One handy part I use is the LM2596 DC-DC Adjustable Buck Converter available on eBay and elsewhere often as cheap as 99 cents with free shipping. These can take up to about 30 vdc or so in and can be adjusted to output anything between about 1.5 volts and 25 or so volts. Add a cheap bridge rectifier to the input and you can power it from any old model train transformer and have smooth regulated DC at the voltage of your choice. They make higher current versions as well.
Using an open flame to shrink heat shrink tubing is a good way to set fire to something. A better approach is to use a heat gun. It produces a better, more uniform finished seal. I use a nice gun I purchased from Harbor Freight for $15. Second, It is better to use a resistor per LED rather than a common resistor in the ground line. With a common resistor if one LED fails they all dim or go off. With Individual resistors only the failing LED goes out.
I used an Arduino on a friend's modular layout and replaced his plug n play woodland scenic system...I was also able to program light flickers and timing elements
You have great videos. How can I avoid wiring everything under the tables? As a disabled vet it is impossible to crawl under a table to wire all the lights I want to install on my layout.
Question?-i built an overpass going over my Rail road I want to add street lights,my question is do I wire them in a series? How many resistors do I use? And do I wire the resistors on the negitive side?
Nice job but I don't agree with you putting 1 - 2K 1/4 watt resistor on the feed because it will eventually get hot enough to cause a fire if you putt too many lights on the feed. It's best to put a resistor from you buss inline with each LED.
Yes agreed especially if you're inexperienced to electrical wiring. Personally I would using a separately derived system for the lights and another for the vehicles.
Jimmy, JST1.0 connector sets are VERY inexpensive on ebay, and will let you prewire and test items off layout, then simply plug and unplug them on layout as needed. You can also easily add another 200 ohm 1/8 watt resistor in building to further dim building interior lights.
I'm writing this in 2021. I don't know if you go back and review comments from older videos but I'm adding this one in case you do. I have information and photos that I can share in lighting a city with Arduino and a Sparkfun module that is easily programmed. In my N scale city I have a combination of about 30 lights that include internal building LEDs and Woodland lights separated into 8 segments. The time that each segment goes on is somewhat offset demonstrating how lights would come on in a real world city. Also the lights slowly brighten further giving the appearance that they are coming on at different times. The entire effect is done at 5 volts using a pro-mini along with a single outboard module. No off board components are needed. In fact none of the Arduino I/O pins are used for lighting (although I am using several of these along with DIP relays for Miller Engineering signs). One caveat with this design is that the outputs need to be connected as a current source. Therefore the LEDs and lampposts are driven from the outputs through a resistor (470 or 1K) to a common ground. At 2-3 ma per LED/lamppost the overall current load is well within the specified range. The lighting effect is quite visible even in an average day lit room. (actually The building LEDs and Woodland lampposts are, but their wooden poles lesser so)
@Joe Cassidy From your response I obviously didn't explain my design well or completely. I'm using a 5 volt Pro Mini not the 3.3 volt version. LEDs are current and not voltage driven so the LED voltage level is not an issue. My circuitry ensures that the current is well below (about a 4th) of any LED limit and all of the LEDs together have a current draw within the overall current and power limitations of my system design. However I did forget to write about a third chip - a timer that allows the "town lights" to turn on and off in progression as they would in real life. So the complete circuit has a 5 volt Pro Mini with an I2C connected timer and an I2C Sparkfun LP55231 circuit board. This isn't a complicated project (either in wiring or programming). A LP55231 Arduino library facilitates the programming process. If you're interested in more specifics and the program itself let me know.
You make your wiring connections wrong. Your soldering is wrong. Don't you think you should learn how to do these things the right way before demonstrating to newbies?
