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Offline garben  
#1 Posted : 06 January 2025 18:06:52(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Hello and Happy New Year!

One of my goals for 2025 is to install and control led lighting with my CS3 in my buildings. I was looking for some direction on components, power supplies etc. and just some overall set up advice before I delve into the project. I’m open to any and all suggestions as I am a total novice when it comes to LED lighting.

Thank you!
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline Johnvr  
#2 Posted : 06 January 2025 18:36:36(UTC)
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Johnvr

South Africa   
Joined: 03/10/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,291
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Happy New Year

This is an alternate suggestion for you, but I think that you would be open to other ideas.

Let your CS3 operate your layout, your locomotives, and your digital devices.
Consider using an 'Arduino' micro controller to operate and control LED lighting in buildings.

I have done an 'Arduino' project to simulate the effect of lights being switched on and off in buildings.
In my Fire Station building, there are 10 rooms, each one with a window.
I have installed 10 x LED lights in the building, one LED in each room.
The LED lights go on and off randomly.
It very much looks like there are people living inside the building switching lights on and off.

You can also do other project with 'Arduino'.
For example, timer based switching on and off of LED lights in buildings.
And trigger-activated switching on and off of LED lights.
Also, fade-in and fade-out LED lights.

It's easier than you think, and very effective on the layout.
And it's cheaper than you think.

I'll let you think about it, and I can provide some further instruction and code if this interests you.

Regards
John
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Offline David Dewar  
#3 Posted : 06 January 2025 21:07:33(UTC)
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David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,447
Location: Scotland
Faller do units for this I think. Maybe their unit 180678 would be suitable.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#4 Posted : 07 January 2025 00:58:41(UTC)
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kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,455
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Johnvr Go to Quoted Post

You can also do other project with 'Arduino'.
For example, timer based switching on and off of LED lights in buildings.
And trigger-activated switching on and off of LED lights.
Also, fade-in and fade-out LED lights.


Another option is 'fluorescent flicker' as lights are turned on.
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Offline garben  
#5 Posted : 09 January 2025 17:32:56(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Originally Posted by: Johnvr Go to Quoted Post
Happy New Year

This is an alternate suggestion for you, but I think that you would be open to other ideas.

Let your CS3 operate your layout, your locomotives, and your digital devices.
Consider using an 'Arduino' micro controller to operate and control LED lighting in buildings.

I have done an 'Arduino' project to simulate the effect of lights being switched on and off in buildings.
In my Fire Station building, there are 10 rooms, each one with a window.
I have installed 10 x LED lights in the building, one LED in each room.
The LED lights go on and off randomly.
It very much looks like there are people living inside the building switching lights on and off.

You can also do other project with 'Arduino'.
For example, timer based switching on and off of LED lights in buildings.
And trigger-activated switching on and off of LED lights.
Also, fade-in and fade-out LED lights.

It's easier than you think, and very effective on the layout.
And it's cheaper than you think.

I'll let you think about it, and I can provide some further instruction and code if this interests you.

Regards
John



Thank you John. I'm not much of a programmer and I had no clue of what Arduino even was until I watched a you-tube on it after reading your reply. I think I need to start from the basics, like what to use to power the led's and how to best wire them? Do I use a separate transformer? Other than the Arduino, is there a more plug and play type of controller? Thanks again.
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline jerdenberg  
#6 Posted : 10 January 2025 09:31:33(UTC)
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jerdenberg

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/01/2005(UTC)
Posts: 1,024
Location: Den Helder, Noord-Holland
As John wrote, the Arduino road is very attractive for this kind of application. See the Church bells thread for an introductory account of my explorations. And note that there is a huge amount of information, from very simple to extremely complicated, on the use of Arduinos.

Jeroen
Figomima division, UP; mostly figment of my imagination yet.
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Offline garben  
#7 Posted : 10 January 2025 15:40:12(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Originally Posted by: jerdenberg Go to Quoted Post
As John wrote, the Arduino road is very attractive for this kind of application. See the Church bells thread for an introductory account of my explorations. And note that there is a huge amount of information, from very simple to extremely complicated, on the use of Arduinos.

