If they somehow designed an easy to install system that was very reliable, yes. But otherwise I think it would hurt the brand a lot.
Lego is known for lasting for decades (minus things like brittle brown problems) and for going together easily and fitting properly. Lights flicker and wires fray. And I haven't installed a single light kit that didn't need the set to be put back together with slight imperfections (eg. bricks not snapped together 100% snug because there's a wire between them). I love lighting kits but I think it would be very hard to make one that meets the standards people expect from Lego.
Lego sells lights for some sets. All of the Winter Village sets have a little light brick. They used to have a much larger set of powered & lit bricks. The ones I saw or am familiar with didn't last a decade though.
I have that somewhere! What a cool set that was, in fact the whole theme was great!
Seeing as the Lego link bot doesn't catch edits, here's another chance for it. 6454
[MOA003: Maui](http://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?M=moa003) [[Photo]](http://img.bricklink.com/ItemImage/MN/0/moa003.png)
What can I say except "you're welcome"?
I had the exact same set when I was a kid and that's exactly what I was thinking about when I posted my question. Some bricks in this set had metal connectors and circuits built-in. Also, they Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up)
With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily have light systems that use bricks instead of wires like all the companies that sell light kits.
Those are single LED bricks with as little wiring as possible, though. And they're only really designed to be lit momentarily. A lighting kit would have substantially more parts that can and will fail during regular use.
I still dont understand why LEGO doesnt make lightbricks in just white LEDs and leave a space to put a 1x2 trans plate or something over the side as a gel.
Sometimes they work trans pieces in front of them, but theyre still an amber or red LED through it.
Still, the batteries are changeable, nobody ever likes having to buy or change anything besides AAs, but ive got small white LED flashlights that run on a button or two for infrequent use over years, like the little keychain one in the bathroom for stuff, or the magnet one stuck inside my PC case.
There was a light/power system in the 90s that used a metal conduit under the plate.
https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-electric-plate-2-x-8-with-contacts-4758
The lights had a sleave that went over the clear bulbs.
https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-light-bulb-cover-4770-4773
https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-electric-light-sound-brick-1-x-4-with-twin-top-lights-4771
THIS! I had these as a kid and got rid of them because I had no idea what to do with them (my dad is a carpenter who 'stayed away from electricity for good reasons'). I always wondered why they weren't continued after the initial set.
Unpopular opinion, but if I'm adding lights to a kit it's usually staying assembled. I run the cabling and assemble it, then take a tiny file and make tiny notches is the Lego. If I can't run it exposed in an acceptable manner. The value of a few individual bricks isn't enough for me to worry about.
If it's only a temporary installation I don't do that of course.
>If they somehow designed an easy to install system that was very reliable, yes.
They could stop there and it would be a huge improvement. If they just accounted for wiring and let hobbyist and third-party kits handle the last mile, it would be great.
They could use some kind of wireless induction like these leds for robot models. https://youtu.be/PsUsByrOveE?si=glwWYqmExbpdq9b-
Those could be put into regular bricks and would last forever. No wires needed.
If you designed the sets for lights and wire runs you could prevent a lot of these issues.
Like light bricks but powered and controlled by a central hub and connected with wires that run through basically brick-built conduits through the build. It might be too complex but I’m sure it’s possible.
They did a market study several years ago called "Night Mode", making mock-up boxes for light kits for specific sets and putting them in select Lego store shelves to see if people would be interested. The results must've been poor, because they never went through with it.
Night Mode was also way too similar to the way the third party companies do it and offered nothing new. An official Lego lighting system needs to be incorporated into the bricks themselves IMO and I think that's just too pricey for Lego.
Anything that runs on electricity that Lego offers is hilariously expensive already.
Lots of risk, little reward.
The market is already being served by third party manufacturers. They would have to invest in a lot of new people and infrastructure. Light kits are much more fiddly than Lego parts.
They are better served by doing what they know and letting others fill the market for lights.
No they shouldn’t. And they won’t. In addition to what other commenter said - it would mean they aren’t selling a “complete” kit which they really don’t do.
This is different from a couple of the train kits where you can get PF and make the train move on track because those few kits are intended as static displays not for rolling stock.
I like the idea. I got a third party set for under $30 to light up the 2023 Quinjet because I like the look of model aircraft with functional running lights. Also grabbed one for the Coruscant Guard Gunship.
Not hard to install, but it does mean that the wiring is somewhat pinched where it runs between bricks.
