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Old Style Station Lamps and Building Lights
Mark model HO scale and asks others in the hobby:
“I have just purchased building lights and old style station lamps from China. I was thinking that they would be easy to install and use. Wrong!! I think they need a capacitor added to make them work. Do they? If so, how do I find out what type to use. Many thanks.”
Mark you can use the COMMENTS link to upload a photo if you think it will assist readers to provide you helpful advice.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Can you tell us what type of lights they are – ie LED – and if you know it, the voltage they need. And what are you trying to power them with?
I can’t think of any situation in which a capacitor would help. You would use a rectifier to power LEDs from an AC source.
Usually, when lights don’t work, the voltage or current is too low.
First of all are the lights LEDs or bulbs? Second, what type and voltage are you supplying to them? Third, what is the recommended voltage and current rating?
In reverse order of the questions, applying too high a voltage will destroy the lights. If your power source is too high, you will need a resistor in line with the light to reduce the voltage. Many LED lights require no more than about 3 volts. I would start with a 10K resistor and replace it with smaller ones until you get the intensity of light you want.
If the lights are bulbs, they can use AC or DC power. LEDs must have DC and it needs to be in the correct polarity. Unless you are over-voltage, connecting them backwards won’t hurt them; just try reversing the leads.
The street lamp explanation is as follows-20pcs 1:100 Scale Model Railway Train Lamp Post Miniature Garden Landscape Street Lights HO Scale LEDs Single Head
Emitting color: Warm White;Voltage: 3V.
House lights not much explanation- Cool Lighting LED Light Wire Cable for DIY Sand Table Drorama Architecture Building Scenery
– Also used for indoor decoration and handicraft article
– Low Power Consumption
Check out the LED Calculator website at http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz for details. For a single 3V LED it says to use a 470 ohm, 1/2 watt resistor. Personally, I think that might be too bright so I’d start with a 1K ohm and see what it’s like.
Many thanks Dale
I run nauge and also bought 20 street lights from China, I run them off a plug in adapter such as you get with shavers or for charging phones you can get 3v or 5c dc and they work fine with no resistors you can get variable ones to so you can adjust the brightness try looking on amazon or ebay. I did buy building lights on a stick back mount and they came with resistors already fitted. I am in the uk but I am sure they would work anywhere.
I got some of the lights from China and they were said to be LED’s but when they arrived they were grain of wheat bulbs (Incandescent) these require 6 volts but I run them on 5 volts which is ok BUT if they are left on to long( More than half an hour) they melt the plastic around the lamps making them useless I told the people in China and they refunded my money but could not supply them with LEDs