuits in the past for conventional lighting.  Of course, you have to be somewhat careful with voltage doublers!  I tried to use one to make the Super-Chuffer work with conventional, and it was successful.  However, when I went full throttle, it exceeded the input voltage specification for my power module and promptly cooked the power module and the processor!  It worked great at low voltage, not so good across the whole voltage range!

 

 Here's one of many versions of voltage doubler circuits for conventional running I've posted.  I suggest the use of the LM317T for this circuit as it'll dissipate more heat than the small TO-92 package.  When the track voltage gets up at a higher level, you need that capability.  In addition, you may have to consider the use of the LM317HV for the high voltage input if the track voltage gets up near 18 volts.

 

 

 

RJR;

     I'd be glad to prepay/preorder multiple (dozens?) LED boards. I have many cars just waiting. Any timeline projections yet for probable availability?

 

Wally

Very soon Wally, the assembly house is running them early next week, the bare PCB's are back from China.  By the end of the week I hope to have production boards.  I have to package them up, but they're in the pipeline now.

 

Great GRJ; And maybe in time for Christmas(?) open houses with long lines of 60 and 70-ft softly-lit Madisons and Heavyweights! Hallellujah! "For those who wait patiently..."

 

I'm having an open house next week for my local club but they can all come back later.

 

Thanks for your considerable efforts.

 

Wally

Well, the boards are back, being processed now.   I thought it might be interesting to some to see how it's done.

 

Here's the progress pictures.  They come in panelized 20 in a panel.  That allows the assembly house to do less board handling and keeps the cost of production down.  After I get them, I have to add the one thru-hole part, the regulator.  Finally, I split them apart and they're ready to use.

 

For the complete kits, these get some pigtails and a connector at one end.  Of course, the LED strip, splices, and adhesive pad are added to the full kit as well.

Shipment from assembly house.

 

 

After adding thru-hole regulator.

 

 

Completed boards ready for packaging.

 

Yes, I would be one of the some that are interested in seeing all this from start to finish, they look very nice, thanks for posting.

This is neat!

how soon can we order?  price?

Soon.   Trying to digest all this stuff and figure it out.  All the materials are in, just have to put things together.

 

Updated product links in previous message.

 

suggestion box.  attach the plug and wires to the board.  Or at least sell the plug with the board so it can be soldered on.  thanks

The passenger car lighting kit that has parts for two cars has both the plug and track power wires soldered to the board.  The included LED strips also have the wire with mating plug soldered.  The kit is designed to be solderless for easy of installation with crimp splices for the track power..

 

The regulator boards are for the DIY folks that would rather wire their cars to their own specifications and not be limited to the kit configuration.