# Something New - Wireless LEDs



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

here's a link to the you tube video


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Well that's cool!!!!! I see lots of potential in modeling.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The induction limits will be a problem for many uses,
however, I suspect there are more powerful 'sources'
that are now available or soon will be.
Increased 'range' would open all sorts of
ways these delightful little devices can be used.

Don


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Since it requires a coil for power, would coils in a loco motor provide? And I wonder how large a coil is needed? Perhaps a vertical coil set right behind the cab would power front lights of various kinds?


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

The biggest issue I could see with that is interference between a coil and locomotive electronics for newer locos or decoders


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's a special driver, the type that is used for wireless phone charging. The coils of a locomotive will not power them, it's much higher frequency.








I see a significant possibility that this would really play havoc with TMCC or DCS.


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I saw that video last week. It’s interesting, but I can’t help but wonder about tweaking resistance and other issues as DonR said. Also a concern for me, as others, is interference. There’s only so many frequencies, and as more things go wireless, the more crowded & likely interference will be. If not today, someday soon. They’d be good for certain applications where wiring is problematic, maybe a rotating sign or something. Personally I filed them under “if nothing else will work” category. One place I will certainly use them are on my assortment of exhaust towers. 
Would also be excellent for aircraft if anyone models an airport or an in-flight aircraft over their layout.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

i see them beng used for buildings and other 'static' lights, not so much for ditch lights, but maybe headlights .... range is pretty short on the exciter coil .. it just might 'turn on' the lights as it passes by, lol .. i don't see them interfering with DCC though ??


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

DCC is probably fairly immune as it's a low impedance signal carrying track power and encoding. DCS & TMCC/Legacy are much higher impedance signals.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

DCC runs at a nominal 8 khz, while the LEDs run about 217 khz, a fair bit of difference, and not really a multiple either ... the LEDs coils are also quite a bit lower in power output than the ones used in wireless phone charger .. but as the video shows, a wireless phone charger coil can be used for much brighter LEDs


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

a thought came to me while i was having a smoke [yes, i still smoke, but much less than what i used to] .. anyways, there should be a way to superimpose the DCC signal on top of the wireless power signal, with two filter networks feeding the decoder, one for the 8khz signal, and another for the 216khz power ... that way we would have true non contact operation, and cleaning would be a thing of the past ..


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