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In lugnet.castle, James Brown writes:
> In lugnet.castle, David Eaton writes:
> > In lugnet.castle, James Brown writes:
> > > I'm not sure if that's what I'm running into or not. My lights are rather
> > > buried in my castle, and I can't say I'm willing to dig them out right now.
> > > I am running (if memory serves correctly) 8 or 9 lights off one box, and 4 of
> > > those are the 'police' lights (1x4 brick, two lights on top that alternate),
> > > so about 12 bulbs in total, running off 1 battery box through 3 9v wires, and
> > > a number of the conducting plates.
> > >
> > > All that being said though, I'm fairly certain that the big reason the lights
> > > are dim is that Lego lights *are* dim. They just don't shed a whole lotta
> > > light.
> >
> > Well, here's a question for you: what kind of box is it? Is it the 4x8?x2?
> > battery box with the single grey button (runs off 1 9v battery), or the
> > 4x12?x3? battery box w/ 2 buttons (runs off 6 AA batteries)? I think (if
> > memory serves) that running lots of lights off of a little (9v battery) box
> > was a lot dimmer than using the larger box (6 AA's)... Otherwise, can you hook
> > up multiple boxes to add power? I forget whether that works or not... But I
> > seem to remember 6 AA's working a lot better than a single 9v...
>
> I'm using the larger battery box. I haven't tried multple boxes yet, mostly
> because I haven't dug up 6 spare batteries yet. I will try it when I get a
> chance, and let people know the result.
>
> James
> http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using a
plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this support a
large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote control over
the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
Dan
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In lugnet.castle, Daniel Siskind writes:
> > I'm using the larger battery box. I haven't tried multple boxes yet, mostly
> > because I haven't dug up 6 spare batteries yet. I will try it when I get a
> > chance, and let people know the result.
>
> My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using a
> plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this support a
> large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote control over
> the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
I'm not using one because I don't have one. ;)
If I ever see a train with enough castle-applicable parts to interest me, at a
good discount, I may get one. Until then, I shall rely on the battery box.
Unless there's some altruistic train-head out there with too many of these?
BTW, I still haven't had an opportunity to try two of the large battery boxes,
but I have substituted the smaller for the larger, and it made a huge
difference in how dim it was. So I'm thinking that two boxes might make the
whole thing brighter.
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
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James Brown wrote:
> In lugnet.castle, Daniel Siskind writes:
> > > I'm using the larger battery box. I haven't tried multple boxes yet, mostly
> > > because I haven't dug up 6 spare batteries yet. I will try it when I get a
> > > chance, and let people know the result.
> >
> > My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using a
> > plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this support a
> > large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote control over
> > the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
>
> I'm not using one because I don't have one. ;)
> If I ever see a train with enough castle-applicable parts to interest me, at a
> good discount, I may get one. Until then, I shall rely on the battery box.
> Unless there's some altruistic train-head out there with too many of these?
>
> BTW, I still haven't had an opportunity to try two of the large battery boxes,
> but I have substituted the smaller for the larger, and it made a huge
> difference in how dim it was. So I'm thinking that two boxes might make the
> whole thing brighter.
>
> James
> http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
Just buy a tranformer seperatly.
--
Jonathan Wilson
wilsonj@xoommail.com
http://members.xoom.com/wilsonj/
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James Brown wrote in message ...
> In lugnet.castle, Daniel Siskind writes:
> > > I'm using the larger battery box. I haven't tried multple boxes yet, • mostly
> > > because I haven't dug up 6 spare batteries yet. I will try it when I get • a
> > > chance, and let people know the result.
> >
> > My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using • a
> > plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this • support a
> > large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote control • over
> > the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
>
> I'm not using one because I don't have one. ;)
> If I ever see a train with enough castle-applicable parts to interest me, • at a
> good discount, I may get one. Until then, I shall rely on the battery box.
> Unless there's some altruistic train-head out there with too many of these?
Ask in Buy Sell Trade, you will get a response. Many trainheads have way too
many (Larry P. always pipes up that he will sell one).
Another option, go to Radio Shack and get a wall wart with a 9v connector,
and connect it to the terminals in a small battery box (now is anyone going
to claim that's a non-LEGO pure solution? You are replacing a component
which LEGO provides for you to use, but doesn't sell. Hmm, does that make
any LEGO creation using battery boxes impure?)
Frank
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In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
>
> James Brown wrote in message ...
> > > My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using
> > > a plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this
> > > support a large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote
> > > control over the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
> >
> > I'm not using one because I don't have one. ;)
> > If I ever see a train with enough castle-applicable parts to interest me,
> > at a good discount, I may get one. Until then, I shall rely on the battery
> > box. Unless there's some altruistic train-head out there with too many of
> > these?
>
> Ask in Buy Sell Trade, you will get a response. Many trainheads have way too
> many (Larry P. always pipes up that he will sell one).