Jeroen


Thanks for the direction to the Church bell link. I think I'd like to dive into using Arduino for lighting. I'll give You Tube a look as I see a bunch of videos on the topic. If you have any other links/resources that you feel would be beneficial I'd appreciate them. Thanks again. Norbert
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline garben  
#8 Posted : 10 January 2025 15:47:41(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Originally Posted by: Johnvr Go to Quoted Post
Happy New Year

This is an alternate suggestion for you, but I think that you would be open to other ideas.

Let your CS3 operate your layout, your locomotives, and your digital devices.
Consider using an 'Arduino' micro controller to operate and control LED lighting in buildings.

I have done an 'Arduino' project to simulate the effect of lights being switched on and off in buildings.
In my Fire Station building, there are 10 rooms, each one with a window.
I have installed 10 x LED lights in the building, one LED in each room.
The LED lights go on and off randomly.
It very much looks like there are people living inside the building switching lights on and off.

You can also do other project with 'Arduino'.
For example, timer based switching on and off of LED lights in buildings.
And trigger-activated switching on and off of LED lights.
Also, fade-in and fade-out LED lights.

It's easier than you think, and very effective on the layout.
And it's cheaper than you think.

I'll let you think about it, and I can provide some further instruction and code if this interests you.

Regards
John




Hi John. After some research I think I'll take a dive into this Arduino thing. Be good to make my brain work a little harder, lol. I'll take what ever info, instrctuions, or resources your willing to share. Thanks for the suggestion!
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline jerdenberg  
#9 Posted : 11 January 2025 10:52:39(UTC)
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jerdenberg

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/01/2005(UTC)
Posts: 1,024
Location: Den Helder, Noord-Holland
Originally Posted by: garben Go to Quoted Post
I think I'd like to dive into using Arduino for lighting. I'll give You Tube a look as I see a bunch of videos on the topic. If you have any other links/resources that you feel would be beneficial I'd appreciate them. Thanks again. Norbert


Hi Norbert,

Great idea! For starters, you could check both the Arduino site and the SparkFun Arduino pages. For hands-on experience, check out the various Arduino starter kits, from the official one at about $100, to kits with clone boards, like the Elegoo kits, e.g. the UNO R3 Super Starter Kit at about $45, or even more shady offerings at AliExpress or the like. That the Elegoo kit includes an Arduino Uno instead of a Nano does not affect the usability of the kit, as the principles are the same for different Arduinos – only the capabilities differ. The kits do not include a multimeter, but I guess you'll already have one.

When I started with Arduino I bought one of the relatively cheap kits from AliExpress that contained all the components used in the introductory course I followed. I don't remember which course that was, but such courses are easily found online. A compact introduction is in this Instructable.

If you have any questions, or you would like to see one of my lighting projects in action, shoot :-)

Jeroen
Figomima division, UP; mostly figment of my imagination yet.
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Offline bygger01  
#10 Posted : 11 January 2025 11:48:57(UTC)
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bygger01

Denmark   
Joined: 23/11/2008(UTC)
Posts: 225
Location: Herning in Denmark
Make the prints yourselves by using the "555" ….

Then by using different components, then you will have a lot of live in your buildings !

And will also keep the CS3 only for the track.
Best regards
Jørgen St. from Herning in DK
H0 / Märklin K track / CS3+ / full digital / Epoke III +/-
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Offline garben  
#11 Posted : 14 January 2025 19:23:54(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Originally Posted by: jerdenberg Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: garben Go to Quoted Post
I think I'd like to dive into using Arduino for lighting. I'll give You Tube a look as I see a bunch of videos on the topic. If you have any other links/resources that you feel would be beneficial I'd appreciate them. Thanks again. Norbert


Hi Norbert,

Great idea! For starters, you could check both the Arduino site and the SparkFun Arduino pages. For hands-on experience, check out the various Arduino starter kits, from the official one at about $100, to kits with clone boards, like the Elegoo kits, e.g. the UNO R3 Super Starter Kit at about $45, or even more shady offerings at AliExpress or the like. That the Elegoo kit includes an Arduino Uno instead of a Nano does not affect the usability of the kit, as the principles are the same for different Arduinos – only the capabilities differ. The kits do not include a multimeter, but I guess you'll already have one.

