York Hotel

I have it running through a AC/DC "Adjustable Buck" converter, powered by a ZW.  BUT, it uses a lot of power - it has something like 250+ LEDs  (the wall wart for it is 5A).   The Buck converter limits the voltage to what I set.   Powering to about 3v makes the York Hotel look pretty good.  Much less and all the York Hotel lighting does not come on.

So I have to make sure the transformer running my lighting is turned up sufficiently to power everything- that means the ZW is cranking about 12 volts AC.

ceastonoh posted:

For those who own the Menards York Hotel perhaps you are as bothered by the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" glow around the hotel as I was. For my downtown city it was either crank the other building up to about 30 volts or lower the hotel lighting. A 2.2 mm connector set and a small project box were assembled along with a 10 watt 15R resistor and that did the trick. The project box was probably overkill but I was using aluminum housed surface mount resistors so that seemed logical.

Charlie

Could you post a little more detail for a non-electrician on how you did this? I was about to start my own thread about this same subject because I just got the Watkins City Block and the lighting is blinding. I need to dim it somehow.

Any help you could provide would be appreciated. Maybe a schematic diagram showing what gets connected to what or a photo of the innards of your project box?

I'll put it up:

Sure can. It's really quite simple. Get some 2.1 mm barrel connectors like the ones from Amazon. Get some 10 watt resistors that are 15 ohms. Wire it up. Keep in mind that the center probe is most likely the + and the outer one is -. A resistor doesn't care what side of the circuit it's on but it's normally on the + side. What you are making here is nothing more than an extension cord with a resistor in the middle. 

I used a project box because of the type of barrel connectors on hand and the fact that the aluminum housed resistors were surface mount type. A cement resistor might change that. 

Pictures attached show a number of ways to attack this overly bright condition. Shop around and stock up on what works for you. 

There is also a little illustration I made on testing the voltage on the Menard's circuits. There is no reason to suspect that Menard's building ever change from the + being the center probe on the barrel connector but I never like to say never. 

ceastonoh posted:

Sure can. It's really quite simple. Get some 2.1 mm barrel connectors like the ones from Amazon. Get some 10 watt resistors that are 15 ohms. Wire it up. Keep in mind that the center probe is most likely the + and the outer one is -. A resistor doesn't care what side of the circuit it's on but it's normally on the + side. What you are making here is nothing more than an extension cord with a resistor in the middle. 

I used a project box because of the type of barrel connectors on hand and the fact that the aluminum housed resistors were surface mount type. A cement resistor might change that. 

Pictures attached show a number of ways to attack this overly bright condition. Shop around and stock up on what works for you. 

There is also a little illustration I made on testing the voltage on the Menard's circuits. There is no reason to suspect that Menard's building ever change from the + being the center probe on the barrel connector but I never like to say never. 

Thank you. In your example in your first post did you use one resistor for the building or 2 or more wired to each other, + to -, until you got the level of dimming you wanted? I'm also wondering if I can just put the whole "extension cord" assembly inside some shrink tubing instead of in a box.

I have a little electronics hobby shop near me and I can buy 1 resistor, 1 barrel connector, etc., and don't have to buy 10 of everything. 

I used just one resistor. If you could get a cement resistor instead of a wire wrapped aluminum clad one it would be much easier. Shrink tube would work fine (edit - except ) for over the resistor itself. Then you'd have a real size difference. I kind of like the aluminum clad one because it can be stabilized under the table, whether inside a project box or not, and the chances of bumping it when under the table for other maintenance issues is reduced. But I'm sure your plan would work just fine. 

Thanks again. I have the the Menards 4.5 VDC 3-way power plug adapter. (One wall-wart with a 3-way splitter to power 3 of their buildings.) I probably will buy 2 of everything because I also ordered Dave's garage and although I haven't gotten it yet I think that's pretty bright too. I have a third building of theirs, but it's lighting is fairly mellow. 

TWO THINGS COME TO MIND. YOU HAVE ALMOST EVERY WINDOW LIT. I'VE NEVER SEEN A HOTEL AT NIGHT W EVERY WINDOW LIT,   2 THE LIGHT IS  STILL TOO BRIGHT. STEP OUTSIDE YOU HOUSE AFTER FULL DARK  AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN. SO DIAL IT BACK SOME MORE.  2   BLOCK A BUNCH OF WINDOWS RANDOMLY COMPLETELY AND A FEW MOST OF THE WAY DOWN TO SUGGEST SOMEONE IN A ROOM AWAKE BUT WITH THE BLIND MOSTLY DOWN PERHAPS KEEPING  THE HOT AFTERNOON SUN OUT AND LEFT THAT WAY.. HOPE THIS HELPS . BEERTRAIN

Seems to me to be overkill, I use the 5 volt plug in from Menards and the lights are just right, not bright like the ops. Also not every room is lit. No need to change anything. 

Dave

beertrain posted:

TWO THINGS COME TO MIND. YOU HAVE ALMOST EVERY WINDOW LIT. I'VE NEVER SEEN A HOTEL AT NIGHT W EVERY WINDOW LIT,   2 THE LIGHT IS  STILL TOO BRIGHT. STEP OUTSIDE YOU HOUSE AFTER FULL DARK  AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN. SO DIAL IT BACK SOME MORE.  2   BLOCK A BUNCH OF WINDOWS RANDOMLY COMPLETELY AND A FEW MOST OF THE WAY DOWN TO SUGGEST SOMEONE IN A ROOM AWAKE BUT WITH THE BLIND MOSTLY DOWN PERHAPS KEEPING  THE HOT AFTERNOON SUN OUT AND LEFT THAT WAY.. HOPE THIS HELPS . BEERTRAIN

That's the way it comes from Menard's. Appreciate your thoughts on the brightness. I may, no probably will take you up on it. 

Charlie

david1 posted:

Seems to me to be overkill, I use the 5 volt plug in from Menards and the lights are just right, not bright like the ops. Also not every room is lit. No need to change anything. 

Dave

Not sure what you mean by "5 volt plug". They have a 4.5 volt power adapter which is 5 amps (5000 mA). Assuming all are made exactly the same but perhaps you got one from a different batch. Everyone I know who has one seems to have the same complaint. 

Charlie

Adjusting voltage is not a very good way to dim LEDs. Changing voltage will tend to change the chromaticity and color temperature of the lamps. 

The proper way is to use a PCM controller, which very rapidly turns the current on and off at a variable duty cycle from zero to 100%, while keeping voltage constant. This may sound exotic, but it is very simple. You can buy PCM dimmers or motor controllers (which will also work) on eBay or Amazon for just a couple of dollars. Very easy. The only thing to watch out for is that most PCM controllers control the NEGATIVE line to the LEDs, with a constant positive.

Give it a try. You will be pleased with the results.