I was in a model railroading store and saw these great, tiny tiny lights that can be wired and powered pretty easily. They are probably grain of wheat bulbs or something to that nature. How hot do they get? Would it be suicide to install those in a styrene kit?

Grain of Wheat bulbs produce heat. Plus, they may not last as long as regular LEDs. I would stick with LEDs if at all possible. If you need a miniature light you might find using fiber optics a better choice than GOW bulbs.

Aurorafan,

maybe not suicide, but certainly a grevious self inflicted wound.

I was briefly toying with the idea of using those grain of wheat bulbs for the tiny spotlights on my chariot. I even ordered some dollhouse lamp bulbs (quite like your railroad lights in most respects) Once I saw - more importantly FELT - how hot those tiny beasties got, I quickly changed my mind.

leds are a safer and cooler way to go.

Thanks guys. I knew it was too good to be true. I've never installed fiber optics, though I think I can do it- I was just thinking of saving soldering time. I know there are tiny leds but I'll have to research their power needs. I'm not very LED savy. Most of my experience has been adapting other product's electronics- (Light pens, toys, etc.) into my models.

Fiber optics are relatively easy to work with. Learn the basics of their use and you will be all set. Don't use superglue on FO as it will melt them. Use epoxy or "white glue". You can make a lense effect to increase the light coming thru. Hold the end of the FO close to a candle flame and watch as it melts, it will mushroom. It will form a small mafnifying lense. Of course this takes practice but once you get the hang of it you'll have it mastered. This also helps the FO from being pulled out from the hole.

Check this site for LED wiring help. It has served me well in the past!
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

thanks robiwon. The site is great

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-PCS-1206-SMT-SMD-2500-mcd-WHITE-LED-FREE-SHIP_W0QQitemZ220406811265QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_De faultDomain_0?hash=item3351450a81&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

Hi Aurorafan
It's been years since I've used incandescent bulbs in any of my builds, just not worth the risk of it burning out. Today's LED's are so much better then
ever before. The light output is amazing, even SMD LED's can be 2300mcd
or brighter....:thumbsup: And I also am a big fan of FO in my builds. Here are
some reposted pictures I posted in other treads, I hope they give you some ideas.
The larger SMD are 1206 and are the ones I used for the spot/fog lights on my Chariot, the smaller
are 603 and have used them in my Seaview for the radar displays in the control room. the two inside
of the B-9 are 3mm LED's with a circuit for alternating flash of the LED's

Aurorafan

In a few more months you will be able to get LEDs very cheap as the big box stores clearance out their christmas LEDs. This is the cheapest time/place to get white and blue LEDs.

Telslabe-

Great work. I've never heard of SMD leds. I will research it. thanks for the pics.

Robiwon IS the lighting expert !!!!

I am planning do do some detail work on the 1/32 flying sub which may require very customized (& small) wiring profiles.

I am planning do do some detail work on the 1/32 flying sub which may require very customized (& small) wiring profiles.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=247909&page=8

I try to always use "Mag wire" in my kits, I have wire as small as 44awg. If you take a look at my posts #119,121 on page 8 and 128 on page 9, in the thread above. Here I use 34awg Mag wire with 1206 white SMD LEDs. It helps when putting alot of lighting in a small space.;)

That is great work- and the size wire/lights I think I'll need. I'll have to do some research, since I'm unfamiliar with the term SMD. (power needs, colors, etc)
Thanks for the info

That is great work- and the size wire/lights I think I'll need. I'll have to do some research, since I'm unfamiliar with the term SMD. (power needs, colors, etc)
Thanks for the info

Thank you for the nice words.... SMD stands for "Surface Mount Device", it the way the parts are mounted to a circuit card.:wave: