New Woodland Scenics "Just Plug It" nano lights?

[arbomambo]

I was noticing the arrival, now, of the "Just Plug It" lighting system in the regular retailer/etailer shops and was curious about their possible application in signaling, etc...
I realize they are not bi-color, nor tricolor types but they do sound intriguing as possible candidates for single aspect signaling. Apparently, the actual light is .5 by 1mm...(the wire is apparently smaller)...if this is the case, it would appear that these could easily be made to fit in the beautiful Showcase Miniatures scale signals...in place of the fiber-optic option.
For those who want simple lighting options (I don't need 'automatic' signaling-I actually prefer 'manually operated' signaling), i'm thinking these might be a simple option...obviously the one color lights limit actual three color possibilities in searchlight applications, bit three color signals may be very possible with these...
I've got a few on order to test the possibilities...i'm really hoping the published dimensions are accurate...
a flashing red, yellow, and green are available as well....
Bruce

[peteski]

That sounds like a standard SMD 0402 LED with wires (readily available pre-wired on eBay).  There are couple of threads in the, um, Electronics/DCC forum about using those LEDs in the Showcase Miniatures signals.

But the Showcase Miniature signals represent a multi-aspect signal head. If you install just a single (one-color) LED, It will always only indicate one aspect (whether it is automated or hard-wired). You really need to cram 3 LEDs in that signal head to be able to show all 3 aspects.  That is what those threads I mentioned go into.

[Joetrain59]

Saw this system yesterday on MBK site. Looks like a nice idea for structure/street lighting. Of course, one would be best to buy bulk LEDs form somewhere.
 Joe D

[C855B]

Pictures are good: http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/JPNALGT/page/1. Unfortunately the picture of the light assemblies is a drawing, so might not quite illustrate what we're working with.

First thing that got my attention was the "30AWG". Relative to nano LEDs, that's big wire. It may be that the #30 is what is in the connector, and judging from the photo they might be doing what I do, a twisted pair of much smaller (#38) wires going to the LED itself, then soldered to the #30 wires in the connector. That's good, it takes the strain off of what would be the most fragile connection.

You can make these work with the Showcase heads, but with a couple of caveats - single aspect like you said, and then you're going to need to drill all the way through the head to insert the LED from the back, followed by filling it in. Then... here's your "oops"... how do you plan to thread the wires down the mast? The LED will not fit, you would need to cut the wires and then reattach, and at that point you're getting back into the soldering small wires, etc., problems.

All that said, these are intriguing. Packaging nano assemblies in a way that minimizes the handling is good and takes away a lot of the intimidation. But for N scale signals, the pre-fab aspect works against us in foiling attempts to hide the wires. If you were to make a 3-color (a/k/a "Type D") head with the WS assemblies, you're now committed to finding a way to hide six wires per head, versus four, or even three if you were to wire the mast as the common.

Lack of spec on the green and yellow bother me a little, but may not be a problem since I would expect the folks at WS to be smart enough to understand their market. Anyway, RR signal green is on the blue side (525 nanometer wavelength), and signal yellow at 590nm tends towards amber. Some LED manufacturers have a green that is very yellowish since the 525nm version is more expensive to make, and conversely have a yellow that is more of a lemon yellow rather than amber-ish. I guess we're about to find out.

[arbomambo]

exactly...as I said...limited applications...but, as stated above...the modular aspect means avoiding the wire, leds, soldering etc. (I did follow the thread)...
no problem drilling 'all the way through' the Showcase Miniatures signal heads (I did that with fiber-optics and that is the standard procedure for installing the fiber-optics)...so...the only real question is whether the 'heads' will fit through the hollow masts...(with the plug attached, they would have to be inserted 'up' through the mast, 'out' of the drilled/filed hole, then into the back of the signal head.
IF, and that's a big 'IF', the dimensions are, indeed, accurate, the .5mm width should allow them to fit through the brass masts (we'll see.....)
I'll know when they arrive...as I stated, not the perfect solution..but a way to animate those beautiful signal heads on a modular layout (I'm sold on the fiber-optics for my home layout-I love having the signal's integrity intact.
again, we'll see and be glad to report on the possibilities.
Bruce

[peteski]

What is the inside diameter of the Showcase's signal masts?

[arbomambo]

offhand I don't know...I'll certainly check as soon as I get home. They are wonderfully small in diameter, but the fiber-optics thread through them nicely; even two cables fit.
again, it all depends on the actual size of the 'nano light'...
regardless, these can find a use on the peculiar ATSF signals I inquired about a few years back (I still don't have a 'certain' response on what they protected and what they aspects may have been.
Bruce

[C855B]

What is the inside diameter of the Showcase's signal masts?

0.019"

[peteski]

That answers the question (and is what I suspected):  Can't thread even a standalone 0402 LED through a 0.019" tube.

[Joetrain59]

Has anyone got one of these units yet, and use it for structure, scenic lighting. I see MBK is all sold out.
 Joe D

[Chris333]

Nothing to do with lighting, but those newer DPM built ups have very nice interiors. They are just a printed cardboard that folds up into the front of the building. I wish they would off stuff like that for their existing kits.

[jcox3751]

Bruce,

Check with Walter. I heard a rummer they will have a single chip with 3 colors that will fit inside that head.