Need a small LED light for your project? Try the Woodland Scenics Nano Light. Here are a few pictures of one that just arrived. Small in size and they are dimable, from very bright to firefly dim. They also come in a rainbow of colors.
This is the "Warm White" version.
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Looks like they used a small SMT LED, is the LED package rectangular?
From their FAQ. Looks like 0402.
That's what I figured Stan, the wires are bigger than the chip. 
Yes, it is somewhat curious that the required hole to run the wiring is more than twice the size of the LED!!
Kinda' defeats the purpose of having the tiny LED. 
stan2004 posted:Yes, it is somewhat curious that the required hole to run the wiring is more than twice the size of the LED!!
Guess that depends on which way you run your wiring.
Big Jim posted:stan2004 posted:Yes, it is somewhat curious that the required hole to run the wiring is more than twice the size of the LED!!
Guess that depends on which way you run your wiring.
Since I don't have one in front of me (and you apparently do), I was curious about their wording about requiring a 3/32" hole to "thread wire and plug." Using your picture, I can understand the 3/32" hole if threading the LED-end thru a hole. But if by "and plug" they are referring to also threading the connector-end thru a hole, it looks to me like you'd need a hole of maybe 1/3" or so...much more than 3/32" ?? Or does the LED cable split apart in the middle ??
stan2004 posted:Big Jim posted:stan2004 posted:Yes, it is somewhat curious that the required hole to run the wiring is more than twice the size of the LED!!
Guess that depends on which way you run your wiring.
Since I don't have one in front of me (and you apparently do), I was curious about their wording about requiring a 3/32" hole to "thread wire and plug." Using your picture, I can understand the 3/32" hole if threading the LED-end thru a hole. But if by "and plug" they are referring to also threading the connector-end thru a hole, it looks to me like you'd need a hole of maybe 1/3" or so...much more than 3/32" ?? Or does the LED cable split apart in the middle ??
Stan,
Depending on how you want to run the wiring, the plug end will squeak through a 5/16" X 1/4 " hole, a 5/16" square hole would be better clearance. The Light end will go through a 2 mm hole.
The hole for the Woodland Scenics Nano lights can be small, if you make larger holes for the rectangular plug that goes to the four plug dimmer box. The small transformer Woodland Scenics makes is perfect for my Atlas O Roundhouse I built. I have three lights over the doors that I hope will indicate if track power is on to the Roundhouse Bay Track, and 12 White square LED lights on the underside of the roof. Way too much light, but dimmable. I put more than I needed, but it balances out the light in such a big building. Plus if I loose one, unless it is at the front doors, I won't miss it much. I used Walthers HO Gooseneck Lamps above the side doors. They are also good for my Deuce's Bike Shop. I replaced the kits non-working lights above the large garage doors with the Walthers HO Goose Neck Lamps and added yellow LEDs under the Deuce's Awnings over the single front and side entrance doors. (No Pics, sorry). Sincerely, John Rowlen
Size has always been due to the plug and wire used. You ought to see the back side of the Navy's computers!!! Even with 30 gauge wire a 100-pin plug is going to be big, especially when it has to be disassembled so a tech can make repairs. Google "wiring in a space shuttle", you'll see the size problem hasn't been solved yet.
Woodland Scenics just introduced what I think is an interesting twist to their Just Plug system. As discussed above, the LEDs had a connector on one end and the LED on the other end of a cable. They sold extension cables to extend the distance from the controller module to the LED. No soldering, no stripping wires, no messing with bare wires, etc.
Now they have what they call "Linker Plugs" and they are selling lamp-posts and similar fixture than have bare-wires. You plug the bare-wires into the Linker Plug which appears to be some kind of spring-loaded push-terminal connector. I couldn't find an actual photo of this Linker Plug but here's a drawing from their website.
They still say you should only use their LEDs and light fixtures with their Just Plug system. And from what I can tell you can't buy "just" the Linker Plugs. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The Nano LEDs with connector from Woodland Scenics runs about $5 each. A similar pre-wired LED from Evans (bare wires) as suggested above runs $2-3. A similar pre-wired LED on eBay runs 70 cents (or less).
I can't imagine why you couldn't use the eBay LED's with this system, they're both a bare LED with wires! Of course Woodland Scenics would want you to use their much higher priced lights. 
These are NOT bare LEDs. There are miniature resistors embedded in the wires!
Well, a resistor isn't all that difficult to add either.
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