Jack Zimmer adds Lights to his IC Passenger Train
Jack Zimmer and his LEDs
Jack is adding LEDs to the inside of his passenger cars using multi LED strips that attach to the roof with double sided tape and are connected to the DCC power from the track. The strips come in a roll that may be cut in lengths of 3 LED. Each set of 3 have their own resistor but the installation requires additional resistance to lower the DCC 14 volts AC to operate the LED which are Diodes and operate on half wave of the DCC.
Here is the starting place, a car body with the roof removed and a strip of LEDs long enough to illuminate the windows in the combine. Wires are run thru the floor to connect to the trucks and conduct the DCC track current into the car. A resistor is added in the circuit to set the level of the lights.
Jack has tapped 0 90 bolt holes into the trucks to allow round headed bolts to hold the wires that carry the current from the truck to the interior lighting. This is fine work with such a small drill and tap. Flexible multi strand 30 gauge wire is used to avoid any problem with the movement of the trucks on curves.
These cars were to bright in the dark so Jack and Paul tested the light levels and changed the resistor from a 560 Ohm to a 1K (1,000 Ohms) to lower the light inside the cars to make them look more realistic in the dark.
Still many more to go.....
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Updated 04/07/15
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