Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: Rottweiler on March 26, 2013, 10:21:23 pm

Title: LED Insulation.
Post by: Rottweiler on March 26, 2013, 10:21:23 pm
Can anyone tell me how to insulate the tags of LEDs,when mounting them on a metal (brass) base please? I need to put navigation lights,spotlights,blue and orange flashing lights,on the mast of my 1/12th scale Tamar Lifeboat?
Also what wiring do you suggest,to keep the harness in some kind of scale.I was going to use single core copper telephone cable,but 6 0r 7 pairs of this type of cable,is actually a larger diameter than the scale brass tubing that it is to be mounted on.
ALL help appreciated.
thanks
Mick F
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: boatmadman on March 26, 2013, 10:27:32 pm
Try some small diameter heat shrink for insulation.

As for the wiring, use the brass mast as the earth, that way will cut the number of wires in half.

Ian
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: thething84 on March 27, 2013, 01:07:43 am
as ian has said. use the mast as your earth. And ou only have to run a single wire then, you could also double up on the leds which are on at the same time. So run single wire to all of the LEDs which will be on all at same time.
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: tigertiger on March 27, 2013, 04:19:51 am
Unless touching another metal, insulation not needed. There is not sufficient current to pass through water.
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: BrianB6 on March 27, 2013, 08:04:08 am
I used a tiny piece of insulation stripped from a piece of flex (Blue in photo) where the lead passed through the brass plate
I soldered the lead onto a length of insulated copper wire taken from an old transformer which was then passed down a brass tube into the mast.
The other lead was soldered onto the brass "earth" of the rest of the mast.
I hope you can make out the detail on the photo (it's so small in reality)
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: More Coffee on March 27, 2013, 09:00:11 am
As said above or use an SMD type led and use wire.
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: john44 on March 27, 2013, 12:50:39 pm
As said above, half the wires by using the mast as an earth/ negative.
you can possibly run wires through the tubing or strip the telephone
wire, I prefer alarm wire it is more flexible or strip down an old tv scart lead,
 and run it through heatshrink
you can solder the resistors for the led,s nearer the power source.
I am doing a similar thing with my 1/12th Trent.

john
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: malcolmfrary on March 27, 2013, 01:22:37 pm
For thin wire, the enamel insulated stuff used in transformer windings and loudspeakers is good.  As thin as you care to handle.  It is available on spools from maplins.  An alternative, if its still available, is "Verowire".  It was intended for prototyping circuits as an alternative to making PCBs, and had the great virtue that the special enamel insulation would vaporise at soldering temperature and become a flux, not needing the enamel to be stripped.  Any soldered bits, like tags would benefit from being covered with heatshrink (another maplin item, just to the left of the enamel copper wire spools in my local store).
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: More Coffee on March 27, 2013, 08:44:59 pm
the thin enamel coated transformer wire is technically called " magnet wire " It will make searching for it easier..
An yes its often worth using,on my daughters trawler I fished .007 wire through .010 holes.. almost blinded me but was worth it :-)) .
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Stan on March 28, 2013, 09:55:34 am
This what I now use for my wiring of L E D on anything that is exposed.Once painted it blends in nicely.
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Stan on March 28, 2013, 09:56:53 am
Further picture of copper wire.
 
Stan
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Stan on March 28, 2013, 10:01:54 am
Third picture not the best. You can just see the small cables leaving the lamp then into the mast.
 
Stan
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Rottweiler on March 28, 2013, 04:58:41 pm
   I would like to say a big thank you to all who replied and offered some advice.I hope to be able to get on with my wiring after the Easter break.
Why do the mods leave the subject for so long before moving it? I will almost certainly not get any more replies now.
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Netleyned on March 28, 2013, 06:15:33 pm
Should have put in the sales section %%
Wouldn't have lasted two minutes before
getting moved along  :police:  :police:

Ned
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Stan on March 28, 2013, 06:51:30 pm
Hi Sorry not for sale.I got this wire many years ago from Component shop. 500 mtrs on each roll should last a life time. Good for other things also.
 
Stan Reffin
Kirklees Model Boat Club. :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-))
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Netleyned on March 28, 2013, 06:55:54 pm
Not you Stan
I was just replying to Rottys post about the time it takes to
get a topic moved to the right place.

Ned
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Stan on March 28, 2013, 07:03:55 pm
oops sorry guys :(( :((
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Umi_Ryuzuki on March 28, 2013, 07:29:07 pm
I found some fine 28 or 32 gauge wire to run my lighting.
I earth to the mast, and run the wiring so that it looks like conduit.

 :-)
Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on March 28, 2013, 08:15:35 pm

It was I that moved it for you.

It's such an interesting subject that I put it amongst the electricians.   :}   Look how it's grown as a topic.

All the best

Ken

Title: Re: LED Insulation.
Post by: BrianB6 on March 28, 2013, 09:22:20 pm
An old transformer is usualy 'free' and can have different diameter wires in it.
Just a matter of dsimanteling (not always easy) and unwinding it.