10-31-2009, 09:12 PM
Things have been kinda slow on the layout front. I'm waiting on an order of flex track, that should have arrived oh, like last month but apparently just shipped and should finally land on my door step next week. 
I've been plugging along with other projects though like this one. I was trying to figure out a way that I could light the structures that I have been working on. I prefer LED's except for the fact that for exterior lighting fixtures, they are too big, awkward, or hard to disguise. IMHO.
So I got to looking a Grain o' Wheat / Rice bulbs. 1.5 volt kind. For obvious reasons, one cannot just plug in a wall transformer and wire this up. I blew a few, trying to figure out ways that it could be done...
So, internet here I come. The great thing about the World Wide Web is that it is almost a given that someone else has already figured out how to solve the problem that you are having. What makes it even better is when that person takes the time to show you how they did it and give up some pretty decent instructions so you can make your own.
http://www.awrr.com/awrrhome.html
So there you have it. With this little contraption I should be able to wire up 160 of the little buggers using this "simple" power supply. So I built one for myself to try it out. Bear in mind that this is wired up directly to your house electrical supply depending on where you live that could be from 115 - 220 volts. So be careful. :o
![[Image: DSC03366.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03366.jpg)
![[Image: DSC03367.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03367.jpg)
This did not go off with out some hiccups. For some reason the voltage on the right side (top) was running a little too high and still buring out bulbs. I contacted the author who returned my e-mail right away. He was very helpful and offered a couple of suggestions. I had to wire in a second parallel resistor (470) to the 47 ohms one (I actually used 27) to drop the voltage to a manageable 1.3 vdc. On the left (bottom) I experienced no such trouble and actually dropped a lower value resistor in place of the 47 ohms one and used a 27 instead. So the voltage on the left side is at a comfortable 1.1 vdc. I was shooting for a lower voltage off the start in both circuits in an effort to tone down the brightness and also make the bulbs last a bit longer. You can actually see the difference a couple of points in the voltage makes be viewing the bulbs side by side.
Now, I wonder...is there already a commercially available product like this? I looked and couldn't find anything. Perhaps I just didn't know what to call it. For now I just call it the Voltage Reducer Thing-a-ma-bob or a V.R.T. for short.
All in all a fun little diversion while still making some head way. I can see how this can be used by running buss wires the entire length of the layout and dropping feeders from each structure to power the lights. Neat.
I've been plugging along with other projects though like this one. I was trying to figure out a way that I could light the structures that I have been working on. I prefer LED's except for the fact that for exterior lighting fixtures, they are too big, awkward, or hard to disguise. IMHO.
So I got to looking a Grain o' Wheat / Rice bulbs. 1.5 volt kind. For obvious reasons, one cannot just plug in a wall transformer and wire this up. I blew a few, trying to figure out ways that it could be done...
So, internet here I come. The great thing about the World Wide Web is that it is almost a given that someone else has already figured out how to solve the problem that you are having. What makes it even better is when that person takes the time to show you how they did it and give up some pretty decent instructions so you can make your own.http://www.awrr.com/awrrhome.html
So there you have it. With this little contraption I should be able to wire up 160 of the little buggers using this "simple" power supply. So I built one for myself to try it out. Bear in mind that this is wired up directly to your house electrical supply depending on where you live that could be from 115 - 220 volts. So be careful. :o
This did not go off with out some hiccups. For some reason the voltage on the right side (top) was running a little too high and still buring out bulbs. I contacted the author who returned my e-mail right away. He was very helpful and offered a couple of suggestions. I had to wire in a second parallel resistor (470) to the 47 ohms one (I actually used 27) to drop the voltage to a manageable 1.3 vdc. On the left (bottom) I experienced no such trouble and actually dropped a lower value resistor in place of the 47 ohms one and used a 27 instead. So the voltage on the left side is at a comfortable 1.1 vdc. I was shooting for a lower voltage off the start in both circuits in an effort to tone down the brightness and also make the bulbs last a bit longer. You can actually see the difference a couple of points in the voltage makes be viewing the bulbs side by side.
Now, I wonder...is there already a commercially available product like this? I looked and couldn't find anything. Perhaps I just didn't know what to call it. For now I just call it the Voltage Reducer Thing-a-ma-bob or a V.R.T. for short.
All in all a fun little diversion while still making some head way. I can see how this can be used by running buss wires the entire length of the layout and dropping feeders from each structure to power the lights. Neat.