let there be light

[serg]

http://s654.beta.photobucket.com/user/xbbb/library/lights                            after much swearing/burnt fingers and tea i made my own flicker free lights.they are a bit bright so ill have to experiment with different resistors.i bought a graham farish merchant navy class to pull the pullman coaches but it cant pull the skin off a rice pudding so its parked in a siding sulking

[Pengi]

They look really good - how have you done it?

[dodger]

http://s654.beta.photobucket.com/user/xbbb/library/lights                            after much swearing/burnt fingers and tea i made my own flicker free lights.they are a bit bright so ill have to experiment with different resistors.i bought a graham farish merchant navy class to pull the pullman coaches but it cant pull the skin off a rice pudding so its parked in a siding sulking

I'm surprised that you Merchant Navy wont pull that short train. Is it Poole or China produced? The first thing to check is whether the tender wheels are rotating especially on curves. Quite often the tender pickups are incorrectly  adjusted and the additional friction can be equal to 3-4 coaches less.

Otherwise it may be in need of a service/lubrication.

Dodger

[serg]

They look really good - how have you done it?

..............i bought a couple of flicker free boards to see what components were on them.there is a bridge rectifier a voltage regulator and a 5.5v 0.33f supercapacitor.i then mounted them on a piece of 2mm plasticard and used solder and conductive paint to make the circuit.a few leds and there you have it.i have noticed that the little bit of extra weight and slight friction from the spring pickups on the axles adds up and a couple of my locos are not up to the job of pulling more than 3 or 4 coaches                              http://s654.beta.photobucket.com/user/xbbb/library/circuit

[edwin_m]

Are the pickups that power the lights causing too much drag on the coaches? 

[Newportnobby]

The lights look reall good, but I too am surprised about your MN.
I have 2 and they will pull loads of Mk1's so I can only agree the pick ups may be providing too much drag

[upnick]

Hi  Serg,   

The lights look good as you say a little bright but if you use warm  white SMD'S  the take the edge of the  light,  although small   for  coaches the 1206  size  are good.

[Rob H]

Hi Serg,
Would it be possible for you to put a tutorial together along with a list of parts required ?

Cheers,

Rob.

[serg]

here starteth the first lesson.............circuit was made on 2mm plasticard ive experimented with copper tape and bare conductive paint and both seem to work ok.these components are small so if your solderings not up to much use the paint but let it dry overnight.rectifier and volt reg were bought from farnel,supercap was bought from japan due to price beeing a lot cheaper than uk prices,took 6 days to get here.you can try and vary the dimensions of the board to fit whatever coaches you have as mine are not the smallest you can have.i used flicker free springs for the wheel pickups.the supply to the rectifier does not care which is neg or pos connect anyway round.if your a bit heavy handed with the soldering iron be prepared to overheat a few components but at these prices its not too bad.if your mixing different colour leds put resistors in.good luck                                    http://s654.beta.photobucket.com/user/xbbb/library/circuit                                     .this site was useful                                                http://www.trainelectronics.com/LED_Articles_2007/LED_102/index.htm