# Fiber optic cable



## JohnAP (May 4, 2011)

Just curious if anyone has used fiber optic cable on thier layout, and if so, could you post pics?


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

I thought about it. It seems like a good way to do lighting in many ways. You'd have a main bright source and then run the cables to the buildings you wanted to light. You could add filters at the end if you wanted different colors. It would eliminate a lot of wires, and of course the FO cable would be very small and easy to route.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

I've tried messing around with scrap multimode stuff from work but I think the stuff is to small. I still can not make a good light source for it either. The stuff you buy online is thicker and passes light easier even if the ends are not perfect. 
On that note I'm curious myself about others attempts.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Fiber is very directional lighting, so it doesn't work well for general lighting without some help. I bought a 200 foot roll of it for $5 I believe, and I've tried it for a couple of markers. The jury is still out, I find it easier to mount some tiny 2mm LED's where I need light.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I've used it for years, I've come to the same conclusion as Stan!
It's tough to work with and the light out the end is very directional! For doing the ditch lights on an N diesel it good but then again most of the time you can get better an easier results from Acrylic rod with out the hassle of the fiber.
When it works better than any other material is when you need to make several bends over a long length in a very small space.
I have been working with SMD LED's lately and I can stick those in some pretty small spaces!


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

You guys say the light at the end is directional - I would agree, but can't you put a diffusing material there to overcome this limitation?


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## oldSmokey (Jul 31, 2011)

*Fiber Optics*

You can now buy side glow fiber optic filament, here is an example of lighting a building on model rail:

http://thefiberopticstore.com/Projects/N-Scale Building/index.htm

Flaring or "Mushrooming" Fiber Optic Filament

http://thefiberopticstore.com/Projects/Tips/Flaring-fiber.htm

If you go to this sight:
http://thefiberopticstore.com/FOS-mainpage.htm

and look under Customer Projects there are quite a few ideas for fiber optic Filament


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I haven't found anyway to diffuse the light coming out of the fiber to get any kind of real dispersion.


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## Ed Gerken (Jan 23, 2012)

Years ago I bought a small bundle from Poly Paks (anyone remember them?). The instructions said to hold a match or lighter near the ends to melt them a bit. Done right, it makes a little blob that acts like a tiny bulb. Overheat it and the blob drops off, so give yourself a little extra length or make the blob-bulbs before cutting to length. It did make the blubs  visible from all around.

-Ed


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

The problem I had was not diffusing the light but getting enough light to be diffused at the end. A led can be fitted into a BC connector and that works but at that point a smd/led and light tubes work better and take up less space as Sean said. The stuff sold on line is more like glass tube then fiber used in IT fields, thicker wise.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'll have to try melting the end and then check the results. I have plenty of the stuff, might as well waste a little.


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