eigyro's workbench

[eigyro]

This is a carriage I recently illuminated, with painted seating insert.

The lighting is mechanically adjustable, and incorporates a keep-alive

circuit.

Edited March 2, 2013 by eigyro
typo

[enniscorthyman]

That looks brilliant,and what sort of chip did you use?.

[eigyro]

That looks brilliant,and what sort of chip did you use?.

 

I didn't use a chip at all.

 

I was aiming for the simplest, most economical system that would produce a decent result.

The circuitry is just a full-wave rectifier, with a high-value electolytic capacitor and trimmer pot forming

a c-r circuit which smooths the output voltage and provides a reservoir charge sufficient to give

a keep-alive function, the trimmer pot providing adjustable brightness, to allow for personal preference

and different ambient light levels.

All wheels are fitted with pickups.

 

You could do a chip version, but the only advantage would be remote brightness control, at a much

greater cost.

[Glenderg]

wonderful work, it looks life like -a few tracksuit clad langers on the way to the district court, and you've captured my recollections of those carraiges . is there any chance you might have an explanation for your method that translates to english. i'm a thick when it comes to electronics, but i'd be happy to give it a go if i knew which products to buy etc. i assume maplin would have all these "flux capacitors" thingemeebobs you speak of? richie

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

. i'm a thick when it comes to electronics,

 

If your a thick maybe best to get someone that knows what they are doing to do it for you. Wire a capacitor up wrong and connect it to DCC (AC) and it will be like a bomb going off. Their not something to mess with if you don't know what your at. A wave rectifier is easy enough to put together and there are videos on YouTube showing you how to do it. If eigyro were maybe to make some units up and sell them it might be the way for you to go. BTW eigyro that lighting and interior paint job really sets the model of well done.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Anthony

[eigyro]

Hi again,

 

The carriage is lit by a string of 15 LEDs, which require a DC current. The rectifier converts the DCC AC current to DC, but leaves a ripple voltage.

The LEDs might dislike the ripple voltage over time, so the capacitor ( think water tank for electricity ) smooths out the ripple.

As you no doubt know, the electrical contact between the track and wheels, and between wheels and pickups, is pretty lousy, resulting in

flickering.

If you use a big enough capacitor (water tank), it can supply the current during the breaks in feed from the track. That, combined with pickups

on all wheels, gives a pretty much flicker-free result.

The output from the rectifier/smoother is fed through a variable resistor (multi-turn cermet trimmer potentiometer), to the LEDs. The trimmer has a small screw projecting to allow off-track adjustment of the brightness.

 

The photo in the first post was taken in full daylight (not direct sunlight) in the greenhouse where my bench is.

The brightness can be adjusted to suit almost any ambient light level from daylight to near darkness.

 

You can see other samples of my system on the D&M de Dietrich photos and videos on the Amiens St and Tara Junction layouts on this forum.

 

 

I have some other photos of BR MkII coaches, but I'm not sure if the protocol allows me to post these here. Also a Class 31 loco.

For the locos or DVTs I use a four-function chip.

 

All the components used are polarity-sensitive, apart from the trimmer, so a kit might not be a good idea. As Anthony says, Electrolytic capacitors

dislike wrong polarity and sometimes they make their displeasure known.

 

A considerable amount of work is devoted to eliminating light bleed around the window inserts, which can spoil the effect if not attended to.

 

The wiring assembly is organised so that coaches may still be disassembled (with care).

 

My next project is to attempt fully adjustable running lights and headlights for the de Dietrich DVTs.

 

I am absolutely gobsmacked at the quality of the models and layouts on this site, for which I don't have the talent or patience, unfortunately.

[Warbonnet]

 

I have some other photos of BR MkII coaches, but I'm not sure if the protocol allows me to post these here. Also a Class 31 loco.

For the locos or DVTs I use a four-function chip.

 

Please feel free to post your pics!

[Glenderg]

Many thanks eigyro for that easily understood yet detailed explanation. Feel free to post as many pics, BR or IE, they really put the models on a different level. Richie.

[ttc0169]

Welcome to the site eigyro,

The lights really bring those coaches to life-well done...

[Kirley]

Excellent work eigyro, it makes these coaches so realistic

[RedRich]

As the lads have said feel free to upload more of your work and don't worry about using the BR models. It is very interesting and I'm sure the thread will become popular. If you can apply yourself to other areas of the hobby as well as this, you'll have no problems. I look forward to seeing more.

 

Rich,

[Blaine]

 

I am absolutely gobsmacked at the quality of the models and layouts on this site, for which I don't have the talent or patience, unfortunately.

 

Your talent is with electronics, others might not have the talent or patience to do that, whereas they might with building scenery and models

[scahalane]

Lovely internal paint job and lighting, really brings these carriages to life.

