[T-Man]

Walmart Xmas LED replacements are 10 cents for four regularly 75 cents. I got 18 packages colored and white.

The second picture is blue to the right and white to the left.

 

[tankist]

2.5c a led thats not bad at all. inverted cone can be filed flat if needed
neat idea to display them though , lol

 

[T-Man]

I had to go check,they do have an inverted cone! :laugh:
The tag said 18 cents but at the checkout it rung up 10 cents.

Now, I have to file them flat to see what the beam looks like.

 

[T-Man]

Golf Tee

These type of LEDs are now common Xmas Lights. Today I bought a package of 12 from Lowes for just over 2 bucks. I got white. Now, Ialso have a bag of wood golf tees and I want to see what I can do with them. SO the first idea is to use one as a shade for an LED. These bulbs are 3/16ths so I drilled into the tee and drilled two I/16th holes for the leads. No that easy to do. I set the tee into a hole in my drilling block and held if fast with a set of pliers. I used a 1/4 drill to enlarge the hole to give me an edge on placement. SO I solderd them up and placed a straw over the leads. I was careless and should of worked the connection to a thin splice but I didn't. Perhaps If I cut the tee short I coild have gone with a narrower tube. This is how it came out.

An earlier version I used a square edge wood wheel. These are not easy to find and the round corner wheels are much more common.

The bulb is a round yellow T-5 and I placed the wheel upside down in the picture. oops

 

[xrunner]

These type of LEDs are now common Xmas Lights. Today I bought a package of 12 from Lowes for just over 2 bucks.

I got the same deal the other day at Lowes. I got both color and white. I'm not sure the color LEDs are really color LEDs or white LEDs with colored plastic over them but they really look good. I want a lot of blue ones because I might make an aircraft runway on my layout ... more to come.

 

[Massey]

I was at Wal*Mart the other day and found 180 cool white LEDs for like $20, which works out to about $.10 per LED. These LEDs are going to eventually find their way into my buildings.

Massey

 

[T-Man]

I found a ten dollar string of Xmas Lights for a buck or so, at a yard sale. I was also thinking of keeping the plugs from old lights as a sort of quick disconnect, if needed.

 

[Massey]

I was thinking the same thing with the plugs. Helps make life easier when it comes to soldering and when bulbs burn out the change is quick and easy.

Massey

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Since I routinely buy bare LED's for 20 cents or less, I can't see spending too much time trying to salvage them from old stuff.

FWIW, Lionel uses those Christmas light plugs in a bunch of their stuff, so I did salvage a bunch of those to put bulbs into.

 

[Coastie]

I'm going to Lowes today, I'll have to check this out. Never really thought of using Christmas lights for lighting; that's why I have you guys!

 

[T-Man]

With all the different types of bulbs out, after visiting a Target, Lowes,and HD, you certainly could make some unique lamp posts. I also check out 5 and below for inexpensive LED gadgets. In defense of Radio Shack, I have noticed a broad range of LEDs with mutil colored and different sized ones available. Shapes too! Jumbo and rectangular.

My bulb box is not as big as John's. but it is getting there.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

T-Man, that's only one box, I have a bunch of bulbs that I bought in an assortment as well, I should picture those too.

When I order LED's, I always order more than I'm going to use, sometimes a lot more. First off, it's cheaper per unit, and also there's only one shipping charge to pay. Finally, when I'm doing something new, I usually have what I need on hand, no need to order anything.

 

[xrunner]

I got a string of white LEDs today at Hobby Lobby on sale for about $3. I cut them all out for use on my layout.

It's really a wonder that they still even sell the old strings of lights using bulbs anymore. Surely they will be history in a few years.

 

[Massey]

Now that the LEDs are getting cheaper I agree that the old school lights will be gone soon. I dont think we will see the end of the jumbo outdoor ones but the little ones sure.

Massey

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I got a couple of strings of 100 of the real lights for free, they were heading for my daughter's trash. Not sure what I'll use them for, but I figure I'll add them to the junk collection "just in case".

 

[T-Man]

T-Man, that's only one box, I have a bunch of bulbs that I bought in an assortment as well, I should picture those too.

When I order LED's, I always order more than I'm going to use, sometimes a lot more. First off, it's cheaper per unit, and also there's only one shipping charge to pay. Finally, when I'm doing something new, I usually have what I need on hand, no need to order anything.

I didn't even think of there being more. It doesn't surprise me.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Here's some of the parts storage here, don't get me started on the closet!

 

[xrunner]

Has anyone ever used the little Tea Light LEDs for anything? They flash randomly at different light levels. I got some the other day hoping to use the LEDs for a simulated fire maybe.

Another tip is that you can get 2 Tea Lights for $1 at the Dollar store, and each comes with a brand new CR2032 cell, so you get 2 of those for a dollar as well. If you wanted to buy a new CR2032 cell at Radio Shack it would cost you $5! Granted they are probably a little better but still, I buy the Tea Lights just for the batteries sometimes when my Car remote or the like needs a new CR2032.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Good tip on the CR2032, I need a couple of those right now!

 

[xrunner]

Good tip on the CR2032, I need a couple of those right now!

I'm playing with a LED out of one of the Tea Lights right now. If you drive it with the Supertex constant current driver it tends to try to compensate for the changing current of the Tea Light, and it damps the flashing, so if you wanted to simulate perhaps a bad light bulb or such you could try that also.