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Author Topic: Adding lights  (Read 12954 times)

gribeauval

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #25 on: August 18, 2007, 04:27:05 pm »

Nice looking boat flybobby, I have to agree that lit monitors/radarscopes add atmosphere to boats.
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flybobby

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #26 on: August 18, 2007, 04:37:30 pm »

Thankyou, I have done myself proud with this one, scratch built with no plans, just my imagination!! 8)
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #27 on: August 18, 2007, 05:10:51 pm »

Thankyou, I have done myself proud with this one, scratch built with no plans, just my imagination!! 8)

sometimes that is the best way! 
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Bryan Young

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #28 on: August 31, 2007, 06:33:20 pm »

OK. Me being awkward again. But Why on earth do you want lights on a boat that is sailing during the day? If (I repeat "if") you are intent on building a scale model of a particular boat, or ship, then unless it is a Greek or Liberian tramp you should not (by law) have your nav. lights on. This seems to be a common problem with model makers. They go to the "n'th" degree with some of the detailing then go berserk with stuff that should not be there. OK if you are sailing at night, but not on a bright sunny day. Turn them off! Many serving and ex seafarers build model ships...those not of the nautical persuasion should listen to them if only fo reasons of veracity. Sorry for the rant, but this is a subject that really gets up my (rather large) nose. BY.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #29 on: August 31, 2007, 06:46:35 pm »

Not on a bright sunny day Bryan but I have been in foggy conditions at the entrance to Southampton Water at noon and all the surrounding ships and yachts had their lights on. Also I've noticed that the Channel ferries frequently have their nav lights on during the day even in normal conditions.

Personally, on a dull day, I think it's nice to see models with thier lights on and showing up clearly, technically correct or not.

Colin
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Bryan Young

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #30 on: August 31, 2007, 07:07:26 pm »

Not on a bright sunny day Bryan but I have been in foggy conditions at the entrance to Southampton Water at noon and all the surrounding ships and yachts had their lights on. Also I've noticed that the Channel ferries frequently have their nav lights on during the day even in normal conditions.

Personally, on a dull day, I think it's nice to see models with thier lights on and showing up clearly, technically correct or not.

Colin
Read the rules/law...a bit of fun is OK but it should not be assumed that it is normal/usual. Not being a pedant, but a lot of modellers seem to think it is usual to keep the lights on. Wrong.
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #31 on: August 31, 2007, 07:28:26 pm »

depending on how bright the lights actually are, sometimes sailing on a dull day with the models lights on is actually beneficial as it aids visual location of the model, especially if it is a smaller one like a Graupner Neptun or Pollux, or for that matter a Lindberg trawler that on the water is just 10 inches long.

I frequentlly sail off westport lake right out to the far shore, and yes I too have momenterily lost sight of my model in the gloom.

As for sailing a real boat in fog, putting your navigation lights on makes sence, after all you do drive with fog lights on in fog dont you?

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ministeve

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #32 on: August 31, 2007, 07:28:43 pm »

i must admit i too have done it wrong my tugs are wired with the nav lights and radar to come on with receiver as a visual verification that the tug is on sorry but I'm not in the know but Jo public thinks it looks good and when i finally sink it i should be able to see it under the water ;D

p.s but thanks for the correction b.y i never noticed the lights not on in the river will be looking now though thanks
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Tug-Kenny RIP

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #33 on: August 31, 2007, 10:21:26 pm »


My lights stayed on during my unfortunate sinking. We could see them through the murky depths.  O0

However, when the water penetrated the Receiver it decided to shut them off.  ::)

I rather like the lights. It was a challenge to wire them and a joy to see.


Cheers...Ken
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #34 on: September 03, 2007, 10:24:32 pm »

G-O-W bulbs vs LEDs.
It all depends. 
If you have a large boat with a big battery, the consumtion of bulbs will be acceptable, and the extra brightness will be more visible in daylight.  I know there is no real need, apart from showing that you do have lights.
If it is a small model, such as my Lindbrg tug at about 13" long, LEDs were handy as the power supply is a PP9, which lasts about 2 years.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #35 on: September 03, 2007, 10:34:13 pm »

If you run GoW bulbs at lower than their rated voltage they will be less likely to fail. Having said that, I'd make provision for future replacement if you possibly can. Not easy up the mast I know!
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Langsford

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #36 on: September 03, 2007, 11:27:41 pm »

Now you have got me worried!!What is the difference between "grain of wheat" and LED?
I have just completed my mast with "grain of wheat" bulbs but I have no idea which wires are positive and which are negative. Does this matter? I cannot look at the length of "tails" as someone mentioned as they are well buried within the mast construction. My intention was to connect them directly to the battery without any resistors. Please help.
John
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #37 on: September 04, 2007, 12:02:46 am »

Grain of Wheat are just very small ordinary bulbs and don't need connecting any special way round. As long as you run them at the rated voltage or below it is unlikely you will have any problems although, like all bulbs, they will fail eventually but probably not within the lifetime of the model. So no real need to worry unless you are unlucky enough to have a dud one in which case you will have probably found out by now. If you run them below the rated voltage it is even less likely that they will burn out.

