Electrical Lighting options for miniature village

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A wooden miniature village featuring "Storybook"-style houses is being constructed, with plans for internal lighting using translucent paper to create a glowing effect. The lighting options under consideration include 4-watt night lights plugged into 110v extension cords or safer 12v solutions that could allow for a single power source for multiple houses. Suggestions include using a 5-meter roll of warm white LED strip lights, which can be cut and connected with low-voltage distribution. The model railroading hobby is highlighted as a resource for products and techniques. Aesthetic considerations suggest that warmer lighting (2000-3000 K) can enhance the magical, old-world feel of the village, with options for LED filaments that mimic incandescent warmth without the harshness of standard LEDs.
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TL;DR Summary
Looking for lighting advice for the houses in a (O-gauge) miniature village
I've been workng on "Storybook"-style Houses for a wooden miniature village I'm building for my wife. They are approximately 1/48th-1/35th scale. There will be several in the village.

I plan to light them internally, but I only need one light in each. I will cover the windows in translucent paper so you just see the glow from within.

I'm debating on what kind of lighting to use. Simplest would be little 4watt Night Lights, plugged into 110v extension cords run in the back of each house. But I wonder if it would be better to go for something safer, like in the 12v range, and maybe I can run all lights off one cord. (I guess I could use a string of old Christmas lights, with one bulb in each house.)

Suggestions?

House 1.jpg
 
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Get a 5 metre roll of warm white LEDs. $5.00 / metre.
"5M/16.4ft 320 COB LED Strip Lights, 8mm, 6000 Lumens Warm & Cold White Lighting 12V Bedroom Decoration Lamp String"

Cut the 5 m strip into small groups, there are solder pads provided along the strip where you should cut. Run a low_voltage distribution, 12 V, with buried twisted pair wires.
 
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Look to the model railroading hobby.
Screenshot 2024-02-15 at 7.22.13 PM.png


They have lots of products and lots of little houses to put them into.
I would think that low voltage LEDs would be the modern approach.
 
DaveC426913 said:
TL;DR Summary: Looking for lighting advice for the houses in a (O-gauge) miniature village

I've been workng on "Storybook"-style Houses for a wooden miniature village I'm building for my wife. They are approximately 1/48th-1/35th scale. There will be several in the village.

I plan to light them internally, but I only need one light in each. I will cover the windows in translucent paper so you just see the glow from within.

I'm debating on what kind of lighting to use. Simplest would be little 4watt Night Lights, plugged into 110v extension cords run in the back of each house. But I wonder if it would be better to go for something safer, like in the 12v range, and maybe I can run all lights off one cord. (I guess I could use a string of old Christmas lights, with one bulb in each house.)

Suggestions?
Aesthetically, redder lighting looks more olde worlde, magical. 2000-3000 K LEDs

https://insights.regencysupply.com/...ct-and-how-do-you-choose-it-for-your-lighting

1708090618837.png
 
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BillTre said:
Look to the model railroading hobby.
I think that would be the simplest solution, with the widest possible variations.
But if DIY is required, then I would check up on LED 'filaments': they are meant to replace incandescent lamps, with plenty of 'warmth' variations...
Also, without that disturbing 'pointiness' of regular LEDs.
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/s330529193385665136_p196_i4_w997-jpg.318754/



Ps.: there are flexible ones too, these days...
-chip-2200k-the-pi-hut-fit0812-30154935730371_700x.jpg
 
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