Greetings everyone, I am new here and figure this is a great place to get information. I am beginning a ho scale layout and want to light my fire vehicles fully. Question is how do I do it, sure I know there are kits out there however I would like to take and do it myself. So what do I need, how do I it, and many more questions lol. So I ask, is there a tutorial that I can view and read, or article or anything that shows how to do it? I need alternating patterns for the lightbars as well as the body lighting. Thanks ahead of time for the responses as I eagerly look forward to getting the information.
First Welcome to the Forum[#welcome]
I have several illuminated fire trucks on my layout that I did myself. Because I model the 1950s they were easy to do. There are a lot of micro LEDs available to really light up newer engines. If you are into kitbashing and soldering you can come up with any combination you want.
Here are a couple of my fire trucks.
I use 1mm incandescent 1½ volt bulbs for headlight because they look more realistic. All of my emergency vehicles have incandescent bulbs for realism.
Awesome info sir, Thank You as you have inspired me. If I use the same bulbs I can take the guts from a toy fire truck which gives me all my circuits and heck even sirens if I want and all I have to do is hook the wiring to the proper leads. Now if I may, where is a good supplier to get those bulbs from?
Hi Merritt L.
Welcome to the forums!!! [#welcome]
I have installed lighting in lots of HO scale vehicles but most of them have been a lot simpler than a modern firetruck. I have done one truck with multiple lights:
In the case of this truck, there were no clear lenses installed by the manufacturer. I had to drill holes through each of the molded on light castings. If you can get models that have clear lenses than you are way ahead of the game.
For most of the lights I used fiberoptic cable, either with a remote light source or with the LED mounted right behind the lens. For my 1950s vehicles all of the headlights and most of the other lights were round or close to it so making the lenses was easy. Fiberoptic cable can be formed into HO sized lenses simply by heating the end of the cable. I use a hot soldering iron. The end of the cable will flare out when the heat is applied. Note that you don’t want to touch the cable to the iron. Just hold it close.
For the headlights and front and side marker lights I mounted 0603 or 0402 SMD LEDs right behind the lenses. To make the lenses I first flared the end of the cable until it was the right diameter and then I cut the cable so that there was about 3/8" still attached to the lens. After feeding the cable through the hole I then flared the other end (on the inside of the body shell) so that the lens was held in place reasonably tightly. The next step is to glue the LED to the back of the lens. I use 90 second epoxy (which takes way longer than 90 seconds to set by the way), and I light up the LED so I can see how well the light is coming through the lens. The placement of the LED is critical so you have to move it around slightly to get the brightest illum
Merritt L,
[#welcome] To The Forums.
Should You not want to go looking for the right size Led’s, wire and stuff…here is a link to a site that has everything that You would need in a kit form…You just supply the vehicle and power suppy…they will work on batts. Take a look at the whole site…all kinds of animated lighting. Some people may think that they may be a little pricey, but after You go searching for everything You will need, to try to save money, You’ll find that they aren’t that pricey after all. Also the kits come with modules for alternating the lights, in the way You choose. It’s a lot simplar than trying to get all the parts to make Your own.
http://lights4models.com/index.php/fire-truck-led-s.html
I have quite a few I am slowly working on My self…animated structure signs and vehicles. I just have a lot going on at one time.
Have Fun! Should You need more help…just ask!
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Merritt L, Having only scratched the surface of model lighting I’m finding your thread very interesting. Thanks Mel, Dave and Frank for sharing your illuminating, inspiring and delicate work!
Regards, Peter
I normally buy my micro bulbs from WeHonest off eBay but they don’t have a listing for them now, Keep checking they will be available from them. Over the years I’ve bought hundreds of the 1½ volt 20ma 1mm bulbs from them. 100 bulbs for about $18 free S&H.
Here is a link to WeHonest:
http://stores.ebay.com/WEHONEST?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
I found this listing but they are a bit pricy.
Frank:
I didn’t know about that supplier of lighting circuits. Thanks for the link!
By the way, you are right about the pricing not being excessive. I paid nearly that much for the flasher module only when I did the truck a couple of years ago.
EDIT: I did note one error in their product description for the Goose Neck Lamps. They state words to the effect that “the higher the value of the resistor the brighter the light will be, and the lower the value the dimmer the light…”. After doing tons of LEDs I’m pretty sure they have that backwards. Higher value resistor = lower light. I sent them an e-mail just to confirm.
Second EDIT: John at Lights4Models got back to me very quickly. He said that their description was correct. If so, there is something different going on with their lamps. I have ordered a gooseneck lamp to see for myself. Stay tuned.
Dave
[#welcome]
Hi Merritt !
Just throwing another hat in the ring here…
http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/diecast-police-leds.html
Evan Designs may have some worthwhile items to check into. Back when SMD LEDs were not quite as easily (and cheaply) available as they are today, Evan was a pretty good source. You might see some ideas on their site.
Like Mel, above, I have done quite a bit of buying from Wehonest and their items are pretty reliable and cost-effictive.
Have Fun! Ed
Dave,
You must have missed the link or did not read the thread I had posted the link on before. I have been dealing with them for a couple yrs. now and John is a good Guy!
Remember My pic’ of Miss Bettie’s Diner with the JaBear truck? Well there will be new owners soon! The real estate is being set-up, where an old gas station used to be and I hear it will be called the ‘‘Dog House’’ now! LOL:
I’m going nuts with those signs lately…
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Hi Frank:
I probably did miss your post with the link to Lights4Models. I don’t think I would have forgotten those goose neck industrial lamps, especially with the odd recommendations for resistor values. I have one goose neck lamp on order to see what they are like.
I like the new restaurant sign! I have acquired a few Miller Engineering signs and I’m looking forward to working with them, that is when they make their way up the project list.
Dave
This is a bit trivial but I just wanted to update the situation regarding the incorrect instructions for the resistors for the goose neck lamps on the Lights 4 Models website. You may recall that I mentioned that their website suggested that if you wanted a brighter LED you should use a higher value resistor.
I sent them an e-mail suggesting that the website was wrong, and I got a reply from John stating that he had checked with the manufacturer and they had confirmed that the instructions were correct. Being a bit skeptical, I ordered one of the lamps to see for myself.
The lamp arrived today and I gave it a test. Of course it was no different than any other LED. Higher value resistor = dimmer light. In fact, the directions in the package said the same thing - higher resistor = lower light.
So, I sent John another e-mail suggesting that he have another look, and he got back to me very quickly admitting that the website needed to be corrected and he would do it in the morning.
There! My good deed is done for the day!
As far as the lamp itself is concerned, they are really quite well done and they scale out correctly. You have to glue the shade in place which is no big deal (although they don’t recommend CA because it might mess with the LED - epoxy is preferred), and they are unpainted. However, the natural aluminum finish looks pretty good by itself.
I have the Streamlined Backshop goose neck lamp kits which look like they would come out similar to the Lights 4 Models product, but I haven’t built one yet. I will give them a try to see how much of a hassle they are to assemble and whether or not the pre-made lamps are worth the price.
Dave