LEDs or Fiber Optics?

[Oldcarfan27]

I've been wanting to build something with lights on it.

Maybe a big rig, a decked out custom van or a fully lit emergency vehicle. 

My question is to those who have successfully conquered this task. What kind of lighting did you use, where did you purchase the supplies, where did you store the lights, fiber opt & power for the illumination and do you have any photos to show us how it came out?

I've seen some photos of it having been done, I just want to know how. I've heard you need circuit boards and resistors for LEDs, but fiber optic strands take up a lot of space and aren't very flexible in tight spaces.

Show us your secrets!

[Bills72sj]

LEDs will give you more flexibility and diffusion of light than fiber optic cables. It will require some fine wiring, but if you can solder you will be fine. Unless you want a power supply attached, shoot for operating them on a 9V battery. It has enough voltage to power 2-3 LEDs in series (depending on forward voltage requirements) and multiples of that in parallel. It is also easier to package into a model. I use LEDs rated for 20mA. You can add resistors that can bring the brightness down by limiting the current.

LEDs also come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Domed and rectangular will probably be your two most useful shapes. Stay away from SMDs (surface mount devices).

Here is a link to Newark an electronics supplier.

https://www.newark.com/w/c/optoelectronics-displays/led-products/standard-single-color-leds-under-75ma?led-mounting=through-hole&forward-current-if=20ma&st=leds

PM me if you need more assistance.

[Oldcarfan27]

Great information and great website Bill.

I bought some LEDs from Radio Shack a while back, but when I tried to use them, they fried. I was told that you needed to use resistors to bring down current for them.

After that, I never tried any more until I completely understood how they worked.

I've even thought about buying some cheap LED flashlights to use as parts.

Edited September 24, 2021 by Oldcarfan27

[peteski]

While LEDs are different animal from light bulbs, they are not rocket science.

Nowadays small enough lead-less SMD (Surface Mount Device) LEDs exist to even install in model truck's small marker lights.

That is an old photo. Now there is an even smaller LED available: 0201 size (half of the 0402).

LEDs emit light at fairly wide angle (somewhat like light bulbs), so the light is  visible from wide angle.  Fiber Optics emit light in a narrow angle (best viewed head-on), so they are no ideal for the task at hand.   But there could be some application for them on your model.  You can also use LED to feed light into fiber optic (instead of the old fashion light bulbs).

Light bulbs also need lots of power, and they get warm or hot (sometimes enough to melt plastic).  LEDs run cool.

There was a similar recent discussion on the forum. There is some info about those resistors:

Going back to small SMD LEDs, you do need a steady hand and precision soldering iron (and small gauge wire) to solder leads to them.  However many small SMD LEDs are available on eBay with wire leads already installed for you.  Here is a listing for pre-wired white LEDs (other colors are also available). https://www.ebay.com/itm/252440293369

If you are curious, there is a lot of information about LEDs on the Internet. Here is some basic stuff: https://byjus.com/physics/light-emitting-diode/

If you haven't figured out by now, I'm a huge fan of LEDs (and have been for over 40 years).  I have a background in electronics, so that makes things easier for me.  I get my LEDs mostly from electronic parts suppliers such as Digikey or Mouser Electronics, but eBay is also a good source for a variety of inexpensive LEDs in all sizes.  Once you learn the nomenclature (like the sizes), it is easy to find things.

Here is a model I built over 20 years ago illuminated mostly with LEDs.  Unlike today, back then finding small SMD LEDs was difficult.  Also white LEDs were pretty much non-existent, so the headlights and fog lights were illuminated using micro-bulbs from Miniatronics. And I used fiber optics threaded through hypodermic tubing for illuminating the tips of the clearance poles.

I also have the light bars flashing, so I designed and build my own circuitry for them, but for just having plain lighting, the wiring will be much less complicated.  There is some info in the thread I linked to above about buying some ready-made LED circuits which contain LED flashers

[Exotics_Builder]

1 hour ago, peteski said:

While LEDs are different animal from light bulbs, they are not rocket science.

Nowadays small enough lead-less SMD (Surface Mount Device) LEDs exist to even install in model truck's small marker lights.

That is an old photo. Now there is an even smaller LED available: 0201 size (half of the 0402).

LEDs emit light at fairly wide angle (somewhat like light bulbs), so the light is  visible from wide angle.  Fiber Optics emit light in a narrow angle (best viewed head-on), so they are no ideal for the task at hand.   But there could be some application for them on your model.  You can also use LED to feed light into fiber optic (instead of the old fashion light bulbs).

Light bulbs also need lots of power, and they get warm or hot (sometimes enough to melt plastic).  LEDs run cool.

There was a similar recent discussion on the forum. There is some info about those resistors:

Going back to small SMD LEDs, you do need a steady hand and precision soldering iron (and small gauge wire) to solder leads to them.  However many small SMD LEDs are available on eBay with wire leads already installed for you.  Here is a listing for pre-wired white LEDs (other colors are also available). https://www.ebay.com/itm/252440293369

If you are curious, there is a lot of information about LEDs on the Internet. Here is some basic stuff: https://byjus.com/physics/light-emitting-diode/

If you haven't figured out by now, I'm a huge fan of LEDs (and have been for over 40 years).  I have a background in electronics, so that makes things easier for me.  I get my LEDs mostly from electronic parts suppliers such as Digikey or Mouser Electronics, but eBay is also a good source for a variety of inexpensive LEDs in all sizes.  Once you learn the nomenclature (like the sizes), it is easy to find things.

Here is a model I built over 20 years ago illuminated mostly with LEDs.  Unlike today, back then finding small SMD LEDs was difficult.  Also white LEDs were pretty much non-existent, so the headlights and fog lights were illuminated using micro-bulbs from Miniatronics. And I used fiber optics threaded through hypodermic tubing for illuminating the tips of the clearance poles.

I also have the light bars flashing, so I designed and build my own circuitry for them, but for just having plain lighting, the wiring will be much less complicated.  There is some info in the thread I linked to above about buying some ready-made LED circuits which contain LED flashers

That is SWEET!!!  Excellent work