Lighting question for the wiring gurus

[Jeeves]

So I'm building the M3 Lee CDL for an AMPS review and the thought occurred to me that having aight show through the slit would be really cool. My question is how bright would the light be on a typical circuit...the beam for real was similar to a lighthouse beam...but if all I could do was light the slit, it hardly seems worth it...however if I could get a beam showing through, I'd like to give it a shot...so how bright are the lights? Thanks in advance!

 

[jknaus]

Depends on what you are using. I am not sure how big the search light is but the easiest way to recreate would to take the circuit, bulb, and reflector from a flashlight and install. Then run the wire through to the turret and put battery and switch in there.
https://www.amazon.com/ThorFire-Flashlight-Professional-Tactical-Included/dp/B06XQ4TY45?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_4
https://www.amazon.com/Perman-Lumens-Flashlight-Penlight-Battery/dp/B01C77ULYI?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

 

[Jeeves]

Thanks James! J believe the output of the light was 12-13 million candlepower....these might do it...I just to figure out how lol....new to wiring.

 

[jknaus]

The board the light is attached to on these flashlights has its circuitry built in. You just have to strip it out of the flash light. Then you can put a battery pack inside the tank and connect it to where it would connect in the flashlight. Should be simple. Its just finding a light that fits in the casement.

 

[Jeeves]

Ah...gotcha!

 

[Prop Duster]

Well that "sheds some light on this subject", an' I find it all "illuminating"......boy I crack me up


Seriously: sounds like a great plan can't wait for the photo to come rolling in

 

[Swordsman]

Use the Nanos you can buy off eBay ….. Ist photo (yellow Blocks) ….. these are the nanos compared to a 1/4 watt resistor …..

Two Nanos in this Cadillac …. being powered by a 2035 3v watch battery about the size of a nickel ….

any questions on brightness …. these are being powered be a 3v battery …. no resistor if they are too bright just add a resistor the bigger ohm value … the less light easy to control I use a 1K …. most people use 680 ohm ….

 

[Swordsman]

I need to tell yawl that the nano LED's that I get from ebay come with the wire's already soldered on. Normally the red wire goes to the + of battery Black to ground (See Cadilac photo) I get the nanos for $12 for 10-20 shop around. Now a Led will fry if you place more than 5 Volts on it without a resistor inline to either side of the leads. It will only light in the proper current flow from battery. Pos - Pos & Neg - Neg I use the watch batteries as battery holers for them can also be both from eBay. Remember if you don't use a current limiting resistor at least 680 Ohm more than that less light, you can experiment with lower Ohm values but when Led flashes and goes out throw it away, it will never light again. Now as for switches .... On - Off ... use a magnetic reed switch about $2 to $5 dollars. get one that is called a latching reed switch ....

with this you use a magnet to turn it on & off ... when you side it the light will stay on until you bring the magnet to to close proximity to the reed .... any question just ask ... I hope I answered the question better this time ....

 

[Tankbuilder]

Did you ever get that CDL model light working?

I put a light into the searchlight of a Tamiya 1/35 scale M-48 tank. It lights up but doesn't throw a big beam of light.

I have the light wires wrapped through 2 holes in the turret base and there are 2 wires wrapped trough holes in the hull turret ring. When the turret is turned to a certain position the light comes on. The battery pack is stowed in the hull.


Cheers

 

[jknaus]

Maybe use some tin foil behind the light to act as a reflector? Also I have seen the glass plates that go over glass slides for the microscope cheap on amazon. I think they could be cut to size and then you dont get the fogginess from the thicker plastic cover. Looks cool thats for sure.
James

 

[Jeeves]

I did actually...found an excellent source online that had a great assortment of different sizes and colors of lights, and even had switches and battery connectors so I didn't have to wire anything other than red to red and black to black No soldering or anything....https://evandesigns.com/collections/hobby-leds

Ended up mounting the light inside with foil all around it....here is the result:

https://youtu.be/XU6dc93NjZw

I've used them for the CDL and for this 1989 Batmobile...

Plan on using them again for the other two Batmobiles I have in the stash...the 1966 one and the Kilmer one.

 

[Tankbuilder]

The CDL looks great. I might order something from t hem to replace the light that I blew tonight in my M-48 tank searchlight when I used the wrong voltage.

:<(

Cheers