Has anyone bought from this E Bay vendor?

[Freight Train]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260835635596?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Been seeing these N scale signals that are prewired with resistors on E-bay. Has anyone had experience with both the product and the seller? I believe the product is being shipped out of China and kind of wondered if their worth getting? And if I understand the description correctly your getting 4 signals total.
                                                                                  Freight Train

[ryan_wilkerson]

With a name like "We Honest US"....makes me think of the generic brand "Great Value" which usually isn't. All in jest....I have no experience with the product or the seller.

[ChrisKLAS]

My biggest concern would be how you're planning to power/light the signals. It states that they're shipped with resistors suitable for 12 or 16 volts; who knows what type of LEDs they've used and how much juice it takes to light them up, even without the resistors. Most DCC signalling components, including the popular Digitrax SE8C board and all of the RRCirkits stuff, only sends 5 volts (or thereabouts) to the signal heads, meaning you could, in theory, wind up stuck with a whole bunch of signals that your hardware won't even light.

[Alaska Railroader]

I have, but mostly from their China direct page http://www.ebay.com/sch/wehonest_cn/m.html?item=400697711077&hash=item5d4b71d9e5&pt=Model_RR_Trains&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

I bought hundreds of their pre-wired and resistor installed LED's to include in laser kits for interior lighting as a freebie back when they were stinkin inexpensive. Lots of people buy the "we-honest" cars to fill parking lots, auto carriers, and such.

I recommend them. Never ever had a problem with the company. Could be that you can find LEDs cheaper elsewhere now but not sure about those signals. Good price but the quality won't be what you might want as far as detail goes. I supplied their cheap looking seated people to fill the bleachers kit I put out. Again, you sacrifice quality to get an otherwise expensive item. Sometimes it's worth it, especially if it isn't something that the eyes goes straight to when looking at your layout.

IMHO I would suggest you not get their trees. I had tried them and with some shots of OD green spray paint they were only "acceptable" to fill areas. I gave mine away.

[peteski]

My biggest concern would be how you're planning to power/light the signals. It states that they're shipped with resistors suitable for 12 or 16 volts; who knows what type of LEDs they've used and how much juice it takes to light them up, even without the resistors. Most DCC signalling components, including the popular Digitrax SE8C board and all of the RRCirkits stuff, only sends 5 volts (or thereabouts) to the signal heads, meaning you could, in theory, wind up stuck with a whole bunch of signals that your hardware won't even light.

Those LEDs are just like any other red and green LED. They have forward voltage drop around 2 V. Resistors can be chose to operate them from any voltage 3V and up.  Resistors are *VERY* inexpensive. All you need to do is calculate the value needed for whatever voltage they will operate from.  All that is needed is basic math (or one of dozens of LED resistor calculators available on the Internet).  What would be of concern is that if both LEDs have a common lead, it would make a difference whether it is common positive or negative.  That would have to be compatible with the driving circuitry.

[Philip H]

Lee had a bunch of lights form them on his old WM layout.  As I recall they were ok quality . . but ran fine once he figured out the voltage to light them.

[Double slip]

Hi,

I have dealt with this vendor, I had purchased these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-pcs-N-Scale-LEDs-made-Dwarf-Signals-2-aspects-G-R-/250868018752?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3a68e62e40

I spliced the wires to the  wires of my Minitrix switches so that when I throw the turnout, the signal changes color.

They came in a pack of four. 

I have not had any problem with these.

I have the ones you are inquiring about and they work the just as well and they are sold in lots of 4.

[John]

their prices seem to have increased a lot

[ArtinCA]

their prices seem to have increased a lot

$4.75 a signal is expensive? Hmmm...

[John]

$4.75 a signal is expensive? Hmmm...

well .. these are cheaper .. just a little work .. and they don't have that blob hanging off the rear

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1717185_-1

[C855B]

well .. these are cheaper .. just a little work .. and they don't have that blob hanging off the rear

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1717185_-1

I'm quite familiar with those Dialight circuit board indicators. They've been around for... gosh... 25-30 years. Yes, they're super-cheap. The consistent problem with the 3-color versions is they have never been made in the classic RR "Type D" style of green-over-yellow-over-red. Don't know why, they just haven't. Green-red you can get. The other issue is the bulk - they're sort of big, and the LEDs are 3mm. Dialight makes 2mm versions which are shorter in height but still have the same footprint. Other MRR problem is the green is 565nm, that yellowish-green that, without the cue of position, is difficult to distinguish from yellow at ~585nm. Signal green is around 527nm.

[peteski]

well .. these are cheaper .. just a little work .. and they don't have that blob hanging off the rear

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_1717185_-1

Those are standard 3mm (T-1) LEDs in plastic housing.  Seems way too deep to make it into a semi-realistic N scale signal.

Ebay ones are much shallower. Too bad that the builder leaves extra long leads. Those could be trimmed flush with the back of the LED and the wire could still be soldered to them.  The LEDs themselves also appear quite a bit smaller that T-1.