Just Plug Lighting System

[gerryo]

Has anyone used the new Woodland Scenics Just Plug Lighting System?

 

I am thinking about usint it to light my Castle, and think it should be installed as I build, because the openings into where the lights would be are pretty small.

 

gerryo

[cteno4]

Gerryo,

 

They look good but price out at $15 per led circuit retail when you get everything IMHO is a bit of a rip off. If you are not scared to do a little soldering you can make the same thing and customize it more for more like 25 cents per led circuit. All they are is a power supply, a resistor, a variable resistor, switch and led.

 

I'm putting together a little tutorial here on how to make your own very easily. If soldering the really small LEDs is daunting for you you can get them prewired in ebay for 25 cents to a dollar with various type wire leads and led sizes.

 

(Rant on) I was pretty shocked at the cost of the WS setup. They are making a killing as I expect it's a dollar or two per led circuit at the most production costs for them. Just is not any competition and even their own advertising make it sound like making your own is really hard rocket science electronics and a huge capital investment in equipment! Well one circuit would buy you all the tools you need to make these! Had to laugh at them make it too so scary! Really a disservice to the hobby. I realize some will never dive into this or just not want to and that's cool, but it is very simple and just about anyone can learn to solder in 15 minutes, I've talught from 5-86 year olds to do it that were terrified at the idea! Fine to say if you don't want to wire your own here you go, but to make it see so scary, come on! It's made me less inclined to buy WS now, I'll grab Mrc or scenic express. (Rant off)

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

Edited January 23, 2016 by cteno4

[katoftw]

I looked at the system also since it is new and lots of promo videos about.  But the cost is insane.  As Jeff said, for 20% of the cost, you could whip up something yourself.  But if you want something plug and play, and happy to pay the cost, then go for it.

[cteno4]

More like 3%!

 

I actually almost started making these for 1/144 miniature folks a few years back as there were no retail alternatives. But life got crazy and decided not to. I still may as the WS cost pisses me off so much!

 

Jeff

[kvp]

Actually most european model railway manufacturers had similar systems in the past. Piko used screw terminals, maerklin and lego used screw lock plugs and distribution strips while berliner tt bahn used press lock tabs (like wago-s). None of them needed any kind of soldering. Some of these are still sold but can also be found in the junk boxes of most used model markets.

 

The plug system used by woodland scenics is the standard computer plug used by for example Tomix for the last few decades but recently everyone has started using them. For example recently Ikea sells the same plug and play system with 1 wall adapter, a switch, a hub and 4 30 cm long pcb mounted led strips with 3 different mounting brackets and pads and 4 short and 4 long extension cables for 3000 huf, around 10 usd. And they sell it with a profit...