Woodland scenics plug and play lighting

Here is a bump to get some light on this from folks familiar with woodland scenics. I have zip of their products.

Assuming they employ the similar 4.5 volt supply system as Menards, you will probably need a resistor since the sweet spot for many leds is around 2 volts and 15 milliamps if I remember correctly. Depending on what you want to do, there are on line calculators.

@Cookster posted:

Can you use led lights bought from dealers other then Woodland Scenics  on their plug and play system.  If so would you need resisters wired to them

The short answer is yes, but please keep reading.  LEDs produced by other 3rd party manufacturers could be used with a Woodland Scenics Just Plug system, but as you suspected, there are some differences.

Not all LEDs have the same forward voltage drop (operating voltage range) and this has varied somewhat over the years with improvements in the technology.  Also since the Just Plug system's input can be powered by up to 24 volts AC or DC, the input power source type and voltage affect the connected LED's brightness.  This further complicates the matter of hypothetically selecting resistors for unknown 3rd party LED's to ensure that the right amount of current flows through such a hypothetical circuit.  So, depending on what you use to provide input power to the Hub and the LED's you choose, the value of the resistors may need to be determined by fairly simple experimentation.  But first, here's a link for further reading to an electrical analysis of and testing on a Woodland Scenics Light Hub for anyone who may be interested. http://www.sumidacrossing.org/...ngLighting/WSLights/

If you want to experiment with your own Light Hub and preferred 3rd party LEDs, consider starting with a 1/4 Watt 1k Ohm variable resistor connected in series with one of these LEDs. Note: insulated alligator clip test leads between connections will make this test easier.  Here's how I would do it.

1. Make sure the Hub's input power is off.
2. Select a WS Light Cable and cut off the attached LED. Leaving a little wire attached to the LED will make using it later easier. With the remaining part of the cable that still has the plug attached, on it's opposite end, separate the wires from each other back about an inch from the end and then strip 1/4 inch of insulation from both wires.  Using a test lead, connect one of those wires to one lead of your 3rd Party LED.
3. Position the Variable resistor so that it's laying flat on your bench. Rotate the resistor housing so that the shaft is closer to you and its 3 terminals are farther away from you.  Using a second test lead, connect the other wire of the same light cable to the external variable resistor's middle terminal (there are 3 terminals).
4. With the variable resistor positioned as described in step 3, using a third test lead, connect the variable resistor's left terminal to the remaining LED lead.
5. Adjust the 1K variable resistor to the middle of its range.
6. Connect the experimental light cable to a port on the Hub and turn the Hub's Dimmer control all the way down (counter-clockwise)
7. Make sure none of  test lead bare metal ends are touching each other, especially at the Light Cable, LED, and resistor connections.  Apply input Power to the Hub.
8. Slowly and gradually turn the Hub' Dimmer control knob clockwise, just until the LED doesn't get any brighter or seems too bright, stop, then back off about a 1/4 turn.  If the LED doesn't illuminate, turn off power to the Hub, reverse the test lead connections at the LED, and repeat steps 7 and 8.
9. A note of caution here: if you reduce the external variable resistance too much (clockwise rotation), there is a risk of increasing the current through the LED to the point of burning it out. Gradually adjust the external variable resistor ( could be left or right depending ) until the Hub's Dimmer adjustment has the range you want.
10. Turn off input power to the Hub.  Disconnect the test lead from the middle terminal of the variable resistor.  With a multi-meter set to Ω, measure the resistance of the external variable resistor between it's middle terminal and the left terminal where the remaining test lead is attached.

A fixed value resistor with an approximate value close to the measured resistance can now be substituted in place of the external variable resistor for a semi-permanently connected working circuit.  Soldering and insulating these semi-permanent connections with heat shrink is recommended.  Two or more identical LEDs can be connected in series with the same value resistance while maintaining the same brightness in each LED.

If you don't already have something comparable, you may benefit from having an assortment of resistors on hand for your experimentation.  Here are some options: 1/4 watt resistor assortment kits

Another option is to build your own variable brightness LED power supply.  There are examples here on OGR and elsewhere.  If you don't need brightness control, then powering an LED is much simpler and there is much discussion of that here on OGR too.  I hope this helps and good luck with your project.

SteveH

@hokie71 posted:

Here is a bump to get some light on this from folks familiar with woodland scenics. I have zip of their products.

Assuming they employ the similar 4.5 volt supply system as Menards, you will probably need a resistor since the sweet spot for many leds is around 2 volts and 15 milliamps if I remember correctly. Depending on what you want to do, there are on line calculators.

Nice pun "..light on this.."