Installing the Scale Model Scenery AX059-OO-Single 3D Printed Large Orange Flashing LED Roof Beacon Kit

Installing the Scale Model Scenery AX059-OO-Single 3D Printed Large Orange Flashing LED Roof Beacon Kit

In this article aimed at any one new to the hobby we take a look at how to install, the Scale Model Scenery AX059-OO-Single 3D Printed Large Orange Flashing LED Roof Beacon Kit . The kit comes with a single 3D printed roof bar type orange beacon, two small type S.M.D L.E.D’s pre- wired, two resistors & a sheet of instructions. This lighting kit is designed to go any 1:76 scale van or truck, those from the Oxford Diecast range being an excellent choice for this kit.

So for this article we’ll install the kit on to Oxford Diecast Ford Transit van. The flashing beacon kit can be connected directly to a suitable 3V DC power supply straight from the packet, without having to use the supplied resistors. If you’re intending to connect to a 12V to 16V model train controller, or a 12v transformer or DCC accessory decoder, you’ll need to use the the supplied resistors (one for each LED).

The resistors should be soldered in series with the red wire as shown on the supplied instruction sheet. If you’re not confident in soldering you can always use chocbloc type connectors instead of soldering.

Lets get started….

First job is to open up the Oxford Diecast van. Unscrew the two screws on the under side of the van & put screws to one side in a safe place.

Remove chassis & interior…

Next choose where you want the light beacon bar to go on the van roof. Mark out in pencil the position of the two drill holes. These should be approx 12.5mm apart.

Carefully drill the two holes for the wires using a 1.5mm drill bit.

Next two items to drill is of course the van chassis & interior section. I’ve drilled as close to the rear axle as possible so that the vans rear wheels will make it harder to see wires under the van. The white circle in the first photo on the right highlights the wire hole i’ve just drilled. Again use the 1.5mm drill bit.

Insert the two L.E.D’s into the two recesses on the underside of the roof beacon. Glue L.E.D’s in place. Use a piece of tape to hold wires L.E.D’s in place as the glue sets. Whilst the glue is setting it may be worth adding a driver & passenger figure in the cab. You can find the driver figure packs here in our shop: https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/shop/noch-15244-truck-drivers-mates/?v=79cba1185463

Once the glue has set on the beacon light bar, carefully feed the two wires from each L.E.D as shown on the right. Two wires per hole.

Glue light beacon bar to the roof. Make sure the beacon sits flush & level on the van roof.

Next feed the four wires through the hole in the van floor & chassis as shown on the right.

Refit van chassis & re-fit the two screws to hold the van body back in place. Make sure not to trap any wires as you re-fit the van body.

With the wire strippers strip a small section of wire sleeve off all four wires from the L.E.D’s.

Trim the resistor wires down to suit & solder one resistor on to each red wire as shown on the right.

Next cut a length of red & black wire for connecting the wires from the L.E.D’s to your chosen power source. Strip a small section of wire sleeve off both ends of these two wires. Then add solder on one end of the red wire & black wires (A process known as tinning).  Then cut two small lengths of red wire, strip the wire ends & tin them. With one of the smaller red wires you’ve just tinned, solder it on to one of the resistors. Then do repeat with the other smaller red wire & solder on to the other resistor.

Next cut a piece of heat shrink tube to size & slide down the red wire to cover the resistor & bear wires either side of the resistor. Hold the hot soldering iron close to the heat shrink to shrink it into place.

With the two black wires from the L.E.D’s  twist the ends together & solder. With the other black wire (to connect up to your power source) solder on to the two wires from the L.E.D’s. Then slide a piece of heat shrink over the soldered wire joint, & place the soldering iron as before need the heat shrink to shrink it into place.

With the two red wires you’ve just soldered on to the two resistors, twist the ends together & solder together. With the other red wire (to connect up to your power source) solder on to the two red wires from the resistors. Then slide a piece of heat shrink over the soldered wire joint, & place the soldering iron as before need the heat shrink to shrink it into place.

Mark your drill hole & with the bigger drill bit drill a hole in your baseboard for your chosen location for the van.

Carefully feed the wires through the hole & place van in such a way that the wheels block the view of the wires.

Now either connect the wires up to a choc bloc connector if using a ring main power bus round the layout for the lighting. Or run the wires straight back to your chosen power source ( Layout controller / transformer / DCC accessory decoder etc ). Then plug in the power source into the mains & switch on. That’s it…Jobs A God Un!