This is my first post on your forum, so I would like to say hi. 1 of the nice names I have is martin, but feel free to call me what you want I want to make a flickering LED fire, for a model railway layout. I have made one using 2 555 times and 2 LED’s, I played about with the circuits to get a "something like effect". I am new/in my first year of electronics and would like to know if it is possible to make this circuit using 1 IC and 1 LED? The circuit I made is a bit on the large side and I would like to reduce it as much as possible.

Thanks
Martin

 

Yes. You just have to use one 555 timer IC and one output LED (sourcing or sinking current. You can see in the "Projects Collection" a project that uses a 555 timer IC. Look for "Stroboscopic LED light". Also, you won't need t transistor, since the LM555 can source up to 200mA, more than enough to drive a LED.

 

has anyone a wiring diagram?

 

Here is an LEB throbber circuit.

You can use is to get some ideas.

hgmjr

 

Radio shack has (or had) a diode with a blinker installed in it, looks ordinary. It also will cause any LEDs in series with it to blink.

Ok "Self flashing LED"
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Lighting/litled_LightEmittingDiodes.html#SelfFlashingLEDs
It's off slightly scroll down to the "Self flashing" section

The nice thing about them is that current limiting is built in and they can drive other normal LEDs.

 

I recently had to make flickering lamps for a goldmine display (a substitute for old kerosene lamps). I used a PICAXE8 (8 pin pic) a surface mount 5 volt reg, and drove a 20 watt 12v capsule lamp via a Mosfet for each unit.
Was a tidy wee circuit, all fit inside a piece of heatshrink and the programming was quite basic.