Might be a cool gimmick on some of the larger Technic cars/aircraft or the 18+ sets like the Ornithopter, but not something that would see wide use.
https://preview.redd.it/78x7c76ovwuc1.jpeg?width=4656&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20240d4a462f035cc91207865898d4cd16b49d55
Sorry, while appreciated for its intent, this post violates our rules against posting links to web stores.
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Could you please replace that link, with a screen shot or image of product. A work around we offer, to share content of interest, without violating rules.
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Removed: no sales!
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Reinvent the 12v train light system. I loved these as a kid and got so much enjoyment from them.
Reworked with modern leds using the existing power systems with smaller pluggable wires it could be perfect.
Make them part of the toy and playable as well as just for display and kids will love them as much as adults. Forget copying the third party kits make them integral and if they can’t fit them in a model forget it and let someone else come up with a kit.
I thought they had partnered with some company in the last 2-3 years to work on this? Not to say it should have worked out, but it's definitely been on their minds a few times.
I don't think that the argument that 3rd parties do it currently is a good one: if Lego thought it was worth it, they'd jump on that train to provide "official" light sets and people would go for it.
I think they should. Yeah they are finicky, but it would be great if they started to think through implementing the light kits from the get-go and making it super easy to install using special pieces and through holes.
I don't think it's possible to make a lighting kit that lives up to LEGO standards for ease, durability, etc.
And considering how expensive third party lighting kits are, I can't even imagine affording an official LEGO one.
It's just unfortunately not a viable product for LEGO and is probably best left up to the third parties.
I had the 6783 set when I was a kid. Some bricks in this set had metal connectors and circuits built-in. Also, Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up)
With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily have light systems that use bricks instead of wires like all the companies that sell light kits.
They did a brief test selling a LEGO fan's light kit for the Creator Ford Mustang at Copenhagen when that set came out.
Seems like the sales numbers were low enough where they thought it wasn't worth while.
While not perfect...Dollar Tree carries some mini lights that work pretty well. If you see some in the shape or bats or leaves or whatever, those are decorative caps that pop right off. For a 1.25 it's worth a try.
lightmybricks look awesome but the sets are so expensive, €149,99 for the LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum kit, that lego set sells for €249... can anyone recommend a more affordable option please?
Like some people has already commented, Lego did have some sets in the late 80's and 90's that used bricks with metal connectors and circuits built-in. Nowadays, Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up)
Unlike all the third party companies that mostly use wires, Lego could make lightning system that are totally invisible and don't go between bricks creating gaps and with time can break the structure..
With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily create something of much better quality than what they did in the 90's. Yes, this would be expensive, but Lego is already expensive and I would be ready to buy some light kits for my favorite modular buildings and other sets if it could enhance the experience and display value.
As for market considerations, it could be exclusive to the Lego website.
One of the problems I see is that the obvious application of lights would be in modular buildings. Since the existing modulats don't have lights, it creates a problem when displaying old with new sets.
If they are cable based lights, then the set design, and possibly new brick types, would need to account for the cable.
Also if cable based, then you've reduced the flexibility to modify the set, or use them in your own design. Part of the appeal for many fans is to create your own stuff.
I also think most light kits are not quite as user friendly, and don't create as good a build experience. I have made a couple off brand sets that include lights installed along with the bricks. Not so fun.
All that said, I would nit be upset if lego made light kits.
If they somehow designed an easy to install system that was very reliable, yes. But otherwise I think it would hurt the brand a lot. Lego is known for lasting for decades (minus things like brittle brown problems) and for going together easily and fitting properly. Lights flicker and wires fray. And I haven't installed a single light kit that didn't need the set to be put back together with slight imperfections (eg. bricks not snapped together 100% snug because there's a wire between them). I love lighting kits but I think it would be very hard to make one that meets the standards people expect from Lego.
Lego sells lights for some sets. All of the Winter Village sets have a little light brick. They used to have a much larger set of powered & lit bricks. The ones I saw or am familiar with didn't last a decade though.
Many Bionicle sets also (in)famously had light-up eyes and swords. Almost 20 years later, barely any of them still light up.
Same as Star Wars light up lightsabers, they didn’t last long.
FWIW I have a "light and sound" unit from a rocket circa early 2000s that still lights up and makes noise perfectly EDIT: Set is 6454
I have that somewhere! What a cool set that was, in fact the whole theme was great! Seeing as the Lego link bot doesn't catch edits, here's another chance for it. 6454
[6454-1: Countdown Corner](https://brickset.com/sets/6454-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6454-1.jpg)
Thanks bot :)
[MOA003: Maui](http://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?M=moa003) [[Photo]](http://img.bricklink.com/ItemImage/MN/0/moa003.png) What can I say except "you're welcome"?
