Lighting Trains

[chadbag]

18 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Does it have a decoder or just rectifying and current limiting?

 

jeff

 

I assume just the rectifying and current limiting. I went to dihikeijs.com and looked at their entry (not a lot more informative) and also magnified the product packaging and read it and there is no indication of built in decoder.

[chadbag]

12 hours ago, chadbag said:

an extra 20-23 euros

 

I mispoke.  In the Digikeijs online store they are 16,45 to 19,25 euros depending on color it appears.  (There may be other differences).  These are for N. They also make a H0 version.

[cteno4]

Yeah zooming in I couldn’t see a chip that looked like a decoder, just resistors, caps and rectifier. i wonder if they use a current limiting chip to allow for dcc or dc voltage differences.
 

At least they added a capacitor!

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

Apparently they do non-DCC versions now as well. The DCC version does come with decoder built-in, and has various features to simulate different types of light. But yeah, the package linked here does appear to be the non-DCC version.

 

[cteno4]

That’s cool with three pwm channels you could set RGB leds to what ever color and even put on a programmed light show!

 

jeff

[Madsing]

Contrary to the DR80010, the DR100 and DR110 don't have a decoder. The manual is here: https://support.digikeijs.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001758397-DR100-DR110-Manuals. The DR100 is the starting kit with figurines, extra capacitors and wires. The DR110 is just the LED strip.

I don't have any but reading the manual I noted a couple of interesting points:

- They are super long: 28cm! It seems that there are in fact two LED strips of 14cm. The manual fails short of confirming that they can be used that way, though...

 

 

- The brightness is adjustable with a potentiometer

 

 

[chadbag]

2 hours ago, Madsing said:

They are super long: 28cm!

 

Are the N scale ones that long?  They list both H0 and N versions.  

[Madsing]

2 hours ago, chadbag said:

Are the N scale ones that long?  They list both H0 and N versions.

Looks like, I don't know more than what's on the web site.

The HO version: https://www.digikeijs.com/en/dr100w-h0-lighting-installation-kit-white.html

The N version: https://www.digikeijs.com/en/dr100w-n-lighting-installation-kit-white.html

The only differences I see are the size of the pickup contacts and figurines. That's why I was wondering if the LED strip could be cut in two 14cm segments, this would make them two times cheaper for N.

[TBBW]

Hi guys,

 

I came across this lighting post.

I’m looking for a better solution, I do not like the KATO way. One LED on one side

the light spreading Is not equal. To be honest, I’m a little bit disappointed in the lighting 

system, because the train units are of high quality.

 

Just as you guys I found the led strips from digikeijs as well.

At this time I’m working on the DR80010 warm white version.

In combination with the KATO Reseau TGV.

What I like sofar, is of course the equal spreading of the light,

and the integrated (fully programmable) light startup simulation.

and the option to solder a capacitor to the strip, to avoid flickering.

I put the the capacitor in the belly of the car.

 

At this time I think the warm white version is to “yellow” for the Shinkansen series.

for the TGV I think it is about right.

for that reason I also received a full white one from digikeijs. (not for sale)

to check/experience the difference.

Does any of you guys tested the LED strips in High Speed Trains?

regards,

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by TBBW

[ksxmi]

Here is my mini review of the HKTLIC LED strips (warm white)

There are 3 setting for the brightness, There is a H, L, S setting, My E235 has green tinted window, that's why the lighting appears to be green

- H being the brightest

- S is middle (I guess Standard), but still too bright for my liking

- L is the lowest brightness, it was hard to move the switch to the middle because it will latch to either H or S pretty easily.

 

Has anybody ordered the LEDs from HKTILC lately? I purchased a set in 2024 Jan and I am pretty happy about it.
When I go to their website a few days ago, it is now redirect to a retailer in Hong Kong, KhaHo Store, https://www.khahostore.com/en/product-category/interlight-en/ . I went ahead and ordered some more LEDs (yellow white and light bulb) a few days ago and will be reporting back how is the purchasing experience goes.

