I need a bunch of 0402 Warm White LEDs - Finally, SUCCESS!

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I need discrete units so I can make a string of incandescent bulbs for my icing platform and tank car loading rack.

I tried Digi-Key and couldn’t find any in stock.

Any suggestions on where I can buy these? Or alternatives?

2

I bought 500-0602s from China for about $2.50 CA and got them in eleven days. I just did a search on Ebay and that brought up a long list of places that sold them. You should be able to find 0402s just as easy as any other.

3

Send an email to eastcoastcircuits@gmail.com They stock them even though they’re not on the site…

https://eastcoastcircuits.com/LEDs

4

Thanks, guys!

I just ordered a batch off ebay (should have thought of that before posting here).

I’ll keep the East Coast Circuits info as a backup.

5

I also buy my LEDs off eBay from China and have had very good luck with fast shipping.

I might add that soldering wires to the 0402 LEDs can be very tedious, old Shaky Mel normally screws up at least one 0402 every time.

If you don’t have tiny wire I would order that too. I use #36 Litz wire, very flexible.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/T028BL-10m-BLACK-0-28mm-Solder-Micro-Litz-PTFE-Stranded-Wire-Electronic-Weld/193112745563?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

6

I came up with this holder for doing the soldering. I screwed a paint edger to a scrap piece of hardwood flooring. Just slide the LED under the edge to hold it while you solder and then turn them around to do the other side.

I got my wire at Ngineering.

https://www.ngineering.com/

7

Old Shaky Mel uses Surgical Hemostat Clamps.

I had to put a bend in the arms of the clamps to prevent them from crushing the LEDs. I have three clamps bent to fit the three tiny LEDs with color coded tape on the arms. My problem is shaky hands and what seems like a baseball bat size soldering iron. The clamps work great once adjusted to the proper size but nothing works very good for my shaky hands.

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

8

I added lighting to an oil loading dock made from two Walthers kits. Since I already had a bunch I removed from strings of Christmas tree lights, I used 3 mm diffused light warm white LED’s. I used the wire leads of the LEDs to create the mounting brackets and painted the back and sides of the LEDs to simulate a simple can light. 1000 ohm resistors give the LEDs the warm incandescent look I need for my 1950’s era layout.

9

I’m lazy and bought the prewired LEDs. More expensive, yes, but a lot less pain in my old caboose.

10

I used to solder leads to my 0603 and 0402 LEDs but I have gotten lazy (and more shakey) so now I just buy prewired LEDs.

However, if you want to solder your own leads to the tiny LEDs, Ngineering has the perfect tool. Scroll down to the LED/wire holding tool:

https://www.ngineering.com/other_cool_tools.htm

Dave

11

Thanks for the link Dave, that looks very good and will probably work very good. I ordered some of the toothless clips to give that idea a shot.

Managing the tiny wires are more trouble than soldering.

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

12

I like the toothless holder idea. You can get a bag full at the electronics store and epoxy them to a board and set up a whole bunch in a row and solder them all at once.

13

Until I get one going I’m a little unsure how easy a 0402 will be, the 0603 and 1206 look easy. I’m not interested in their process with wires leaving the LEDs from the center, I’ve been quite happy with the leads out the ends. I’m going to try three clips, one in the center to hold the LED and one on each side to hold the wires.

I use red and black wires, #36 Stranded Litz Wire, seven strands .05mm, the insulation measures .28mm.

EDIT:

The holder should work with SMT doides, resistors and capacitors too. I’m using more and more of the tiny parts on new projects.

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

14

Lots of good info here to help me wire the LEDs when they arrive. Thanks everybody!

I’ll be wiring the LEDs in parallel onto a pair of parallel wires so it’s similar to the string of lights on this prototype icing platform.

I’m not sure about adding the shades - that’s another level of complication in the installation that may be just too much to contend with.

15

I couldn’t find a picture of the construction of my lamps but I made the lamp shades from 2mm washers (.264" HO to 23" full size).

I placed the washer on a nut and pressed it in the center with a rounded metal rod (10 penny nail .134"D) to form the shade.

I use incandescent bulbs for all my structures but it should work with tiny LEDs too.

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

16

I made my duck-bill “helping hands” some years ago:

SMD-clip1 by Edmund, on Flickr

SMD-clip by Edmund, on Flickr

I soldered them to a couple lengths of #12 copper wire so I can flex them as needed.

Still, I buy 90% of my SMD LEDs prewired. One less task I have to be bothered with.

Cheers, Ed

17

Hi Mark,

The lamp shades are certainly optional. You can alter the appearance of the bare LEDs to look more like light bulbs simply by dipping them into epoxy. I would use 0402 LEDs for this purpose, and maybe paint the base of the ‘bulb’ and the wires black.

If you do want to do shades, Ngineering makes lamp shades that would suit your purpose:

https://www.ngineering.com/stamped.htm

Personally I don’t think that adding shades would be complicated. All I have done is add a little epoxy to the LED to insulate the leads and then slip the shades over the wires.

Dave

18

I get the shades with the SMDs already in them. Like Dave, I use a tiny dab of clear (I use several applications of canopy cement, it dries with a nice translucent effect) at the base of the wires which gives them a bit of strength.

Light_pole1 by Edmund, on Flickr

PRR_Tower1 by Edmund, on Flickr

These need to be straightened a bit but they are the direct from China lamps with shades:

Tank-Dock by Edmund, on Flickr

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402379521859?hash=item5dafb03f43:g:z34AAOSwFV9XysH0

I’ve ordered dozens over the years. Sometimes they are nicer than others as far as paint quality and such.

I put a bunch under my Huletts:

IMG_0389_fix by Edmund, on Flickr

Good Luck, Ed

19

This was a mock-up I did for my RH project. I found the pre-wired LEDs wire much too thick and went with the stuff from Ngineering. The shades are also from Ngineering.

I think stringing the lights on the wire with the shades is very doable and will be easier than you think.

20

I’m mostly concerned with the metal shade shorting the leads to the LED. The other concern is how to solder the continuous wires to the LEDs with a lampshade in the way. Attaching leads to the LEDs and then the wires would be problematic because the leads are so short that soldering one end would unsolder the other, wouldn’t it?

I have used lampshades like the ngineering ones in the past, as you can see above the coal chutes on this coaling tower.

This thread has been worth it just to see the work you guys have done! Very nice - all of you!