So I'm trying to design a randomly blinking light chain and have found a few designs online. My two main sources are:
http://www.nutsvolts.com/uploads/magazine_downloads/NeonLamp-Information.pdf
(page 4)
and
http://www.instructables.com/id/Blinking-LED-Mood-lighting/?ALLSTEPS
However, I had some questions. My main one is, what is the purpose of the capacitors in the first design? My take on it is that it increases randomness regarding the blinking, but can someone explain/prove why or why not that is correct? Would the first design work without the capacitors?
Also, does the spacing matter for each of the designs; the second one mentions spacing but the first one doesn't seem to other than an approximate visual. I know the current will travel the path of least resistance, hence the resistors being the same value, but would the current have a more difficult time reaching the end of the circuit, thereby favoring the resistors/diodes near to the source V?
Thank you!
http://www.nutsvolts.com/uploads/magazine_downloads/NeonLamp-Information.pdf
(page 4)
and
http://www.instructables.com/id/Blinking-LED-Mood-lighting/?ALLSTEPS
However, I had some questions. My main one is, what is the purpose of the capacitors in the first design? My take on it is that it increases randomness regarding the blinking, but can someone explain/prove why or why not that is correct? Would the first design work without the capacitors?
Also, does the spacing matter for each of the designs; the second one mentions spacing but the first one doesn't seem to other than an approximate visual. I know the current will travel the path of least resistance, hence the resistors being the same value, but would the current have a more difficult time reaching the end of the circuit, thereby favoring the resistors/diodes near to the source V?
Thank you!