cozzie4d

Thanks, this is super useful. I might grab an additional transformer and check the connectors (spread the out slightly for better connection). Replacing cables is a last resort for now, as I've nicely hidden most of them with light gray 2x3 + 1x2's along side the tracks

So, now that I have everything connected, some findings: when pressing the electronic crossing buttons, the barriers come down very slow (need to keep the button pressed) when I disconnect the 3 sets of connected lights to the far left accessoire remote, the barriers open normal (I believe, for 40 year old lego :)) currently I have 1 transformer with 3 electronic switches 1 electrical railroad crossing (7866) 2 signal posts (7860) 3 sets of serial connected lights (each about 4 to 6 lights and another transformer, just with 1 set of 4 serial connected lights I'm starting to get the feeling that I need to spread the load a bit, OR use a different transformer (could also be non-lego) for my lights. Do you feel it should keep working fine with 3 +1 + 2 = 6 remotes attached plus a whole bunch of lights? Curious if someone has experience with this. In theory I could also have some bad connection somewhere, that interferes, but in that case I wouldn't expect the lights to work and the remote accessoires also to work.

Any ideas? I also thought of connecting them all in parallel and run longer wires alongside the tracks, which I can then tie together (tie wraps or something). But not sure if I want to buy a whole lot or cable just for this purpose

Hey. Correct, the buttons are indeed for switches, signals and crossing. I basically have 3 sets of connected lights; the 3 cables lead into the far left/ last remote accessoires’s side input

Hi. They go a bit darker and then lighter again, but only when I press a button on the remote accessoires (connected to the transformer). When I don't touch anything the lights shine normally I think. A bunch would be 6 or 7 going back to 1 connection in the transformer.

Quick update; I connected a bunch of them to each other and then to the transformer. All working as expected. One thing I did notice though, when I use any of the remote accessoires (press the buttons), the lights flicker. Any idea what might cause this, perhaps pulling too much power from the transformer?

Hi all, I've finished adding all my light masts/poles to my track layout and wired everything up. Besides some flickering of the lights when pressing accessoire remotes, it's all working fine :) But, all those cables around the tracks look so messy. So I'm looking for ways to nicely let the cables follow the tracks. The only solution I came up with so far, is taking light a gray 3x2 plate and a 1x2 plate on one side of it, attaching the other side to the sleeper, and let the cable go underneath it. This kind of works, but I don't have 200 or so old gray 2x3s and 1x2s. Any ideas on how to do this differently while making it look pretty still?

Oh wow, that’s super useful. Thanks 🙏

Thanks. Looks way to scary for me, better just slice of 2mm of 2 plastic center pins or find 2 connectors without them

Thanks for the quick replies. Also did some more searching, looks like also a variant of the dual connector exists, without center plastic pin. Maybe this switch came from a set where those cables were used. I will also try to attach a photo. apparently you can only upload 1x1 pixel images on the forum.. http://www.sierracosworth.nl/img/12v-connector-doesnt-fit.jpg

Hi all, I found a nice 'lot' with 2 12v remote controlled switches. But when connecting them, I found that one of the 2 has something weird. On both sides, so the remote and the 'switch box' I cannot plug dual connectors in, it's like the middle plastic pin is too long to fit in, causing the metal pins to not fully slide in. Any idea what might cause this? Perhaps different types of connectors. A simple solution would be to cut of 2mm of the center plastic pin of the connector, but ideally I don't want that. I also thought that maybe a pin broke off while connected (before I got the set), but it feels too much like a coincidence if this happened on both the remote as will as the switch box. I also checked all my other cables/connectors, but none of them have a shorter plastic center pin. Of course single connectors would also work. Any input is appreciated.

Wow, thorough and scientific explanation, thanks :) I'll give it a go and see when it becomes an issue, I guess cables getting warm. I'm currently using 1 transformer for everything, might go for a 2nd one to spread things a bit. Also useful for more control on 2 separated tracks.

Hi all. I was looking buying a bulk of new white 1x1, x2, x3, x4, x6 and x8 bricks, so I can freshen up some old sets (same for plates). Which got me wondering, where would people on BrickLink get them from? The prices look lower mostly then official new from Lego or Toypro for example. So they might as well be unused and 30 years old, with still the potential yellowing. Curious on your thoughts, before just running off and burning a bunch of euros on a mistake.

Ah yes, gotcha. So the only difference compared to 1 cable per light brick, is that the further down the line, more bricks share a single cable, but still in parallel. I guess it then comes down to “how well” the cables can handle this (resistance?)

Thanks all. @Toastie your picture looks more like serial to me, because you're connect 1 light to the transformer, and the other pass through one to the next.