When I started with Arduino I bought one of the relatively cheap kits from AliExpress that contained all the components used in the introductory course I followed. I don't remember which course that was, but such courses are easily found online. A compact introduction is in this Instructable.

If you have any questions, or you would like to see one of my lighting projects in action, shoot :-)

Jeroen


I'll check these out and circle back when I get somewhere, may be a while, lol. Once I get going I would love to see your lighting project in action. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline Bill L  
#12 Posted : 15 January 2025 00:19:16(UTC)
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Bill L

United States   
Joined: 08/12/2021(UTC)
Posts: 140
Location: California, Sonoma County
Hi Garben/Jeroen (in post #11). Do you have any videos in YouTube or post any here, where I can see your lighting project or any other peoples lighting in action.
I am beginning to be interested in these lightings as I read thru this trail of posts.
Thanks,
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Offline Ross  
#13 Posted : 15 January 2025 02:51:23(UTC)
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Ross

Australia   
Joined: 25/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 945
Location: Sydney, NSW
Hi Bill/All,

Vist my web site for projects using the m83 decoder for LED lighting of buildings.

See below for web link (WWW). I'm sure you will find articles that will be of interest to you under the Tips Section.

Originally Posted by: Bill L Go to Quoted Post
Hi Garben/Jeroen (in post #11). Do you have any videos in YouTube or post any here, where I can see your lighting project or any other peoples lighting in action.
I am beginning to be interested in these lightings as I read thru this trail of posts.
Thanks,


Ross
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Offline jerdenberg  
#14 Posted : 15 January 2025 08:47:09(UTC)
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jerdenberg

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/01/2005(UTC)
Posts: 1,024
Location: Den Helder, Noord-Holland
Hi all,

I'll make a video of some of my light projects and post a link here, today or tomorrow.

Jeroen
Figomima division, UP; mostly figment of my imagination yet.
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Offline garben  
#15 Posted : 15 January 2025 17:52:55(UTC)
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garben

United States   
Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC)
Posts: 161
Location: New York
Originally Posted by: Ross Go to Quoted Post
Hi Bill/All,

Vist my web site for projects using the m83 decoder for LED lighting of buildings.

See below for web link (WWW). I'm sure you will find articles that will be of interest to you under the Tips Section.

Originally Posted by: Bill L Go to Quoted Post
Hi Garben/Jeroen (in post #11). Do you have any videos in YouTube or post any here, where I can see your lighting project or any other peoples lighting in action.
I am beginning to be interested in these lightings as I read thru this trail of posts.
Thanks,




Wow, great website, what a wealth of information. Thank you for sharing.
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives.
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Offline jerdenberg  
#16 Posted : 16 January 2025 14:09:58(UTC)
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jerdenberg

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/01/2005(UTC)
Posts: 1,024
Location: Den Helder, Noord-Holland
Here is a video of three items with Arduino-controlled lighting:



The length of the day for the winter village is about a minute, which is reasonable for the few lights there; it is the same in the video. For the shop and the house, I used a day about 10 times as long, to avoid overly short on/off periods; in the video this is compressed to about 1/4 of that [I could also have changed the variable dayLength temporarily in the Arduino sketch (program), as other time-related quantities are derived from the value of dayLength].

Jeroen


Figomima division, UP; mostly figment of my imagination yet.
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Offline marklinist5999  
#17 Posted : 17 January 2025 00:55:38(UTC)
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marklinist5999

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC)
Posts: 3,865
Location: Michigan, Troy
Very cool Jeron. I have Woodland Scenics LED lights and sequencing hub. Probably the same principal. Has knobs to adjust the duration time and an override switch. Each hub controls 4 lights.
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