Choosing LED's

[William Brillinger]

(Bill referencing Evans). Doing so is a guarantee you will pay through the nose.

I also buy components from China. If I'm in a rush I try to find a US source.

The prewired LED's from Evans is another story: These being prewired is worth a lot to me, especially the really small ones.

[KPack]

Don't worry Alan, I wasn't coming at you or anything.  Just stating what I paid.  Resistors can be had super-cheap from basically anywhere.  The real cost savings from other vendors will be seen in other components like speakers.  I'll check around the list you provided and see if I can find my preferred speaker for cheaper than what I'm paying at Digikey.  I used up my last speaker and still have a few more locomotives that need them, so I'm on the hunt.

You will most definitely pay more when buying LEDs from Evan Designs than you will by ordering a large amount of LEDs and soldering the wires yourself.  I have no desire to solder the wires myself so I'm okay paying more to have someone else do it.  Not that I can't do it, because I'm certain that I could easily solder those magnet wires, but I just don't want to.  I'm learning as I get older (and I'm still fairly young) that sometimes it just makes life better to pay someone else to do something you really don't want to do.  It frees up more time to do what you really want....which in my case is weathering and running the trains.  I only put up with the rest of the soldering and installation of electronics because I have to. 

-Kevin

[Alan]

Kevin, I get it. I think everyone does similar time management. I know I do.

Having played with electronics virtually all my life, soldering wire and components is so 2nd nature I don't think twice about it. It's a task I don't mind doing and with hundreds of thousands of solder joints under my belt, it is usually a very quick task. If I did not have those 40+ years of experience then I would likely want to spend my time elsewhere too. I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that soldering is fun. 

[PatP]

The real cost savings from other vendors will be seen in other components like speakers.  I'll check around the list you provided and see if I can find my preferred speaker for cheaper than what I'm paying at Digikey.  I used up my last speaker and still have a few more locomotives that need them, so I'm on the hunt.

Kevin, Let us (at least me) know if you find a better price on speakers. I've been trying different ones (mainly from DigiKey) and I'm still not happy with what little sound volume I get. If you got any ideas on that, I'm all ears.

Alan, I envy you. You can't imagine the amount of magnification it takes for some of us older guys to even see a pico-led, let alone solder on it. Flaunt it while ya got it...

PatP

[Alan]

Optovisors baby, Optovisors! You end up working 4" from your nose but the view is magnificent.

[William Brillinger]

Optovisors baby, Optovisors! You end up working 4" from your nose but the view is magnificent.

I believe Kevin is a Dentist. I suspect his tools and his knowledge of them are above average

[PatP]

Optovisors baby, Optovisors! You end up working 4" from your nose but the view is magnificent.

I got a 3.5 magnification visor, and a magnifying lamp, so, my order of little bitty LEDs (0.65mm) came in. I pulled the tape off of one and it popped out onto my finger  . I moved over to look at it under the lamp with the visor on and think I saw an arrow printed on it, right before it popped off my finger and is now somewhere on the den floor  . I won't be pulling any more tape unless I'm holding them over a contrasting work surface  . Looks like I'm going to be looking for something stronger than 3.5 mag if I'm planning on soldering these .

PatP

[TwinStar]

Don't be embarrassed. That tip is not written in any instructions that I've ever seen. You can be embarrassed for calling me Jacob though. 

I was wondering how I got involved in this. Great read as I'm needing LED's as well right now.

The Real Jacob

[Alan]

The prewired LED's from Evans is another story: These being prewired is worth a lot to me, especially the really small ones.

Check these out Bill. They are SMD 0603 size (0.6mm x 0.3mm). Is that size of the Evans nano chips? The price sure is right.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/F0603PW-PURE-WHITE-20pcs-Micro-Litz-Wired-Leads-Pre-soldered-SMD-Led-4000-4500K/192272799638?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D45727%26meid%3D4e92bcc4a1304f389a63e7db634f3881%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D192283985541&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[William Brillinger]

Check these out Bill. They are SMD 0603 size (0.6mm x 0.3mm). Is that size of the Evans nano chips? The price sure is right.

Outstanding Alan! thanks!
That is the size of the Evans Nano Chip.

I'm a' get me some.

[KPack]

When you do get these Bill, could you please evaluate the color?  Look at getting some of the warm white versions as well.  What I'm interested in is color temp and color-fastness.  Do all the LED's in a batch give off the same color or are some blue-ish?

The Evan Designs warm whites are fairly stable on color and are predictably close to incandescent in color.  I'm interested to see how these compare.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

ok, I ordered a set of warm white too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/F0603WW-WARM-WHITE-20pcs-Micro-Litz-Wired-Leads-Pre-soldered-SMD-LedModel-DIY-/192291577073

I like 4000k personally. so I also ordered those. The Warm white set is even less expensive.

[darryl.trains]

 Another source for interesting LED items that I found with most reasonable costs including shipping. Search on eBay for big-windy and see if there is something for you.

The old fardt in Arid-Zona

[CampbellRice]

I have always used Monster LED's by Al Mayo. He stands behind his product.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WARM-WHITE-MONSTER-LEDs-BY-AL-MAYO-LED-HO-ENGINE-LIGHT-KIT-MODEL-TRAINS-DC-DCC-/182799128606?hash=item2a8fad581e:g:UwgAAOSwe09ZpGlv

[TwinStar]

I know others who have had good dealings with Al but I cannot in any way shape or form recommend that guy. My dealings with him have been shady at best and perhaps criminal at worst if I'd gotten the USPS involved. I'm glad you had good experiences but I strongly advise against this guy.