14 alternating flashing led's at different speeds......

Thread Starter

unnamed soldier

Joined Mar 3, 2009
6
Hey everyone...

I am completly new to circuits as you are going too find out...

I am trying to replicate an undercover police car on a 1:10 rc car...

this is a video along the lines of what i was hoping for.. please pay no attention to the flashing rates just what i am after at the end... this uses a commercially available control device which as you can see is extremely random...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ogg3QyGts





I am using a 9v power supply (will i need more... weight can be an issue) with 8 x 5mm red leds and 8 x 5mm blue leds and 2 x 5mm white leds..

i would like to have different flashing speeds for the different sets...


In reference to the picture above

1. just alternate flashing.. the purple (1) flash at the same time and the black (1) flash at the same time... this way the opposite corners are flashing the same... one flash each light, both leds flash within a second, cycle repeats..

2. double flashes alternating.. i'm sure you guys and gals know what i mean but red flashes twice quickly then the blue flashes twice quickly then the cycle repeats..
the rear light will be the same except the lights are right next too each other on the top of the light bucket.. red double then blue double flash.. on both sides of course :rolleyes:

3. those are 4 leds, 2 x red 2 x blue, i wanted them to flash all in a row left too right then right too left... red, red, blue, blue, blu, red, red then it repeats... (knight rider style) the back end will have lights in the rear window in the same location doing the same thing.. so i will need this too do the same thing on two seperate lights...

the headlights, blinkers, parking lights and brake lights will all be operated by a 3racing light kit...

now am i asking too much here or is this possible with limited knowledge of electronics?? if you think its way outta my league then maybe i'll have too leave the project for a while.. :(

i need three different flashing rates on a number of different lights...

omg this has taken a long time to work out........................

my main issue is how to get the different flashing rates on the same board.. the order in which they flash comes down to how i place the pairs of lights i know so i can easily deal with that....

i have read a number of flashing led threads but don't know how to modify the responses too fit my needs... most of the time they are too limited for what i want which kinda scares me.. but i'm game!!

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=16484&highlight=flashing+led

any help would be greatly appreciated!!

cheers josh
 
Last edited:

HarveyH42

Joined Jul 22, 2007
426
If you really want to keep size, weight, power consumption, complexity to a minimal, I'd suggest looking into microcontrollers. They really aren't the scary monsters you'd expect, and there are quite a few choices that program in BASIC (like) language. Great thing is you can drive an LED directly off the output pins.

Other wise, you'll need separate circuits for each unique rate.
 

mik3

Joined Feb 4, 2008
4,843
thanks guys for the super prompt reply...

any suggestions on which microcontroller too use and programs to write the code with??
You can write the code in many programming languages if you have the proper compiler.

Which programming language you know?

Have you ever programmed a microcontroller?
 

mik3

Joined Feb 4, 2008
4,843
none and nope.......... =(

willing too learn if i can find were too learn it!!
First you have to choose if you want to use a PIC or an AVR uC. Both families have powerful uCs but you can find all the software you need for AVRs free on the internet.

Also, you will need a programmer. There are relatively cheap ones in ebay but make sure the one you will buy can program the uCs you will use.
 

Thread Starter

unnamed soldier

Joined Mar 3, 2009
6
9V is plenty, but it will only handle 2 blue leds in a chain, one is better.

Have you read this?

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?p=117636#post117636

Are you wanting to move away from 4017 chip, or use more than one?
thank you for the information which i was unable too find :rolleyes:...

i have read this and the 4017 chip sounds very promising.. i like the idea behind it!! is it capable of running the flashing sequences i was after??

if so that would be fantastic.. space is an issue but at the end of the day its not that big an issue as i have seen the size of these parts and they are pretty small....

how would i go about setting up a 4017 circut too run these sequences??

mik3 i am looking into the programming but i think it is way above me atm.... =( if this ends up being my only option i will have to make friends with someone who knows what they are doing!!.. but i will look into it further thanks!!
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
The basic default on a 4017 is 10 sequences. Think of a 10 position rotory switch that keeps going round and round. You are not stuck with 10, but that is the easiest number.

Lay out a table showing the 10 positions on one axis, and all the LEDs on the other, then decide where they are on or off. Look on the section about making patterns in my article to see some examples.
 

Thread Starter

unnamed soldier

Joined Mar 3, 2009
6
bernard,

kind of like the knight rider style!! =D

left-right then right-left would be sweet.. i'm pretty sure i have seen multiple tuts on this style of light on here and other forums... i think thats different to the way i explained it in the original post.. will edit it now...

thanks for all the help people!!

looking into the 4017 sequences now bill!!
 
Last edited:

Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
ch. Where did the first two paragraphs go??? Zapp and all's left is ch.
This ckt should give a knight rider effect by adding 8 more LEDs. L1-L4 are suposed to have 2 LEDs each, one set for front, one for back. Wire the extra set in reverse order, then they should pulse from center out and back. If you want to try it , do you want me to put pin nos. on? Do you have favorite ICs?
No 1 This circuit is available within ACC somewhere, but I'll repeat it. It uses same clock as #3 divided by 2 .
 

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Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
I think you'll like # 2,worked well on 12V or 9v with two bright white LEDs, dont have blue. The FF is common to #3. 4027. The 556 was set to 16 pps, same clock could be used for #3 by ORing appropriate outputs from 4022. divide by 8. Other half 556 available for a stand alone alt. flasher, # 1. Inputs to un- used ICs should tied to + or ground.
 

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Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
I'd skip the # 1drawing and use the single 555 or 556 alt flasher described by Bill Marsden. I'd be glad to fill in descriptions on any of the three ckts. On 555 & 556, i have a bad habbit of of always using 555 pin numbers which ever chip im using, and later re configuring them.
 

Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
Replacement for # 1 and how to adj. for 50 %.For a 1 sec red & blue cycle Ct .45μF , Rt 1MΩ, Rj 4.7MΩ. To adjust a 555 timer, set cycle rate, then with pot. about 6X Rt, adj for 50%, can go either side of 50%.
Side comment on 555: longest cycle time achieved 1.6 hours with 3000μF & 1MΩ.
 

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