# looking for parts?



## michael cuneo (Sep 5, 2013)

Hi I'm looking for axle sets and axle sweepers to pick up power from ho track to light some cars with any info would be great thanks:dunno:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Michael

It's not that difficult to light HO cars.

I used LEDs from the strip lights available, but you can use either
LED or incandescent bulbs. LEDs will require a resistor to drop
the voltage and a simple diode rectifier to provide DC current.
You will need incandescent bulbs of proper voltage for the type
of system you have.

There are 2 ways to pick up the power from the wheels. 
Either method requires metal wheels, one of which is
insulated from the axle as Most are. Every insulated wheel
MUST be on the same side of both trucks or you will have a short
circuit.

1. Wipers against the axle. This will provide 2 wheels
picking up from L rail on one truck, and 2 wheels from R rail
on the other. You simply solder a very thin and very flexible wire to a
thin copper or brass strip. Screw or glue it to the
center of the PLASTIC truck so that it rubs lightly 
against each axle.

2. Wipers against the back of the wheels. Preferred method,
since it affords all 4 wheels on each rail picking up power.
Again with wire attached to thin copper or brass strips
you mount them so that they rub lightly against the back
of each wheel on a side. The other side is done the same
way.

3. Drill a small hole in the car frame near each truck and feed
the wires into the car interior. Make
sure the wire does not hinder easy rotation of the trucks.

The rest depends on what bulbs you use.

I glued my wipers to small balsa blocks which, in turn, were
glued to the bottom of the plastic trucks. Plastic blocks mounted
with screws which also hold the wipers would be much better, however.

Don


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

DonR said:


> ...Either method requires metal wheels, one of which is
> insulated from the axle as Most are...
> Wipers against the back of the wheels. Preferred method, since it affords all 4 wheels on each rail picking up power. Again with wire attached to thin copper or brass strips you mount them so that they rub lightly against the back of each wheel on a side. The other side is done the same way...
> I glued my wipers to small balsa blocks which, in turn, were glued to the bottom of the plastic trucks. Plastic blocks mounted with screws which also hold the wipers would be much better, however...


Don, Is there a source for pre-made wheels/trucks? Or pictures of the final product? 

Will


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

If you've got any of those contact strips out of older Athearn blue box locomotives, they work pretty well as axle/wheel wipers, too.


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## RUSTY Cuda (Aug 28, 2012)

here's some that were made for a caboose................


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Thank you Rusty. I'm a visual person so the picture does a 1000x better than the written instructions. That looks easy enough to build.


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks for those photos. I have been trying to figure out how do that. I am a visual person also. It looks like you have two wires on one sweeper. Is that correct? What about the other sweeper?


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## RUSTY Cuda (Aug 28, 2012)

There's 2 lights in the caboose, 2 yellow on one truck & the 2 brown on the other.


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

I have some clear pea blubs with the wires attached. Would that work the same as LEDs? It says voltage of 14v - 16v.


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## michael cuneo (Sep 5, 2013)

thanks for the pictures rusty I've done that my problem is finding the axles with one insulated wheel does anybody know of a manufacturer I've been looking any info on this would be appreciated


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## RUSTY Cuda (Aug 28, 2012)

Haven't used leds yet, mine are regular bulbs, just touch the leads to the track & power up slowly, 14 to 16 should be ok.


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

I use intermountain metal wheels. They have insulation on one side.


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

OK, I tested the lights and they do work which leads me to my last question. Where can I find the copper wipers? I have 3 cabooses I would like to light up.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

thetramp said:


> OK, I tested the lights and they do work which leads me to my last question. Where can I find the copper wipers? I have 3 cabooses I would like to light up.


I think the idea is that you use brass sheets and cut your own wipers to fit. At least that's what I'm going to do.


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

Ok, I can do that. Where can I get the brass sheets? Is that something you can get at a place like Lowes?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The pea bulbs at 14 v would work fine on DC tracks. The
DCC track has a somewhat higher voltage so they may not
last long used that way. A resistor in the circuit would work.

