 Great things can
be done with LEDs – lighted buildings, sequential runway lamps, flashing lighthouse
and airport beacons, pulsing buoy markers – but safety must come first.A first
thought was to run 12 Volt DC jumpers underneath and between tables. In practice this
would be troublesome and potentially unsafe. Jumpers could be ‘hidden’ by
running them through the segment ends, where they would be inaccessible when modules are
bolted together. This might be feasible in a permanent table display or shelf railway.
A safer, simpler
alternative is to power segments individually using 9 Volt batteries. Then, any
‘powered’ segments are truly compartmentalized. A transformer and electrical
connection to an outlet might be fine for a shelf arrangement, but is sure to be a problem
in the middle of a room full of kids... A small lockable panel below the module could hold
the 9 Volt battery to ensure there is no contact with electrical connections. Include a
switch to turn lights on and off.
Obviously lights should be
positioned in a protected place too. Consider recessing or placing LEDs behind clear
panels so they cannot be chewed, pulled, or crushed.
www.allelectronics.com
www.bakatronics.com
All Electronics
A handful of inexpensive LED kits can be found among a long list of
electrical components.
Adjustable
Interval Timer Kit
 Blinking light control, pulse time adjustable between 0.5 and 5
seconds. Pause time
adjustable between 2.5 and 60 seconds. ~$9.95
Adjustable
LED Flasher Kit
Two potentiometers adjust the flash rate between two LEDs. ~$4.95
LED
Chaser Kit
Variable speed led
chaser. 10 leds flash sequentially. ~$6.50
LED
Flashing Kit
Two L.E.D.'s flash in
unison. ~$2.25
Bakatronics
A wide range of LED kits are available - many of which have options to
tailor the circuits. For an additional charge, the its can be purchased
preassambled and tested.
Runway
Lighting Kit
Fiber Optic Runway
Lighting Kit for Airport Scenes. ~$26.95
Airport
Beacon Kit
Simulates rotation of
White and Green Search Lights. Micro Processor. ~$19.99
Tower
Beacon / Flasher
Two programs. One
program makes a set of 3mm Red LEDs slowly brighten and slowly fade
like a tall building
or radio or other tower light. The second program flashes 2 LEDs in a
Strobe type pulse
fashion. ~$19.99
Chasing
LED Kit-White for Airports
10 LEDs chase
sequentially for airport approach lights. ~$19.99
Lighthouse
Flasher
Lighthouse beacon kit
with simulated rotation. ~$19.99
Buoy
Flasher
Flashing Buoy Beacon
Kit. ~$19.99
Campfire
Kit
Amber LED simulates a
campfire with pulsing & flashing. Selectable pause or continuous
operation. Micro
Processor. ~$17.99
Blacksmith
Forge Fire
Orange LED simulates a
Blacksmith's forge with pulsing & glowing to simulate the bellows
pumping the fire in
the forge. Micro Processor. ~$19.99
Super
Welder Kit
Simulates Pausing and
Glowing Iron effects. Micro processor. ~$19.99
Welding
Flash Kit
Simulates welding
circuit with pause. ~$9.99
Building
on Fire Kit
Simulates a fire
inside of a building using different color LEDs and random flashing. ~$19.95
Alternating
Flasher
A pair of LEDs flash
alternately at a speed similar to a blinking crossing light. ~$4.49
Traffic
Light Kit
12 LED's function like
a traffic light. ~$8.99
LED
Illuminator Kit
Makes buildings Come
Alive. Generates a sequence of preprogrammed patterns to give a
"lived in"
look. ~$22.95 |
