A flashing LED question

[wewsnu]

Hello, I hope I'm putting this in the right place. I've been searching today regarding flashing LEDs, and this site has come up in the majority of my searches. I've seen numerous questions and answers and found a lot of circuit designs. Thanks if you're still reading this. I have limited history with electronics, I've taken numerous physics courses in college and worked my way through them but that's it, my only hands on experience is with automotive electronics and computer/SS7 networks, none of which live up to any benefit with what I'm wanting to do. Thanks if you're still reading.

I have a grudge bike, It's apart for the yearly winter rebuild/upgrade and I have an idea I need to put in place on it. I'm getting two blue LEDs and two yellow LEDs, and made two very narrow jagged cracks on both the left and right side of my bike fairings, so when this is working only a very small amount of light will be seen. I need the lights to flash at least once maybe a few times rapidly, then stay off for a good minute or three, then flash again. I don't care if they all flash together. I'm hoping this creates the illusion at the track that my bike is experiencing ignition issues, thus, increasing the likelihood of people agreeing to race and upping the dollar amount they're willing to put on the line.

Thanks if you're still reading this. Can some people help me on this? I see diagrams that use a 555 timer, but the slowest diagram I see is 6 blinks every 10 seconds and that wont work at all. Any delay longer than one minute would be fine, it just has to catch the attention of people once, maybe twice, no one will stare at it longer than one minute so I'm assuming anything over one minute will appear as a random ignition short.

I thank you for any help provided!

The Wew

 

[Reloadron]

All things considered there are timing circuits that would do it. Yes, the 555 as useful as it is has drawbacks with long timing applications. Not so much the 555 but finding suitable very low leakage timing capacitors to use with it. Something you may want to consider is using a tiny micro controller. A single small 8 pin chip, the size of a 555 could likely do exactly what you want with minimal components. While I am far from a uC guru even I could program a little PICAXE chip to do what you are looking to do.

There are other timing solutions using discreet components and I am sure a member or two will have some thoughts. For my money I would look at using a uC as they cost a few bucks, the programming software is free and easy to learn for a project like this. The parts count is minimal for an easy build.

Just My Thoughts
Ron

 

[wewsnu]

Thank you for the info. I'm now researching a PICAXE chip. Is this something I can get at radioshack?

 

[colin55]

There are lots of very simple circuits that will do this. You don't need a microcontroller or any of the complexities advised above. It's a very simple two-transistor requirement.

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[wewsnu]

Thank you for the replies, I went all through that site, each project and did not see any sort of flasher with a momentary activation then a minute or two pause. Is there just a specific capacitor I can use with my 555 to do this?

 

[colin55]

Simply increase the size of the electroytic on these circuits