N Brass Colour Light Signals - A Question.

[chrispearce]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with N Brass Colour Light Signals? I am considering using the 2 aspect kit to form the basis of the signals on my layout but wonder how long the LEDs last and how easy are they to replace once the signal is built. I am conjuring up ways of possibly making the back of the signal head removable to facilitate replacement if needed. Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks.

Chris.

[Bealman]

LEDs will last for the life of the layout, providing you stick within their operating parameters.

[chrispearce]

LEDs will last for the life of the layout, providing you stick within their operating parameters.

Thank you. How long, in your experience, have they lasted?

[dannyboy]

Anything I have bought that includes LEDs usually state that they will last 1000+ hours.

Might have remembered that wrong! See -

https://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/led-luminaries/led-life-expectancy-2009-02/

[njee20]

Yes, LED failure, once wired properly just isn't a factor.

The N Brass kits are mega fiddly though! I'd use CR Signals ones myself.

[Bealman]

LEDs will last for the life of the layout, providing you stick within their operating parameters.

Thank you. How long, in your experience, have they lasted?

As in the posts above, basically forever 

[ntpntpntp]

Never yet had an LED fail "in service", only through accidental incorrect connection without a resistor      I have LED signals that have been installed since 1995/6. Ok so they may spend months not in use (with the layout in storage), but I have no concerns about LED life as such.

[jpendle]

The Led's will last longer than your layout, or possibly even yourself

This assumes that the solder joints to the LEDs are good though, on the LED circuits on my Dapol loco's where the lights don't work, it's the wiring and solder joints that have come a cropper.

Regards,

John P

[chrispearce]

Thank you all very much. That gladdens my heart no end. Never used them before. Last time I had a colour light signal was as a youngster. It was made by taking a red and a green grain-of-wheat bulbs wrapping black masking tape around them and sticking the wires down a drinking straw which I had painted black. It looked OK and worked.

The world has moved on since then!

[chrispearce]

The N Brass kits are mega fiddly though! I'd use CR Signals ones myself.

I have looked at CR Signals. They are expensive ~ £20.00 + and they don't have the range to meet my needs. The N Brass signals are £5.00 per signal and, being kits, I can kit-bash any type of signal I need. I know they will be tiny and will try my patient to the limit (and beyond) but, at least, I would like to buy one and see what I can do with it.

[njee20]

CR Signals do kits too, and they'll produce more or less whatever you want (in the ready made line). Their kits come with LEDs, resistors etc.

[chrispearce]

CR Signals do kits too, and they'll produce more or less whatever you want (in the ready made line). Their kits come with LEDs, resistors etc.

By heck! You are right njee20. I didn't see that part of their website when I looked before. You feel they are better than the N Brass ones?

[crewearpley40]

i have had a look into both


https://www.crsignals.com/n-gauge-kits and

https://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/n-gauge-signals.html]https://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/n-gauge-signals.html


but no decision made yet, like you tried the ' here is one i made earlier ' technique :

taking a red and a green grain-of-wheat bulbs wrapping black masking tape around them and sticking the wires down a drinking straw which I had painted black

[chrispearce]

i have had a look into both


https://www.crsignals.com/n-gauge-kits and

https://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/n-gauge-signals.html]https://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/n-gauge-signals.html


but no decision made yet, like you tried the ' here is one i made earlier ' technique :

taking a red and a green grain-of-wheat bulbs wrapping black masking tape around them and sticking the wires down a drinking straw which I had painted black

Aren't G-O-W bulbs somewhat overscale for N?

[crewearpley40]

yes agree but i converted and downsized to n gauge after a house move and i was young and saw potential in N