[irishthump]

That's very impressive work, Eigyro.

 

As regards the wiring for the circuit, do you have any problem with an inrush of current to the capacitor causing the DCC system to interperet it as a short?

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Looking forward to more pics keep them coming

[burnthebox]

Hi eigyro, and very, very well done, the carriage look's the business, electricts just mega, so ok, your other job is for NASA, isn't it,

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

For those with limited or no electrical skills you can us one of these for your coach lighting http://www.ehattons.com/59638/DCC_Concepts_FF1_FlickerFree_with_Springs_DCP022_/StockDetail.aspx

[eigyro]

That's very impressive work, Eigyro.

 

As regards the wiring for the circuit, do you have any problem with an inrush of current to the capacitor causing the DCC system to interperet it as a short?

 

Good question. I was half expecting to encounter this problem, but I have lit up 10 coaches simultaneously at full brightness with no problems. Tried this with two

different DCC controllers, and a Gaugemaster DC controller. (These coaches will work reasonably well on DC as long as the controller has a good short-circuit protection, NOT a thermal cutout, but they are not optimised for DC.)

 

There is a flickerfree kit available on the market which uses a VERY high value capacitor. It would be interesting to know whether they have a problem with long

trains. However, I'm not curious enough to buy 10 of them to find out.

[eigyro]

For those with limited or no electrical skills you can us one of these for your coach lighting http://www.ehattons.com/59638/DCC_Concepts_FF1_FlickerFree_with_Springs_DCP022_/StockDetail.aspx

 

Hi Anthony, I think this may be the one I referred to in the previous post. If I read it correctly it consists of the keepalive unit, some wiring and wheel pickups.

I don't see any LEDs included.

[eigyro]

Hi eigyro, and very, very well done, the carriage look's the business, electricts just mega, so ok, your other job is for NASA, isn't it,

 

Not NASA, just as a Marine Radio Officer (Sparks) with Marconi from 74 to 79, then a hardware service engineer for Big Blue from 79 to 2010. Now retired.

[Broithe]

Not NASA, just as a Marine Radio Officer (Sparks) with Marconi from 74 to 79, then a hardware service engineer for Big Blue from 79 to 2010. Now retired.

 

Yeah, right...

 

Have a good cover story and stick to it.

 

[eigyro]

More photos;

 

[eigyro]

Having further thoughts about kits. It might be workable.

 

Another thought was to offer retrofits to modellers existing stock. Would there be enough interest, do ye think?

[burnthebox]

Yeh, as I said, NASA, and the carriage isn't bad either, it's bloody marvelious, I'll be interested, very,

[eigyro]

Yeah, right...

 

Have a good cover story and stick to it.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6173[/ATTACH]

 

Close, but this one's my cover story;

 

[eigyro]

Class 31 with 3 MkII Executives;

[burnthebox]

As I said, NASA, stick to the choppers, you'll never make it with modelling trains,

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

I don't see any LEDs included.

 

 

Here's the pack mate with LEDs but its a bit on the expensive side but the flicker free unit ain't a bad price for people who dont have the skill in wiring up electronics http://www.ehattons.com/59639/DCC_Concepts_FF3_AP_FlickerFree_LED_Lighting_System_3_DCP021_/StockDetail.aspx

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Having further thoughts about kits. It might be workable.

 

I think a kit would be a great idea love the BR Mk2's:tumbsup:

[eigyro]

Here's the pack mate with LEDs but its a bit on the expensive side but the flicker free unit ain't a bad price for people who dont have the skill in wiring up electronics http://www.ehattons.com/59639/DCC_Concepts_FF3_AP_FlickerFree_LED_Lighting_System_3_DCP021_/StockDetail.aspx

 

That'd work out about €50 per coach. !!!

For that price I'd supply the kit, fit it and paint the insert.

[eigyro]

OOPS! I see its actually a 3-pack. I was so focussed on the kit contents, I didn't read the words. My bad.

 

I don't see any provision for adjusting the brightness. Am I missing something else?

 

Meantime David tells me he'd like keep-alive on the DVT running lights and headlight. I hadn't noticed any problem with that.

Thinking hat time. It can be done, of course, but what cost ?.

[eigyro]

I have a cunning plan.

[eigyro]

Just a heads-up to anyone who may be interested.

 

I have put together a part-assembled kit for lighting carriages.

The kit requires no electrical knowledge other than the ability to solder according to the detailed instructions.

It will cost about 20 euros + postage per kit.

The kit is identical to that fitted to the D&M De Dietrich Enterprise.

I will post the installation instructions with photographs of a typical installation on this thread over the next few days.

 

Watch this space.

[eigyro]

In case you haven't seen the video on Boskonay's Amiens Street Terminus, here is the link;

 

[eigyro]