What's the best FRED available?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Where exactly did you see tri-color LEDs on their website?  I also thought that I could find them there, but I never found them.   Showcase Miniatures sells very small ones, but for $9 per LED, that is a bit much for my wallet.  I found what I needed at Mouser Electronics.  for a reasonable price. They are bit larger than I was hoping for, but they'll do.

I actually haven't seen them listed on the website. They are on the Showcase website though. I've seen them in action on John Signor's layout and they are really nice. I do agree that it would be expensive to outfit many signals. No all my signal need 3 colors so I'd prefer to save some money on those and get the nice 3-colors for the rest. Do you have a link to the Mouser LEDs you purchased? How are the colors?

[babbo_enzo]

I actually haven't seen them listed on the website. They are on the Showcase website though.
I've seen them in action on John Signor's layout and they are really nice.
I do agree that it would be expensive to outfit many signals.
No all my signal need 3 colors so I'd prefer to save some money on those and get the nice 3-colors for the rest. Do you have a link to the Mouser LEDs you purchased? How are the colors?

A rapid search on DigiKey site for SMD 3 Color leds give me these:
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?pv37=324&FV=fff40008%2Cfff801b9&k=smd+led&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

and
http://www.bivar.com/portals/0/products/SMP4-RGY.pdf
http://www.bivar.com/portals/0/products/SMP4-SRGY.pdf
Curious if are suitable for Signals applications.
Any idea?

[Kisatchie]

Kis, how about CHMSL?  Do you know that that means?  It is just another red light. (no cheating looking it up on the web). 

Uhh... don't have a clue.


Hmm... everyone knows
it means Center High
Mounted Stop Lamps...


Aw man, outdone by a Great Ape... sigh.

[peteski]

A rapid search on DigiKey site for SMD 3 Color leds give me these:
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?pv37=324&FV=fff40008%2Cfff801b9&k=smd+led&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

Curious if are suitable for Signals applications.
Any idea?

This is the one you want:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMP4-SRGY/492-1227-1-ND/2404441
It has a true green LED needed for signals. Others have yellowish-green LEDs.

These are very suitable for signals (but a bit large for N scale).  However this LED (or one like it) is currently used by a company which makes working N scale signals.

At $1.50 per LED (at a quantity of 100), it is reasonably priced.

[sdodge]

I ordered a FireFLy after they switched to facebook and it came in ok, so they may stil be a going concern.  Did you message them?  FWIW theirs is a cool product, and being self-contained in the truck its an easy switch out.

I would like to get a couple of these, however, if you are not signed up for Facebook I guess you can't order them?? Are they still selling them?

[babbo_enzo]

This is the one you want:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMP4-SRGY/492-1227-1-ND/2404441
It has a true green LED needed for signals. Others have yellowish-green LEDs.

These are very suitable for signals (but a bit large for N scale).  However this LED (or one like it) is currently used by a company which makes working N scale signals.

At $1.50 per LED (at a quantity of 100), it is reasonably priced.

Great! Good to know the color suggestion: thanks
At this price ( and also at $1,70 for 25 pcs )  seems a good replacements for Showcase signals "under table" leds.
Scaling down from $250 to $42.50 .... I like give it a try

[railnerd]

Great! Good to know the color suggestion: thanks
At this price ( and also at $1,70 for 25 pcs )  seems a good replacements for Showcase signals "under table" leds.
Scaling down from $250 to $42.50 .... I like give it a try

I think a block of acrylic might be needed to diffuse the SMT LED appropriately.  I tried using another SMT RGB LED with fiber optics and found that I couldn't pick up enough light from the LED, or if I did, it only picked up one of the elements.

Also check out the RR-CirKits RGY LED. It is a custom made 3-color LED: http://www.rr-cirkits.com/Notebook/Searchlight-led.html  It is a bit cheaper than the Richmond Controls/Showcase part— it ends up being a nice replacement for a 3mm LED— curious if it will fit in the Showcase light pipe as is.

-Dave

[DKS]

You could try a couple of things. Apply some white paint to the surface of the LED to diffuse it more, and also flare the end of the fiber optic into a funnel-shaped lens with heat. Leave a little space between them and it ought to improve things.

[railnerd]

You could try a couple of things. Apply some white paint to the surface of the LED to diffuse it more, and also flare the end of the fiber optic into a funnel-shaped lens with heat. Leave a little space between them and it ought to improve things.

Oooh, something new to try this weekend.  Thanks DKS!

-Dave

[jereising]

From Firefly FRED's FB page today:

FireFly FREDs

After the birth of our newest "employee" on Thanksgiving Day, FireFly FREDs is pleased to announce that yes, we are still doing the FRED thing and that any rumors may be put to rest. The staff is still hard at work, building the only truck mounted, track powered and totally self contained FRED available in N scale.

Our next big show will be the Ohio N Scale weekend in May. We will have lots of FireFly's for sale for the weekend, come and check us out!

[Denver Road Doug]

Richmond Controls was at the Plano show over the weekend, and they are advertising the FRED's/Circuits still in stock.  The sign said "comparable to Sunrise FRED's" or something to that effect.   I tried buying some, but the guy is just very difficult to do business with at shows,  and after waiting about 20 minutes I finally gave up and figured I'll just order via his web site.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Jim, thanks for the update on the FireFly.
Doug, thanks for the update on Richmond Controls.

Does anyone have an photo of this RC EOT?

[ryan_wilkerson]

While looking at the RC website, if I'm reading this correctly, the cost of an EOT kit would be $35. The capacitor is a benefit over the FireFly but the installation footprint is also larger. Choices, choices...
http://www.richmondcontrols.com/fred.htm

[Denver Road Doug]

I will say this...RC products are top notch.   The proprietor is a pain to deal with, and the products are not cheap, but they are done well, and are about as good as it gets looks-wise.

If you just want blinky lights on the back, (which is totally fine, btw) you have tons of options that are much cheaper.   I wouldn't bother with RC if that's the case.