Warning on Woodland Scenic's LED's.....

Thanks for the good info Dave !

Sorry for your troubles, but I didn't even know this lighting systems existed.  It seems like a real useful lighting system, but now I am forewarned about the voltage.

Alan

Yup, the instructions are pretty clear that their Hub must be used after the power supply.  It's a great plug and play piece when used correctly.

I intended on adding real lights for the fake lights.. I would have tied them in too. now I wont

THANKS for the warning.

Janitor John posted:

Yup, the instructions are pretty clear that their Hub must be used after the power supply.  It's a great plug and play piece when used correctly.

No instructions are included with lights and none are online.....be great customer service if it was in either place.  Because I wasted this much money AFTER checking the WS site.....I'll source my own and KNOW the requirements. 

https://woodlandscenics.woodla...w/Item/JP5701/page/1

Looking at their system (via the link Falconservice provided) I quickly realized what WS is selling is essentially an overbuilt version of a lighting system I use at Halloween. 

I do a big haunted graveyard setup in my front yard , where the  lighting  is via LEDs mounted in stakes made out of PVC plumbing (tip: if you want to make something look creepy, light it from ground level).    Power for the whole shebang -- which includes over 30 stakes -- is via a single 12volt 1 Amp wall wart, which was scrounged from a pile of leftover ones I have.  Power is distributed via lightweight cable (surplus antenna rotator control wire) using male and female RCA connectors  -- which are cheap if purchased in bulk -- to feed power via daisy chain.    My entire cost to build this (PVC pipe, cable, LEDs, resistors and connectors) was less than $40.        

falconservice posted:

https://woodlandscenics.woodla...w/Item/JP5701/page/1

 

Yep..saw that on the website......no mention that it is THE power converter required......and not much help with this handful of burnt LEDs I now own.....but thanks for participating!!!

That HUB should be the first thing that is required to purchase before getting any of their LEDs. It is not obvious on the website.

Andrew

It's unfortunate when someone purchase's a product and attempts to install it without first researching all aspects of the instillation, then tries to infer that somehow the manufacture is to blame.

It was clear to me when I first purchased this Woodlands Scenic's product that all the items pictures in the add were required.  It is a complete system, which is expandable. 

I find this system to work very well if installed properly.

NYC 428 posted:

Its unfortunate when someone purchase's a product and attempts to install it without first researching all aspects of the instillation, then tries to infer that somehow the manufacture is to blame.

It was clear to me when I first purchased this Woodlands Sonics product that all the items pictures in the add were required.  It is a complete system, which is expandable. 

I find this system to work very well if installed properly.

 

Thank you, NYC 428.
I was just going to say the same thing. It is a "System" and I had no problem understanding that after watching the "Just Plug Lighting System" video. It works very well for me and I really like that the lights can be dimmed.

Big Jim posted 

Thank you, NYC 428.
I was just going to say the same thing. It is a "System" and I had no problem understanding that after watching the "Just Plug Lighting System" video. It works very well for me and I really like that the lights can be dimmed.

As I stated...I check the WS site a number of times before proceeding. The entire text of the 'HUB'  is about it's features and how handy it is.....

'Add up to four Just Plug LED lights of your choice to a project quickly and easily. Regulate light brightness with individual dimmer controls. Add an optional Auxiliary Switch for convenient operation.'

If it said 'required for operation' I might have bought one. I didn't understand WS was into proprietary systems....much like Microsoft.....but we all LOVE them right??? 

I was just attempting to keep others from the $30 'flash'. 

Dave, Sorry for that less than great event. Personally i found this system way over-priced, and prefer to build my own from the few thousand LED's i've acquired from various vendors in China.

Thank you for letting us know what not to do.

modeltrainsparts posted:

Dave, Sorry for that less than great event. Personally i found this system way over-priced, and prefer to build my own from the few thousand LED's i've acquired from various vendors in China.

Thanks.....My dealer was marking down the stick ons and made them quick and I thought easy. I too will plan ahead better and do as you do. 

Dave I did the same thing.   I did buy the power pack, the power hub, and the light hub.   NO WHERE in the instructions does it say not to plug  anything into the power hub.   And all of the hubs accept the plugs on the buildings and singles.    What I did was run out of plugs in light hub.  So I looked over the instructions and the box.  No warning not to plug any buildings or lights into the power hub.  So I did.    Didn't bother the buildings but I notice that they were brighter.  Hmm  they look better.   Then in all my genius I decided to try some single lights.    Flash.  hmmm  bad one??   try another.   Flash...   Dummy.   Now I ruined two. Contacted WS and they said sorry, you did it you burnt them up.  But they will pass on my thoughts about actually putting it in the directions NOT to plug buildings or singles into the power hub. Sure it shows to go from wall wart, to power hub, to light hub.  So either they should not have the same plugs (which they do)  or there should be a warning.  

This is why household plugs are different.  20 amp, 30 amp 110 are different. and 220 is different.   We know not to plug 110 into a 220 plug because the plugs are different.   But what if THEY were all the same?  

Jim 

I think the above illustration is simple enough to follow.  I see all lamp connections routed through a hub.

There is nothing to indicate the lamps cam be connected directly to the power supply.  The fact that the lights are dimmable should also be a clue that some type of control is required.