Post by: Espeelark on December 12, 2024, 04:35:47 PM
After removing the shell, I removed Athearn's stock PC board and all grain-of-wheat light bulbs. I will replace the bulbs with LED's. Note - I use 15 mA or 20 mA LED drivers with the LEDs as opposed to resistors.
Here's a photo of the stripped down chassis.
There is a grey wire coming from each of the four trucks on each side providing track power, so four wires per side for a total of eight. You can see them sticking up in the above photo.
Next, I cut a piece of PCB bread-board to make it simpler to connect all of the wires. In addition to the normal forward/reverse headlights, I'm going to install SP's typical oscillating headlight. Here's a picture of that PCB board installed. Note that I cut-out a couple notches into it to fit around the screw posts that held the factory PCB.
Here's a close-up of the PCB. Here I've soldered the track power leads to separate chases on the PCB. I've separated them by one PCB chase just to help insure no adjacency shorts. I also fed the blue and orange motor wires up through the PCB.
I plan to install the LM-3S just forward of the PCB.
The Scale Sound Systems paired speakers are also installed at this point. One conveniently uses a pair of screw posts that held the original factory PCB. The one in the rear is bigger and sits on the chassis frame with a piece of double-sided tape. I plan to wire these in series.
Post by: faithie999 on December 12, 2024, 05:24:22 PM
why do you prefer that approach vs resistors?
thanks
Ken
Post by: Espeelark on December 12, 2024, 07:08:30 PM
I originally used 20 mA current limiters / LED drivers from Lighthouse LEDs. Here's the link to those:
https://lighthouseleds.com/20ma-led-current-limiter-driver.html (https://lighthouseleds.com/20ma-led-current-limiter-driver.html)
I wanted to tone down the intensity of the LEDs just a skoshe so this time I'm trying 15 mA current limiters / LED drivers from Mouser. Here's the link to those:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Diodes-Incorporated/AL5809-15P1-7?qs=9BjnSzo86S8n7L%2F6RAZJmA%3D%3D&countryCode=US¤cyCode=USD (https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Diodes-Incorporated/AL5809-15P1-7?qs=9BjnSzo86S8n7L%2F6RAZJmA%3D%3D&countryCode=US¤cyCode=USD)
As to "why" I use them, I guess it's because I don't have to worry about determining which size resistor to use. With that said however, a resistor is just fine too because the input voltage will always be the same coming from the LM-3S modules.
Regards,
Post by: gregeusa on December 13, 2024, 09:51:20 AM
Post by: faithie999 on December 15, 2024, 05:46:27 PM
Ken
Post by: Espeelark on December 20, 2024, 04:46:36 PM
I used 5630/5730 sunny-white LED's from Lighthouse LEDs for this application. They are wide enough to cover both OEM headlight lenses already installed in the shell. Also, before gluing the LEDs in place, I painted the inside of the shell with black paint to help assure no light bleed-through.
Here's the forward headlight and gyralight installed in place. I used canopy glue to glue them into place on the shell itself.
Here is the rear headlight LED.
Here's an overall view of the shell showing the leads for the lights. The leads have 2-pin connnectors on the end so that the shell can be removed from the chassis.
Post by: Espeelark on December 20, 2024, 05:06:05 PM
Here are the female pig-tails I made for the lights that will be soldered to the PCB bread-board and stay with the chassis.
This is a general overview after I hard-wired/soldered everything (except for the speaker wires) to the PCB bread-board.
And finally a closer view of the PCB bread-board.
After I get the speaker wires installed, I'll tuck everything into place using some Kapton tape. I'll post more photos when I get there.
Post by: Espeelark on December 21, 2024, 05:00:37 PM
All lights plugged in and the shell laying on its side.
A closer shot of the PCB bread-board.
Note - when I attempted to install the shell, there is a nose weight whose shape conforms to the rounded nose of the shell. It's a close fit and there wasn't any room for the headlight LED that I glued to the inside of the shell. I masked off the chassis with tape and paper-towels and got out my dremel and carbide grinder and took care of that! After that it was a "simple" matter of making sure all of the wires were tucked up as I put the shell onto the chassis.
Overall very happy with this install!
Post by: Mrpicks on February 03, 2025, 01:35:27 PM
Post by: Espeelark on February 04, 2025, 05:06:53 PM
Glad I could be of some help. I'm a big believer in paying things forward.
Post by: Mrpicks on February 05, 2025, 08:52:56 AM
Post by: Mrpicks on February 05, 2025, 06:57:09 PM
Post by: Espeelark on February 10, 2025, 11:09:11 AM
Post by: Mrpicks on February 10, 2025, 01:14:08 PM
Post by: Mrpicks on February 10, 2025, 01:19:27 PM
Post by: Espeelark on February 10, 2025, 09:40:03 PM
I've only done 4 installs to this point! I've still gots LOTS to learn!
I'm sure it will turn out just fine!
Oh, and thanks for the comment about the sound volume being better after you disconnected one of the two speakers. I plan to do the same the next time I pop the shell off.