I'm hoping someone can help me with a circuit design problem. I've trawled this site and most of the web but can't find exactly what I need.
I have about a dozen lights (220V) that I want to switch on and keep on in sequence using relays.
There are loads of circuits to be found for LED cascades etc. but they all turn off the previous light when they light the next, so no good for me. Actuation is easy, I've got a couple of 8 way 240V relay boards with 12V control (originally for Arduino I think) and to trigger the relays all I need to do is take the relevant pin on the board to ground.
But I need to be able to ground those control pins in sequence and keep them that way, until ideally we can add a final trigger pulse to turn the lot off.
A variable time between each illumination would be a bonus, but if not, I'm looking at about half a second between each light.
I've looked at cascading 555 timers and decade counters but just couldn't figure it out properly. I could try with Arduino but my programming skills are very, very rusty so I'd really need it already done so that I can cut and paste. A series of timer relays would be easy to do, but would be so 1960s and I'd rather do it with the soldering iron.
If anyone has a circuit to hand that I can build from, maybe expand to more relays I'd be eternally grateful.
The overall scheme would be:
I have about a dozen lights (220V) that I want to switch on and keep on in sequence using relays.
There are loads of circuits to be found for LED cascades etc. but they all turn off the previous light when they light the next, so no good for me. Actuation is easy, I've got a couple of 8 way 240V relay boards with 12V control (originally for Arduino I think) and to trigger the relays all I need to do is take the relevant pin on the board to ground.
But I need to be able to ground those control pins in sequence and keep them that way, until ideally we can add a final trigger pulse to turn the lot off.
A variable time between each illumination would be a bonus, but if not, I'm looking at about half a second between each light.
I've looked at cascading 555 timers and decade counters but just couldn't figure it out properly. I could try with Arduino but my programming skills are very, very rusty so I'd really need it already done so that I can cut and paste. A series of timer relays would be easy to do, but would be so 1960s and I'd rather do it with the soldering iron.
If anyone has a circuit to hand that I can build from, maybe expand to more relays I'd be eternally grateful.
The overall scheme would be:
All 12V powered, no need for 5V
Relays on my board(s) need grounding at the pin to activate
Short trigger pulse (from a remote) to start the sequence
Relay 1 pin on the control board sees 0V to activate
0.5 seconds later (approx, maybe adjustable) relay 2 pin sees 0V, relay 1 pin stays at 0V
0.5 seconds later relay 3 sees 0V, 1 and 2 remain at 0V
Sequence continues until Relay X and all remain at 0V on the pin on the board and all energised
....
.... Some time later .........
...
Short trigger pulse (ideally on different contacts) and all control pins are un-grounded, relays switch off.
Many Thanks.Relays on my board(s) need grounding at the pin to activate
Short trigger pulse (from a remote) to start the sequence
Relay 1 pin on the control board sees 0V to activate
0.5 seconds later (approx, maybe adjustable) relay 2 pin sees 0V, relay 1 pin stays at 0V
0.5 seconds later relay 3 sees 0V, 1 and 2 remain at 0V
Sequence continues until Relay X and all remain at 0V on the pin on the board and all energised
....
.... Some time later .........
...
Short trigger pulse (ideally on different contacts) and all control pins are un-grounded, relays switch off.