I have 3 streamliner cars from Aristo I want to convert to LED lights, and either batteries on each car or string them all together ( with connections) and run them off the B unit on my locomotives that have RailPro installed. Several questions,
most of the strip lights I have been looking at are 12v the RailPro sends out 5v so will that be enough to drive them ?
What do I need to connect the cars together, best flexible wires and connectors to use?
I have been looking at Amazon and Ebay and think I am getting information overload. If someone could recomend the brand or what they have used for a dead rail set up. I see there are old threads, but figure in 10+ years things have changed enough to start a new thread . Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.
Also found on Evan design a 4 light set that stretches out to 16" that is ready to and includes a AA battery holder, With the tank thing on bottom of the car I could hide the battery holder and switch, so that is another option, or string them together with plugs and run them off the RailPro module. Thanks for any help, suggestions, comments, etc you have.
Honestly Pete and this is ONLY my preference. Just put a battery box on each car that hold a 9v battery with a spst switch on the box. That 9v will last for many years with LEDS and the amount of run time you will possibly have on those cars at dusk/night. However this is only MHOOABCDEFG1234 if you get what I’m saying!
Another thought is since you have them apart to put in lights yank out the green window film and put in a lightly smoked black. Then before you put them back together move the floor up a notch to lower them a hair or you could totally slam them like I did. Adding some USA diaphragms and tighten up the coupling with body mounted kadees is always a nice look in MLNOP9876
The +5 Output on RailPro won’t drive the 12V LED strips. There iis a B+ output that is a volt or two less than your battery voltage. That would probably work.
Are you sure you want strips? That’s a lot of light.
Silicone insulated wire is the most flexible. JST makes some really small polarized connectors that are used on smaller batteries. That might work for you.
Honestly I don’t think he does but I’m only guessing? I think he’s looking for ideas but once again I’m only guessing?
Besides plugging and unplugging the cars is a PITA (pain in the ass)
both good ideas, I was looking at my favorite supplier, Evan Designs lighting www.evandesigns.com and ordered s set of 4 lights wired together with 16" total spacing end to end, and that should be enough tofill the car with light. Also got 2 red and a flashing light for the Observation car. They will be battery powered with a 9V battery in the “fuel tank” thingy. If this works I will order some more to do the rest of my 3 car set that will freak out rivet counters! beacuse its a SP Sunset Ltd set of cars and I have SF locos pulling them. Call me a rebel. LOL
Rooster and Jon and any others did you cut the wires at the trucks or leave them just in case? And if you remove the green film, what did you do about the lack of an interior???
A 5v to 12v Step up boost power converter should do the trick. Units like this are available from Amazon for $8.99. Look for the XL6019, or you might try the MT3608 adjustable Step up booster which sell for $6.99.
These units are quite small and shop be easy to hide in the body. If it doesn’t work you only out a little bit of change that cost about a cup of fancy coffee at Starbucks.
Deneh
I also run Rail Pro for my engine control, in my passenger cars and cabooses I use this system. I use a 9v battery box that mounts under the car, it has an on/off switch on the box and it powers the LED lights on the car, both interior and marker lamps. The box is mounted under the car frame and fits up under the car and it looks like part of the cars under body workings, in fact no one even sees it, or thinks it something that shouldn’t be there. The 9v battery will power the LED’s for a long time, in fact I have not replace the batteries in several years. I run the 12v LED’s in both 3mm and 5mm that I get on eBay, the ones with the resistors already installed and I do add more resistors if I want the light less bright. I really like the induvial lighting of each car, simple to turn on and off and no wiring between cars to mess with, plus if you use track power no flickering of the lights. Here is a pick of one of 7or8 cars I have done this way.
Sorry, for the double post.
Yes this is very true.
I don’t I just black them out and add my lighting elsewhere.
Don’t know if you can get these 9v holders any cheaper then this, DIANN 4pcs 9V Battery Holder with ON/Off Switch 9V Battery Case with Switch 9... | eBay
These LED’s work great with the 9v battery, plus you can put another resistor in line with the other one for less brightness, I think I used a 50or100 ohm resistor, buy a pack of resistors on eBay and experiment with different ohms resistors. 20pcs Pre-wired Resistor 26awg 20cm Wire Warm White 5mm LED Light 12V L125WM | eBay
You could also make your own battery box on the cheap and add junk underneath for visual effect and places to hide stuff like switches and wiring by just gluing together scrap PVC,styrene ,etc. Remember you really only need ONE resistor (I prefer 480ohm with the 9v) at the power source and a fuse is nice as well. Not a streamliner but it’s an example. Think simple and outside the box.
Just my thoughts
The cars all have a square box on them so going to route wires to it and use a 9 v battery , for the lights. The place I buy them from has a snap top for the batteries with a small on off button. Will post pictures when the stuff gets here!
Progress on the SF Sunset Ltd cars. Got my LED’s 2 red of the rear , a blinking one on tail center, and string of 4 to light the car. Found some inexpensive benches and people to populate the cars on E bay, they are enroute . The tank on the car will hold the battery, there is a hole on one side of the tank and the snap connection/ switch button for the on off fits in it perfectly, installed glued and then test fit everything and the button is almost out of reach, but not quite, I can push it with finger or a screwdriver
on off button switch
outside button fits perfectly , tight enough to w push the button , but glued it to make sure it stays accessible
put it in place and I can still work the button and I now see the rectangle is perfect for a slide switch, but didn’t notice that until now.
Next up is wiring the lights and seeing how to take care of the extra wire needed to allow removal of the car if needed. Got some ideas will see if/ how they work
Pete, I like your install ideas, my coaches are all old-style wood coaches and I didn’t get the underneath detail like the streamline’s you have, so I had to improvise with different type of battery box. Either way, battery and LED’s power are the way to go Battery box is pretty hard to see (9v) and worked well for me. . Good Job
Those are great ideas!
I finally snuck mine into the bathroom compartment of my LGB carriage behind the hazy glass window.
Just throwing some ideas out there for ya Pete. You could just make an executive party car with a nice kitchen ,fancy crapper, some theater seating and DO NOT forget the stripper pole.
That’s really tempting to do that in one of the dome cars, maybe hidden from normal view from kids though. Just got 50 people to fill the seats, and a bunch of “park benches” as seating. Picture in a bit!