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Circuits designed by David Johnson, P.E. Last Updated on:
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High Power
LED Flasher August 3, 2008
Power LEDs are becoming more popular these days. The DC input power to
these devices ranges from 1 watt to 5 watts. Normal LEDs only receive
about 0.05 watts. At this higher power, these devices can emit a lot of
light. You can buy them in just about any color in the rainbow but white
seems to be the most popular. One application for these devices is a
flashing light. If the flash duration and flash rate is kept low, the
average current can be low enough that even a small battery can last quite a
while.....
Lighthouse LED Flasher
This was originally designed for a model in a HO train set. It simulates the
behavior of the light from a lighthouse. The LED intensity gradually
increases, then flashes with a bright light and finally decreases slowly in
intensity.
LINE POWERED XENON FLASH TRANSMITTER
This line powered xenon flash circuit drives a small camera type flash tube.
It has an optical isolator to allow the flash to be safely triggered from some
remote device. A flash rate of 2Hz is possible with the circuit.
LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE FLASHER
This circuit is designed to monitor two alkaline cells (3v) that from the battery
often used in portable electronic equipment. It use an inexpensive IC from Panasonic
that is connected to an efficient LED flashing circuit. When the battery voltage
drops below a certain point the circuit flashes the LED. In the off state the
circuit draws only 1uA, while in the active flashing state it draws 20uA.
Published in EDN, Jan 2, 1997
Reduced Power Sequential LED Flasher The 74HC4017 is a neat decade
counter which has 10 decoded outputs. When supplied with a low frequency clock
and with a LED attached to each of the outputs, an interesting ten step sequential
flasher effect can be produced. The LEDs can be configured in a wide variety
of patterns of loops, lines or arrows. But, these circuits can often be power
hogs. To reduce the average current needed to produce the same effect, you can
strobe the individual LEDs with a short 10mS pulse.
SIMPLE NITROGEN SPARK GENERATOR
Nitrogen or air sparks are very powerful light sources that produce flashes that
last only a few nanoseconds. This line-powered circuit generates a continuous series
of very small sparks across electrodes with a 0.05-inch gap.
Super Bright 3v Powered LED
Flasher
I have posted several kinds of LED flashers over the years. This is yet one more
flasher, designed to flash any high power LED of any color. It hits the
LED with a 25ms 250ma pulse once every 2 seconds. This works out to an average
current about 3ma. It is powered by any 3v source. I suggest two AA
cells but a single 3v lithium coin type cell will also work. With fresh AA
cells, the light should flash for about two weeks. The light flash is very
intense and is perfect for any attention getting night time application....
[Designed by David A. Johnson]
Three Volt Low Battery Voltage
Flasher
This circuit is designed to monitor two alkaline cells (3v) that form the
battery often used in portable electronic equipment. It use an inexpensive
IC from Panasonic that is connected to an efficient LED flashing circuit.
When the battery voltage drops below a certain point the circuit flashes the
LED. In the off state the circuit draws only 1uA, while in the active
flashing state it draws 20uA. Published in EDN, Jan 2, 1997
[Designed by David A. Johnson]
Ultra Low Power LED Flasher
The efficiency of some newer LEDs is amazing. Some of the latest green
LEDs can launch blinding light with just one milliamp of current. I take
advantage of one of these newer devices in the circuit below. The flashing
circuit uses a classic multivibrator oscillator, made from a tiny National
Semiconductor’s LMC7215 low power voltage comparator. The circuit produces
a short 10ms pulse every two seconds, drawing power from a 3v supply. I
suggest using a surface mounted green LED from Kingbright.... [Hobby Corner
Circuit by Dave Johnson]
Universal Flasher Using a
Latching Relay
This circuit is powered by a 9v battery and controls any AC to DC load through a
set of relay contacts, rated at 10 amps. To conserve power, the circuit
uses a latching relay. A variable frequency oscillator controls the
flashing speed from 0.2Hz to 2Hz. A pair of pulse generators first latch
the contacts closed then unlatches them open. The power consumption is so
low that a 9v battery will last for several months. …. [Hobby Corner Circuit by
Dave Johnson]
Universal LED Flasher
This low power LED flasher circuit draws about 100ua from any DC power supply
ranging from 3 volts to 24 volts. The 1.0Hz 10ms LED pulsed current is
held to a constant 10ma.... [Designed by David A. Johnson]
Universal
Flasher using Latching Relay: This circuit is powered by a 9v battery and
controls any AC to DC load through a set of relay contacts, rated at 10 amps.
To conserve power, the circuit uses a latching relay. A variable frequency
oscillator controls the flashing speed from 0.2Hz to 2Hz. A pair of pulse
generators first latch the contacts closed then unlatches them open. The power
consumption is so low that a 9v battery will last for several months.
Wig/wag LED Flasher
This simple circuit will flash two LEDs in an alternating fashion.