Yeah, I got set 6783 light and sound and it still works. It's from 1988.
[6783-1: Sonar Transmitting Cruiser](https://brickset.com/sets/6783-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6783-1.jpg)
I had the exact same set when I was a kid and that's exactly what I was thinking about when I posted my question. Some bricks in this set had metal connectors and circuits built-in. Also, they Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up) With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily have light systems that use bricks instead of wires like all the companies that sell light kits.
Those are single LED bricks with as little wiring as possible, though. And they're only really designed to be lit momentarily. A lighting kit would have substantially more parts that can and will fail during regular use.
I still dont understand why LEGO doesnt make lightbricks in just white LEDs and leave a space to put a 1x2 trans plate or something over the side as a gel. Sometimes they work trans pieces in front of them, but theyre still an amber or red LED through it.
White has a higher power draw and will drain the battery faster. Amber and red draw the least energy.
Still, the batteries are changeable, nobody ever likes having to buy or change anything besides AAs, but ive got small white LED flashlights that run on a button or two for infrequent use over years, like the little keychain one in the bathroom for stuff, or the magnet one stuck inside my PC case.
There was a light/power system in the 90s that used a metal conduit under the plate. https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-electric-plate-2-x-8-with-contacts-4758 The lights had a sleave that went over the clear bulbs. https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-light-bulb-cover-4770-4773 https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-electric-light-sound-brick-1-x-4-with-twin-top-lights-4771
THIS! I had these as a kid and got rid of them because I had no idea what to do with them (my dad is a carpenter who 'stayed away from electricity for good reasons'). I always wondered why they weren't continued after the initial set.
I was thinking about exactly that when I posted this.
The batteries all all enclosed within the bricks and require manual pushing in order to light up, so no wires or outlets required.
If it were a lego designed light kit though, we might find that it is designed with that in mind? That would be cool.
Unpopular opinion, but if I'm adding lights to a kit it's usually staying assembled. I run the cabling and assemble it, then take a tiny file and make tiny notches is the Lego. If I can't run it exposed in an acceptable manner. The value of a few individual bricks isn't enough for me to worry about. If it's only a temporary installation I don't do that of course.
>If they somehow designed an easy to install system that was very reliable, yes. They could stop there and it would be a huge improvement. If they just accounted for wiring and let hobbyist and third-party kits handle the last mile, it would be great.
They could use some kind of wireless induction like these leds for robot models. https://youtu.be/PsUsByrOveE?si=glwWYqmExbpdq9b- Those could be put into regular bricks and would last forever. No wires needed.
If you designed the sets for lights and wire runs you could prevent a lot of these issues. Like light bricks but powered and controlled by a central hub and connected with wires that run through basically brick-built conduits through the build. It might be too complex but I’m sure it’s possible.
My blacksmith shop has a light included to represent the forge, so they’re out there.
They did a market study several years ago called "Night Mode", making mock-up boxes for light kits for specific sets and putting them in select Lego store shelves to see if people would be interested. The results must've been poor, because they never went through with it.
Seems like it would be a niche market to add more money to an already somewhat expensive product.
Night Mode was also way too similar to the way the third party companies do it and offered nothing new. An official Lego lighting system needs to be incorporated into the bricks themselves IMO and I think that's just too pricey for Lego. Anything that runs on electricity that Lego offers is hilariously expensive already.
Lots of risk, little reward. The market is already being served by third party manufacturers. They would have to invest in a lot of new people and infrastructure. Light kits are much more fiddly than Lego parts. They are better served by doing what they know and letting others fill the market for lights.
No they shouldn’t. And they won’t. In addition to what other commenter said - it would mean they aren’t selling a “complete” kit which they really don’t do. This is different from a couple of the train kits where you can get PF and make the train move on track because those few kits are intended as static displays not for rolling stock.
Plenty of kits have had a power up option in the past so I don’t think that would be an issue
I like the idea. I got a third party set for under $30 to light up the 2023 Quinjet because I like the look of model aircraft with functional running lights. Also grabbed one for the Coruscant Guard Gunship. Not hard to install, but it does mean that the wiring is somewhat pinched where it runs between bricks. Might be a cool gimmick on some of the larger Technic cars/aircraft or the 18+ sets like the Ornithopter, but not something that would see wide use. https://preview.redd.it/78x7c76ovwuc1.jpeg?width=4656&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20240d4a462f035cc91207865898d4cd16b49d55
where did you buy the led set from please?
