Large Scale Central

Does LGB 0-4-0 Stainz have LED or incandescent?

General Discussion
#1

I have a friend that has an LBG 0-4-0 Stainz. He doesn’t know what year it is. His question is, does this loco have incandescent bulbs or LED? He is adding a control board that is designed to illuminate low voltage LED bulbs, and I am trying to help him determine if using this board to run the lights will be a simple conversion or a lot of work. Any help would be appreciated.

#2

Earlier models had the common yellow tinted screw in 18vt bulb that LGB used in about everything. Later models have a bi pin 5vt light bulb as the Stainz gained constant lighting at some point(like the other higher end engines in the LGB program). Never seen a Stainz with an LED. Mike

#3

Ray

My two old stainz locos have globes (12 or 18V ish, ie no dropping resistor), but a few years back I installed a DCC decoder into a newer model, but I can’t remember what it had in it, but I do remember it being a globe and not an LED.

Visually you could differentiate between an LED and a globe via its construction and its light colour and output pattern. If it’s an LED you need to drop the voltage/current form the DCC output (or similar) as per the decoder instructions.

If it is a globe these tips may help determine its voltage:

  • Does the globe brightness change with track voltage – if Yes it’s most likely 12 or 18V ish globe

  • Does the globe brightness stay constant with track voltage except maybe at lower voltage – good chance it’s a lower voltage globe 1-5V ish and it’s from a constant brightness circuit

  • Visually inspecting the electronics will also drop hints to the globes voltage

  • Use a variable power supply to slowly ramp up the voltage get normal brightness and check with a multi meter. I’d use a 1.5V battery first just in case it’s a 1.5V globe and you don’t want to fry it of a power supply.

If it’s a lower voltage globe or LED depending on the age of the loco you may be able to use some of the on-board electronics.

Hope this helps

Alan

#4

Thanks guys. So if we learn the lights are bulbs, and we need to convert them to LEDs, are the bulbs in an accessible area that is easy enough to swap out?

#5

I think you can get to the globes nice and easy, but the globes poke up, so an LED will shine upwards and not out of the headlight, but I’m sure you could make an LEF fit. The rear globe orientation is a bit easy for an LED conversion.

Alan

#6

How do you get to the rear bulb in the fixture?. I cannot seem to get the light to pop off of the back of the cab. ?

#7

Travis

I can’t say myself as on my old Stainz’s I’ve never needed to get into them. But the not so older version I worked on a few years back I think the rear lens just pops off with the help of a sharp knife. Then maybe you can pop out the reflector to find a screw to remove the entire back up light if needed… I think.

Hope it helps or someone has a more rigorous.

Alan

#8

The non digital Stainz and porter locos were 18 volt screw in tinted lights. The newest (Marklin/MTS) digital units would most likely be 5 volts.

If the 6 digit gold sticker is still on the bottom of the engine then the first and last digit is the year.

split case would be before mid 90’s.

Rear light is secured by a screw located behind the white reflector. And this screw attaches the fixtures on the rear of the cab.