On 12/3/19 11:18 pm, Jeff Bennett wrote:
>

>

> As to the LED's, while I cannot speak for the restoration staff directly, I don't see that we would want to move in that direction - I think it would be considered too drastic a deviation from as built (even if the advertisements were a later-life addition).

>

The LED drivers would have to be custom designed anyway - the average LED fitting has a very simple 'capacitive dropper' power supply. These only work on AC input. Higher quality ones MAY have proper switching power supplies that WILL take DC input, but I don't think they would run very well in a series chain.

At some stage I suspect we will have to either build LED power supply units that can work on our 'heritage' trams or get a factory to turn out appropriate custom made incandescent lamps.

I suspect in my future will be re-wiring a Sydney Tram with a small 24vDC converter and rewiring the lamp circuits to supply 24vDC to each fitting to run a small LED lamp cluster - who's colours will be chosen to as close as possible replicate the warm soft colour of the old incandescent bulbs. Appropriate 100v 'traction' rated lamps will be unobtainable.

We might get lucky and find some light bulb enthusiast who can hand manufacture the small quantity we would require. (There are people out there building their own vacuum tubes and Nixie display tubes!)

At this stage we do have more than enough stocks of bulbs, but this supply will run out eventually.