hey i need to convert the 10v signal my LED strobe box has to a 12v signal but it must be able to switch on and off VERY quickly (its going to be strobing obviously) i figured a transistor, but how would i go about wiring this?

 

Gee, that's not much information to go on.

Is this LED strobe box a commercial unit? If so, what's the manufacturer and part number?

Do you mean that the LED strobe box needs a 10v supply, and you want to operate it in a motor vehicle?

 

i'll try to answer given the info supplied.

you should wire the 2nd wire in series with the 1st so that the voltage needed is there. the strobe box should strobe the way you want it to.

 

i'll try to answer given the info supplied.

you should wire the 2nd wire in series with the 1st so that the voltage needed is there. the strobe box should strobe the way you want it to.

what?? i have 4 sets of 2 wire leads + and - supplying 10v to an led, i nee to convert that to 12v, sorry for any confusion

 

what?? i have 4 sets of 2 wire leads + and - supplying 10v to an led, i nee to convert that to 12v, sorry for any confusion

ok. just replace the "10" with a "12" and you'll have 12v.

 

ok, what i am saying is

WE NEED MORE INFORMATION. the info supplied is not enough to answer your questions. post a schematic, etc.

 

Do you have a schematic for the strobe unit?

If it's a commercial unit, it's likely that it has built-in voltage regulation, which would be the reason that the output is limited to 10v. This would allow the unit to safely power LEDs over a fairly wide range of voltages coming from your vehicle's electrical system; perhaps as low as 11.5v from a discharged battery up to 14.5v or so when the engine is running and the alternator is charging a depleted battery.

SOME kind of regulation is necessary for LEDs; preferably current regulation.

 

its an led strobe unit from autozone, i want to use it to power led strips instead of the individual high output leds it comes with, but the output i got from my multimeter is 10v instead of 12v, all i need is a relay type thing to make it go from 10 to 12, i thought this was something a transistor could do but im not sure how 2 make that work

 

and also, could anyone help me with wiring my own "police style" led strobe controller as well, i know a 555 and a 4017 can be used to do this but i need a schematic drawn up for me if someone could help me out i really need it, i want them to flash like so 111-222-111-222-1212-repeat or if thats more trouble then just 111-222-repeat

 

its an led strobe unit from autozone, i want to use it to power led strips instead of the individual high output leds it comes with, but the output i got from my multimeter is 10v instead of 12v, all i need is a relay type thing to make it go from 10 to 12, i thought this was something a transistor could do but im not sure how 2 make that work

OK. So, your strobe unit has a +12v input and ground, and then it also has four sets of output wires that are marked + and - for the four LEDs, correct?

Now, are the + wires connected to the +12v, or the - wires connected to the ground wire?

 

im not quite sure what youre asking, the 4 sets of output wires are + supplying 10v when the flash is on, and then a ground

 

im not quite sure what youre asking, the 4 sets of output wires are + supplying 10v when the flash is on, and then a ground

What I'm asking is, are the - wires to the LEDs connected to the GROUND input wire?

 

i believe the - wires are connected to the ground, the + side is the strobe power side

 

Are you certain about that?

If you're not, better check.

 

im 99% sure ive had the box open before an im 99% sure its ground connected and power is pulsed

 

OK then, you'll need one of these circuits for each output.

R1 should be rated 1/4 Watt.

 

AWESOME!!! thats PERFECT! if it ends up being the negative side switching could u make one for that too? sorry to bother but i just wanna be safe, like i said im 99% sure but yeah, any chance u could help with the strobe circuit too?

 

AWESOME!!! thats PERFECT! if it ends up being the negative side switching could u make one for that too? sorry to bother but i just wanna be safe, like i said im 99% sure but yeah

If you want to be safe, then verify that the -wire to the LEDs are connected permanently to the input GROUND wire before you connect anything up.

If the -wires are being switched, then it's going to be a different ballgame. No sense in me spinning my wheels here if you're not sure what you're dealing with there.
[eta]
I omitted a fuse from the previous schematic. Make certain that you have a suitably-sized fuse between the 12v supply and your LED strips, or you may wind up with a burned-up vehicle.

any chance u could help with the strobe circuit too?

The attached is a schematic I drew in Feb 2008. It just flashes 1-1-12-2-2 repeat. But if you want real simplicity and flexibility, you'll need to use a microcontroller. The hardest part there is getting over the programming learning curve.

 

i just wanted 2 c if there was a difference in the circuit if its the ground side instead of the power side. if i switch the outputs on that secon schematic to go output 123 nothing to 4 and then the second side to outputs 567 and connect 8 to the reset will that do what i want?

 

i just wanted 2 c if there was a difference in the circuit if its the ground side instead of the power side.

Yes, it would be different.

if i switch the outputs on that secon schematic to go output 123 nothing to 4 and then the second side to outputs 567 and connect 8 to the reset will that do what i want?

That would result in 111-222111-222 etc. - but it would look like 1-21-2 etc. There would be no pause between the flashes.