LEDs are Light Emitting Diodes which use quite a lot less current than incandescent bulbs. They need to be connected properly, usually with a resistor attached, but will then last almost forever in a modelling application. In practice the reduced current is only likely to be an advantage if you are using a small battery and a lot of lights.

Some people like GoWs some LEDs. In most models, for practical purposes it doesn't really matter which you use.

Colin
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #38 on: September 04, 2007, 12:06:57 am »

Grain of wheat, rice, whatever, are filament bulbs, and for making things that sit there and glow, do take a lot of current.  They do have the advantage that it doesn't matter which way round they are connected.
LEDs are diodes that have the magic property of glowing a very pure colour at a low current, but they dont liight up their surroundings like a bulb.  Unless you get the super high output ones that do burn almost as much juice as an equivalent bulb.
The safe way to check an installed one when you dont know which wire is which is to use a knackered* 3volt dry battery (e.g. 2 elderly aaa's) as a test supply, and see which way round gives a glow.  The voltage is less than the max reverse, so no damage there, and the poor current delivery will not bust them in the forward direction.
*technical expression
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #39 on: September 04, 2007, 07:20:43 am »

If you run GoW bulbs at lower than their rated voltage they will be less likely to fail. Having said that, I'd make provision for future replacement if you possibly can. Not easy up the mast I know!

For my coaster I am using 12v GOW lamps but only putting 7.2v through them.  A number of them are sealed in for life so when they fail they are never going to be replaced so the longer I can prolong thier life the better.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #40 on: September 04, 2007, 07:25:40 am »

Then there is also fibre optics to consider!!  I have "released" some from the ship and having a play but the bigest issue seems to be the inability of it to go around very sharp corners though.  Very interesting concept however and having one central light source is obviously very easy to maintain.
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #41 on: September 04, 2007, 11:36:14 am »

Fibre optics are great for distributing pinpoints of light - the optic will transmit all of the light that you can get in, the big problem is getting it in at the other end in the first place.
The ends can be"lensed" by heating and tamping the hot end to re-form the shape.
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #42 on: September 04, 2007, 11:47:01 am »

at 7.2v not 12v, they will probably outlast the model or you! :)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #43 on: September 04, 2007, 12:13:53 pm »

Malcolm's idea for using optic fibre is a useful one. I used it in my Granada freighter model back in the late 70's. The fibre was run up inside the masts and brought back to a centrally mounted torch bulb which also illuminated the interior of the model. If the bulb went then no problem. You can just see the foremast steaming light above the rails on the crosstrees in this pic. I'ts very small and in those days this was the only practical way to do it. The GoW bulbs were not as good as you can get now and LEDs weren't available.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #44 on: September 04, 2007, 12:38:08 pm »

at 7.2v not 12v, they will probably outlast the model or you! :)

If they outlast me I won't really care if they outlast the model!!
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #45 on: October 04, 2007, 04:10:29 pm »

well on saturday its a night time event for the PMBC, always good and I can't believe its come round already!
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #46 on: October 10, 2007, 11:38:14 am »

one for Reade, the little helogen deck lights, do you do them illumionmated?
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Guy Bagley

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #47 on: October 10, 2007, 12:58:40 pm »

i have the halogen deck lights from cap maquettes ( available in the Uk from bow wave models) - the clear glass lenses are loose so you can drill through the bases , pass through the power leads and then fit a lamp or LED, - they look fantastic...
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #48 on: October 10, 2007, 11:43:22 pm »

Thanks Guy, at some point I may want to add some high power deck spots to Southampton in place of the dummy ones, also the mast on Gemini is scheduled to be re-done with a handful of lights on it to shine down onto the deck.


ya got a link?
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tolnedra

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Re: Adding lights
« Reply #49 on: October 11, 2007, 09:23:42 am »

Hi Ghost

Bow Wave Models, now run by Sandy Fisher, since the untimely death of her husband Peter a couple of years ago.

Mail order to; 13 Ludlow Close, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 6BZ
Web site: www.bow-wave-models.co.uk

Hope this helps,

Danny
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