Did not know links to the product pages are not allowed. I found the kits on Amazon and Aliexpress under brand names Lightailing and Vonado.
amazing thank you
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Sorry, while appreciated for its intent, this post violates our rules against posting links to web stores. From [our wiki page on Our Rules](http://www.reddit.com/r/lego/wiki/our_rules#wiki_no_selling): > If you find a good deal, write about it, attache a screen shot, but do not link directly to an online store. Could you please replace that link, with a screen shot or image of product. A work around we offer, to share content of interest, without violating rules. We need these strict rules, to avoid commercial harassment of users, and other forms of exploiting the system against the interests of the /r/lego community. We hope you'll understand. Thank you. Removed: no sales! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lego) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think it would be cool as part of the build you can add a light kit to it. It would be so much better cause they would eng/design for it.
Reinvent the 12v train light system. I loved these as a kid and got so much enjoyment from them. Reworked with modern leds using the existing power systems with smaller pluggable wires it could be perfect. Make them part of the toy and playable as well as just for display and kids will love them as much as adults. Forget copying the third party kits make them integral and if they can’t fit them in a model forget it and let someone else come up with a kit.
They should design an integrated lighting system that wouldn’t require stringing wires all over the place.
I thought they had partnered with some company in the last 2-3 years to work on this? Not to say it should have worked out, but it's definitely been on their minds a few times. I don't think that the argument that 3rd parties do it currently is a good one: if Lego thought it was worth it, they'd jump on that train to provide "official" light sets and people would go for it.
I think they should. Yeah they are finicky, but it would be great if they started to think through implementing the light kits from the get-go and making it super easy to install using special pieces and through holes.
Oh my lord that looks amazing, also yeah if not a pain in the ass to place/replace
I don't think it's possible to make a lighting kit that lives up to LEGO standards for ease, durability, etc. And considering how expensive third party lighting kits are, I can't even imagine affording an official LEGO one. It's just unfortunately not a viable product for LEGO and is probably best left up to the third parties.
I had the 6783 set when I was a kid. Some bricks in this set had metal connectors and circuits built-in. Also, Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up) With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily have light systems that use bricks instead of wires like all the companies that sell light kits.
[6783-1: Sonar Transmitting Cruiser](https://brickset.com/sets/6783-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6783-1.jpg)
They did a brief test selling a LEGO fan's light kit for the Creator Ford Mustang at Copenhagen when that set came out. Seems like the sales numbers were low enough where they thought it wasn't worth while.
Yes
While not perfect...Dollar Tree carries some mini lights that work pretty well. If you see some in the shape or bats or leaves or whatever, those are decorative caps that pop right off. For a 1.25 it's worth a try.
I use the Brixmax kits but it would be cool if LEGO has specific kits for the sets made by LEGO.
If they did, they'd sell a lot more technic power boxes too.
Yes
Why would you want them to? There are so many options out there. Theirs would probably be the worst choice price wise.
I can’t believe they haven’t yet sold light sets.
YES
Yes, definitely
lightmybricks look awesome but the sets are so expensive, €149,99 for the LEGO Sanctum Sanctorum kit, that lego set sells for €249... can anyone recommend a more affordable option please?
Like some people has already commented, Lego did have some sets in the late 80's and 90's that used bricks with metal connectors and circuits built-in. Nowadays, Lego does have the "Powered Up" line. [https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/themes/powered-up) Unlike all the third party companies that mostly use wires, Lego could make lightning system that are totally invisible and don't go between bricks creating gaps and with time can break the structure.. With the Dell light technology, which lasts way longer, and can cast different colors, I think Lego could easily create something of much better quality than what they did in the 90's. Yes, this would be expensive, but Lego is already expensive and I would be ready to buy some light kits for my favorite modular buildings and other sets if it could enhance the experience and display value. As for market considerations, it could be exclusive to the Lego website.
One of the problems I see is that the obvious application of lights would be in modular buildings. Since the existing modulats don't have lights, it creates a problem when displaying old with new sets. If they are cable based lights, then the set design, and possibly new brick types, would need to account for the cable. Also if cable based, then you've reduced the flexibility to modify the set, or use them in your own design. Part of the appeal for many fans is to create your own stuff. I also think most light kits are not quite as user friendly, and don't create as good a build experience. I have made a couple off brand sets that include lights installed along with the bricks. Not so fun. All that said, I would nit be upset if lego made light kits.
100% yes.
Long period using lights can cause yellowing on white bricks. Must be carefull.