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Author Topic: LED socket.  (Read 3683 times)

justboatonic

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LED socket.
« on: May 21, 2007, 09:03:12 pm »

Hmmmm. Im stuck with a small problem with Drumbeat's lighting.

I intend fitting LED navigation lights on Drumbeat's roof in the scale position. However, if I solder them in, once fitted, I wouldnt be able to replace them if they went faulty.

What is needed, is some sort of socket which I can wire up as normal and will allow the two LED legs to be pushed in. Then, if I have a failure, I just need to replace the LED instead of having to tear the roof off! (I know I could fasten the rood down with a couple of screws but think that may look a bit 'agricultural.')

Anyone know if such a socket exists?

Ta.
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chingdevil

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2007, 09:22:11 pm »

Hi Justboatonic

The only one I have seen is at www.rapidonline.com number 55 0167. Why not make your own socket by using the female pins from a servo plug, you can buy them on their own.

The other Brian
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Colin Bishop

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2007, 09:23:27 pm »

Or just use two short lengths of thin brass tube?
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wombat

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2007, 09:37:04 pm »

Though do consider the reliability of LEDs - run on a reasonable current (not maximum) you should get a life time of the order of 50,000 hours or more. Also the failure mode of LEDs to aginng is a decline in light output rather than a loss off illumination. The normal measure of the "failure" point is where the light output has halved - though the response of the eye is such that at this point it will not seem to be half as bright as it was.

Personally I am happy for LEDs to be soldered in permanently, never having come across a LED dying in service - you are more likely to have the wirnig fail first.

Wom
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malcolmfrary

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2007, 11:22:29 pm »

Wombat is spot on.  Just check that the circuit works before finally glueing the lid on.  The only time I've had LEDs fail is mechanical damage to the legs (my fault) over-cooking when installing (me) and incorrect wiring (me).  Once in place and correctly wired, they just sit there and work.
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tigertiger

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2007, 12:39:14 am »

Hi Justboatonic

I have created sockets so I can change my LEDs on the roof of my Mary J Ward (build thread on scale sail).

I took black plastic LED socket strip, and cut this down.
I then soldered wires to the pins.

I drilled two 1mm holes in the roof of the cabin.
I then put an LED through the roof and used the prongs as a guide while I located the socket for gluing, supported by a wood block.
Then mounted the black strip (socket) to the inside of the roof.

I used CA gel, but if you use too much it gets into the socket making a bad electrical connection.
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tigertiger

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2007, 12:45:47 am »

I also used them for the stern light.



Sorry about only posting 2-3 pics at once I have banwidth issues.
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tigertiger

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2007, 12:57:38 am »

I also used them for working lights on the mast,
(note to self, 'tart' these lights up a bit)
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tigertiger

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2007, 01:02:03 am »

and the nav lights.

Note the use of heat shrink for insulation

and more importantly I have found some frosted LEDs which are better for Nav lights as they don't just send a beam up into the clouds, and I don't have to frost them myself.

Hope this helps
TT
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justboatonic

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2007, 10:32:14 pm »

Hi all. Many thanks for the comments and great ideas! Tremendous!  ;D
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wombat

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2007, 05:54:05 pm »

Here are a couple of shots of the mast lights on my Highlander - the lights have yellow LEDs in them. The connections are made with "mod" wire (what used to be wire-wrapping wire). This was then sprayed with black paint. The wire is very narrow and the diameter of two wires twisted together was close to that of the rigging cord.

Wom
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tigertiger

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2007, 02:46:48 am »

Very nice Wombat

What did you use for the lamp bodies?
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wombat

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2007, 09:01:16 am »

Hi TigerTiger,

The lamp bodies were supplied in the Highlander kit - they are white metal castings. I used some thin film to make the windows. The LEDs are held in with 5 minute epoxy. The outside is painted using Citadel "Brazen Brass" paint. The dropping resistors are mounted at the supply end of  the cable, with the cable glued to the interior of the boat to give a strain relief.

As a note - if you are using "mod" wire - do not allow the wires to take any strain - they cannot support the weight of the lamps - glue and suppport the lamps separately.

Also the wire is a swine to strip - use a very sharp knife and a lot of patience to avoid nicking the copper (it just snaps the first time you get a bend in it if you do). If this is stuff is too wide, here is an alternative:

http://www.rrunner.co.uk/wire/qse.htm

To get the wires twisted together, I took anout 2M of each - the wires were different colours so I could identify anode and cathode. One end of the wires was looped around a door handle. The other end was looped around a cup-hook held in the chuck of a battery drill. Once a bit of tension was put on the wires to ensure both cores were the same length, I twisted them with the drill - this saves a lot of effort and gives a nice, even twist to the cable. The end result, while not looking exactly like a rope, at least does not leap out as glaringly obvious - I  painted it black so it did not stnd out - an alternative would be to prime with a suitable primer and then paint rope colour. Remember though if you use Kynar cable, whatever you paint with, it is not goint ot stick well and take this inot account in the installation.

Wom
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boatmadman

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2007, 10:12:26 am »

scuse my ignorance, but what is 'mod' wire?

Ian
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wombat

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2007, 10:46:13 am »

"Mod" wire is  what used to be "Wire-wrap" wire - it is a single core fine copper wire, often silver plated with "kynar" or "tefzel" insulation. The overall diameter is typically 0.5mm or less. It is called "Mod" wire because it is the standard choice for modifications to printed circuit boards - the insulation is very stable under soldering.

Here is an example:

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/Cable/Single+Wire/PRO+POWER/100-26B/displayProduct.jsp?sku=150085

An alternative is to use solderable enamelled copper wire, but this stuff doesn't solder all that easily and the fumes are noxious (cyanide type noxious) so only to be used if there isn't an alternative.

Wom
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Tug-Kenny RIP

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #15 on: May 28, 2007, 11:39:13 am »


Thanks for the info, Wombat. I thought it was a great way to do it.

I used fine wire (from my trade) and found with even that, it became bulky when up to six lengths were crammed into a small space.  ie, the foremast tube.

Also, I had a problem of the LED wires being bent at right angles to stand the LED vertical. This left a bulky joint at the base.  If there were soft insulated wires direct to the LED, then this would have been overcome.

I'll photo what I mean, when the camera comes back to life.

All the best.

Cheers...Ken

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wombat

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #16 on: May 28, 2007, 12:19:06 pm »

With the narrow wires, I have been thinking about trying surface mount LEDs - soldering the wires directly onto the SMT pads and then setting the lot into some epoxy. This should get over the problem of bending the leads.

Even with a through hole LEDE, with fine wores you can solder directly to the bottom of the wire as it enters the LED epoxy. The wires can then be clipped off very close (Maybe 1mm) to the LED body

Wom

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Tug-Kenny RIP

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Re: LED socket.
« Reply #17 on: May 28, 2007, 12:23:50 pm »


Good idea.

I'll look in the latest catalogue for updates.

Ken
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