# First Attempt at a Constant lighting Unit



## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

I finally got it all together and put together a Constant Lighting Unit in one of my Engines.

I was able to glue it down to the frame and fit the LED into the clip that held the original light.

It really works great. You can hook it to A.C. or D.C. (either pole) and it will work.

It comes on with full intensity before the train starts moving and doesn't blink when it runs over switches etc. The engine on the right is the one I installed the CLU into. You can see how much brighter it is.

The best part is that the components cost a whopping $1.90 on eBay. I bought 10 Capacitors, 10 Rectifiers, and 50 LED's with resistors for $23.70 Including shipping. Not a bad deal.

Ray

.


----------



## coupman35 (Dec 9, 2012)

that look good nive find


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, constant lighting it's probably not, as it would have to have constant voltage for that. You can use something like the Supertex CL2N3-G constant current source to modify it, then it'll be constant intensity.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

If you saved a little more money you could go DCC and then everything becomes controlable and constant!


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Come on NIMT. Dcc is great that's for sure but it's $500 compared to $23 for what he has done? No contest.Looks like he installed a capcitor to hold some juice for the light. keeps burning at slow speed but should go off soon after shutting down the power. The light he did looks great compared to the one next to it. Pete


----------



## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

norgale said:


> Come on NIMT. Dcc is great that's for sure but it's $500 compared to $23 for what he has done? No contest.Looks like he installed a capcitor to hold some juice for the light. keeps burning at slow speed but should go off soon after shutting down the power. The light he did looks great compared to the one next to it. Pete


$23.00 was for ten units with 40 extra LED's and resisters. When you shut the power off the light dims slowly. It works with AC, DC positive, and DC negative, it doesn't matter, the light comes on full brightness before the train starts moving and does not flicker when crossing turnouts or dead spots in the track and is bi-directional.

Ray


----------



## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Well, constant lighting it's probably not, as it would have to have constant voltage for that. You can use something like the Supertex CL2N3-G constant current source to modify it, then it'll be constant intensity.


I used a capacitor instead.

Ray


----------



## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

I see he is using a rectifier with a capacitor, so yes, it is constant lighting when the track power is about 1.5v. I did those in my DC days and it worked fine. Did passenger cars too.


----------