LEDs usually take 1.5 to 3 v but DC. They would need a
special circuit, tho, since the DC track polarity is reversed
often and LEDs need stable polarity. On a DCC track you'd
need a rectifier plus a resistor to reduce the voltage.

You can buy at hobby shops very thin sheets of brass or copper which can be
cut with a scissors to make wipers for either axle or back of
wheel contacts. I've heard some have cut the brass centering fingers
off of the brass box Kadee # 5 couplers come with to use as wipers.

I had some old 'telephone' type relays. I cut the contact leaves off
to use for lighting my passenger cars.

Don


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

For those of us who are visual learners, I found a pic of a slightly different way of getting power from the wheels. This method was mentioned on page 1 I think.









In this picture, the modeler drilled a tiny hole in the bolster of the truck and ran the wire down through that hole. He then folded over the wire and I assume used some glue to hold it in place. That is what keeps the brass wiper in place and keeps tension on the wheels.

The benefit to this method is that you pick up power from both sides of the track, on both sets of trucks, which is suppose to be more reliable than using wipers on the axles which only picks up power from one side of the track per axle.

One mod I will consider, unless the experts here say it's not worth it, is to increase the length of the wiper to cover more wheel area and provide for a better electrical connection.

picture source:
http://www.alaskarails.org/modeling/PD-electrical-pickup.html


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## thetramp (Dec 14, 2012)

I am running DC power. Thanks for all the info. It is greatly appreciated.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

I'm doing some window shopping on flea bay and amazon, and most of what I see are 33" metal wheels insulated on one side only. 
What do you recommend for people who want dual insulated wheels for the increased power pickup and not having to worry about putting all the wheels the same way?

In my case, I would be using them on mostly modern freight cars so I assume the 33" are the right size?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Do a search for 'Intermountain'. I've used their metal wheels and like them a lot. Don't know if you can find double insulated wheels though. Pete


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## michael cuneo (Sep 5, 2013)

Will I got smart and made my own wipers for all wheel pickup with plastic axles so 4 wheels on each side pick up power this works much better than axle pickups. I looked everywhere I could think of for one side insulated everyone is out of stock second set of pictures in this thread is the way I did it thank you spoil9 Mike


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Spoil9

Maybe they exist, but don't think I've seen any wheel sets
with both wheels insulated from the axle. You Don't really
need that. It's easy to look at the metal wheel sets and
identify the insulated wheels...just keep 'em on the same side.
If in doubt, use the multimeter set to ohms to probe the wheel and with
the other probe the axle. If no reading that's the insulated wheel.

I sure do like the pickup method you illustrated. It would seem
to also keep the wheels clean. Looks easier to install than the
wiper against the back of the wheels also. I do wonder, though, if the
routing of the 2 wires might hinder rotation of the truck. 
The wires usually come from the center of the truck and are flexible.

Don


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Only Walthers seems to make them and they're not in stock. More i think about it though, really don't need these double insulated wheels. Don't know why I became focused on this idea. Gonna order some bulk Intermountain wheels so I have them for other cars as I need them.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Don,

Routing of the wires shouldn't change between the two pickup methods. I would assume you use the same wire, same approx hole location, etc. Maybe just a little extra slack since there are two wires now?


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

norgale said:


> Do a search for 'Intermountain'. I've used their metal wheels and like them a lot. Don't know if you can find double insulated wheels though. Pete


Maybe plastic axles?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Spoil

I use a 32 gauge insulated stranded wire for my car power. It is almost
a thread. I had a whole spool of it but it got used in all of
the LED building and car lighting. It is extremely flexible yet
has ability to carry the low current of LEDs. Think I got it at
a major electrical parts distributor about 20 years ago.

The wires in that pic seem quite heavy.

Don


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

The setup in that pic was being used to supply additional power to a steam engine through the tender. I assume that's why they went with a larger wire.


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