1.5 volt bulbs

Model railroading in all scales and gauges. HO talk welcome :)
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lsi3009
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Location: mcfarland,mi

1.5 volt bulbs

Unread post by lsi3009 »

hi all,

i need some help?? can anyone help me. im looking too put some 1.5 volt bulbs in my locomotives.
ho scale , running power dc. what kind of resisters do i need too run these bulbs in my dc power locomotives
so they dont burn out.
thank you ,Brian

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Garry K
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Location: Livonia, MI

Re: 1.5 volt bulbs

Unread post by Garry K »

You can't just install a resistor to limit current to a lamp in a DC locomotive. For example, you would need the resistor in series with the lamp to limit the maximum current through the lamp when the track voltage was at maximum. That means at lower voltages, the lamp would be very dim, or perhaps not lit at all.

Instead, you would need to install a "constant lighting" circuit that would light the lamp safely whenever track voltage was at least 1.5 volts. See http://www.mrollins.com/circuit.html for examples of constant lighting circuits. There are plenty of others around, too.

Garry K

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