[ksxmi]

I have received the package today, took almost a month from the date I ordered. Ordered 7/14, shipped 7/31, arrived in the US on 8/7. I ordered something else (in stock) from them, and the shipping remains 80 HKD (~$10 USD). They did not charge me extra even though it says "weight based".

 

The LED lights are still the same nice quality.

 

HKTILC advised to trim the led light strip after the capacitors, but I have a JNR Yo5000 that is really short, and I want to match the passenger cars.

 

I took a gamble to cut it, trim some of the interior element, and installed it. now it's more evenly lit, rather than Kato's straight beam direction to the end of the cabin leaving the rear dark. (I also yanked the led at the end of the strip, so there are only 2 led in the center.)

[disturbman]

On 7/17/2024 at 7:37 AM, ksxmi said:

When I go to their website a few days ago, it is now redirect to a retailer in Hong Kong, KhaHo Store, https://www.khahostore.com/en/product-category/interlight-en/ . I went ahead and ordered some more LEDs (yellow white and light bulb) a few days ago and will be reporting back how is the purchasing experience goes.

They are the same people.

Only thing I would say, I have had really negative and bad experience with Khaho in 22/23. If anything goes sideways with a shipment or a product, you can more or less forget any kind of customer service/support. HKTILC was never shy about sending light strips if they made any kind of mistakes or the product was defective, and the difference has been quite striking to me. I'm not sure why that difference in treatment exists, maybe they feel more generous/responsible with their own products.

I also never knew what I would pay. I had small shipments with free shipping and other with shipping higher than 80 HKD. I believe it depended on the person arranging the shipment. Similarly, I caution to double-check their manual bills as their maths can be iffy. I spotted a few errors when I used them.

In any case, I can only recommend being prudent with them. Light strips are okay, but the rest might lend you into some disappointments.

[ksxmi]

Thanks for the info.

I had the same feeling that Khako's customer service is non-existence.
 

Maybe I am late into the game (2024 Jan), I emailed HKTILC about their LED strips but never got a respond.

 

and yes, i do agree being prudent with them.

[Yavianice]

@ksxmi interesting that it still works while you cut through the capacitors. didn't know that was a feature.

 

and yes khaho is a bit of a mixed bag. purchasing directly from the khaho website should still work as normal, however. 

[chadbag]

Everything should be in parallel so you can snip as needed but I'd be interested in seeing the traces.  Do they show at all?  Perhaps on the back side?  I'd assume the capacitors are all first and then the lights but maybe not.

[ksxmi]

Here is the front/back of the board.

 

First I cut between the L4 and C6, the led at L4 still lights up. At the end, I used a tweezers to remove this led and the one at the other end because they were too bright and too close to the edge.

 

I cannot speak to the tomix version because I don't own any of their trains yet.

Edited August 17 by ksxmi

[chadbag]

On 8/17/2024 at 12:50 PM, ksxmi said:

Here is the front/back of the board.

 

First I cut between the L4 and C6, the led at L4 still lights up. At the end, I used a tweezers to remove this led and the one at the other end because they were too bright and too close to the edge.

 

I cannot speak to the tomix version because I don't own any of their trains yet.

 

It's hard to tell but looking at it and guessing the runs on the front (you can see the rear runs and line up the connection (holes) between sides) it looks like cutting there should be ok.  When I designed my lightboard I made it so you could cut it along the line of leds to the length needed.  And a quick glance for my non-EE mind shows that that is how these were designed, and the fact it worked for you tells me its ok. The only "problem" is you lose the effect of the capacitors that you cut off so energy storage would be reproduced.

 

I'm not a EE so my electronics knowledge and experience is very basic and linear in thought. So take my comments with a grain of salt.

[cteno4]

@chadbag looks like that to me. Each led has its own resistor (L6-14 next to the led and L2-5 most likely there in the left end strip of resistors, funny L1 is missing) and looks to run off a parallel power feed the caps are on so probably could get whacked off anywhere after the brightness switch. Seems to have worked in practice!

 

jeff