<grin> The reason I didn't bother asking in BST would be because I'm not
actually interested enough to *pay* for one.
Besides, my budget for non-retail Lego is woefully slim right now, so I'm
going to spend it on pieces, not wiring. :)
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
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James Brown wrote in message ...
> In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
> >
> > James Brown wrote in message ...
> > > > My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try • using
> > > > a plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this
> > > > support a large load of lights, but you will actually have complete • remote
> > > > control over the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
> > >
> > > I'm not using one because I don't have one. ;)
> > > If I ever see a train with enough castle-applicable parts to interest me,
> > > at a good discount, I may get one. Until then, I shall rely on the • battery
> > > box. Unless there's some altruistic train-head out there with too many of
> > > these?
> >
> > Ask in Buy Sell Trade, you will get a response. Many trainheads have way • too
> > many (Larry P. always pipes up that he will sell one).
>
> <grin> The reason I didn't bother asking in BST would be because I'm not
> actually interested enough to *pay* for one.
> Besides, my budget for non-retail Lego is woefully slim right now, so I'm
> going to spend it on pieces, not wiring. :)
You might still ask. Offer to pay the shipping cost. Someone who has way to
many might just give you one. Of course if you think about the cost of
batteries, the $20ish that it would cost you for a controller would be well
worth it.
Frank
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In lugnet.castle, Frank Filz writes:
> > > > > My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try
> > > > > using a plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will
> > > > > this support a large load of lights, but you will actually have complete
> > > > > remote control over the whole light array and never needlessly drain
> > > > > batteries. • <sniped bits>
> > <grin> The reason I didn't bother asking in BST would be because I'm not
> > actually interested enough to *pay* for one.
>
> You might still ask. Offer to pay the shipping cost. Someone who has way to
> many might just give you one. Of course if you think about the cost of
> batteries, the $20ish that it would cost you for a controller would be well
> worth it.
Sure, why not. It can't hurt to ask, neh?
Is there anyone out there willing to give me a plug-in transformer? I'll pay
shipping costs, either as cash, or as credit in my next parts sale. Heck, if
someone steps up to bat, I'll offer them credit in my next sale, at whatever we
work out as fair.
Any altruists out there?
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
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James Brown wrote:
> > Ask in Buy Sell Trade, you will get a response. Many trainheads have way too
> > many (Larry P. always pipes up that he will sell one).
I heard that. It's true. 20 plus postage for a used one, 25 plus postage
for a new one. Standing offer.
> <grin> The reason I didn't bother asking in BST would be because I'm not
> actually interested enough to *pay* for one.
> Besides, my budget for non-retail Lego is woefully slim right now, so I'm
> going to spend it on pieces, not wiring. :)
So you have money to blow on batteries but not on the more ecologically
sound alternative?? Take the long view (say, more than 5 hours worth,
how long a set of batteries will last) and make the investment in our
childrens future.
I can't beleive I just said that.
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to lugnet.
NOTE: Soon to be lpieniazek@tsisoft.com :-)
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In lugnet.castle, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> James Brown wrote:
> > <grin> The reason I didn't bother asking in BST would be because I'm not
> > actually interested enough to *pay* for one.
> > Besides, my budget for non-retail Lego is woefully slim right now, so I'm
> > going to spend it on pieces, not wiring. :)
>
> So you have money to blow on batteries but not on the more ecologically
> sound alternative?? Take the long view (say, more than 5 hours worth,
> how long a set of batteries will last) and make the investment in our
> childrens future.
I run the batteries for 5-10 minute periods when showing it off or taking
pictures. 6 batteries have lasted me well over a year now. Batteries=cheap.
We also have lots of other stuff in the house that can use batteries and that
don't have a DC plug. Batteries=versatile.
(previous to discussion) We can get batteries at Radio Shack, a Lego power
source involves buying something I don't want <trains>. Batteries=available.
Power supply has a cord, batteries don't. Batteries=portable.
We have a battery recycle bin at work. Batteries!=environmentally unfriendly.
For most applications, batteries win.
All that being said, someone is sending me a spare they have in exchange for
credit in my sale.
So the point becomes rapidly moot. :)
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
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In lugnet.castle, Daniel Siskind writes:
<snipped discussion about why LEGO lights are dim>
> My 2 cents worth to solve the problem of dim lights: why not not try using a
> plug-in transformer from one of the train sets? Not only will this support a
> large load of lights, but you will actually have complete remote control over
> the whole light array and never needlessly drain batteries.
Well, James Powell was kind enough to send me a transformer out of his
spares(1), and I hooked it up this weekend as a test. Long and short of it:
the lights are significantly brighter with the transformer.
Which is cool, because now I don't have to turn the (room) lights out when I'm
showing off my castle. ;) I still haven't checked to see how it turns out in
pictures, though.
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
1:in exchange for credit in my next sale. Thanks James!
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