I want to make a fake Flux Capacitor

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greeneyehawk

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I need help making a fake flux capacitor. The trouble I am having is coming up with a way to make LEDS flash like this YouTube - Flux capacitor demonstration in a flowing motion.

I would like to know how to do this without the use of any IC chips. I am still learning with transistors and such.

Another question I have is could you replace the LEDS with small light bulbs?

I have tried getting LEDS to flash different ways just using a 2 transistor oscillator, but when I connect two LEDS in series, neither flashes; when one is on its own, it flashes fine. Why is this?

Thanks if you can answer any of the above questions!
 
Welcome to Electo-tech, greeneyehawk!
As always, it would be helpful if you posted a picture of the schematic you have already tried. It gives the members on this forum a place to start
It would be fairly difficult to do what you are asking without any chips. It would require a lot of discrete components (I say a lot because I have no idea how many it would actually take--I haven't exactly tried this before ) and a lot of soldering, wiring, etc. that can get very complicated. I would recommend you use a programable integrated circuit (a chip you can program) to do this. However, I realize that if you don't want to use any chips, you probably don't know much about them and it would be hard for you to program one of your own (forgive me if I'm wrong). Is there some sort of a deadline on this project? Perhaps you could learn more about PICs and program one to do what you are asking?
Good luck, and keep posting!
Sincerely,
Der Strom
 
While it is indeed possible with a micro-controller, this simple pattern would actually be easier with a few discrete components.
Namely, a 555 timer and a 4017 counter.
 
Don't be afraid of the IC's they are our friends..... and make it easier...... do as demonic says with the 555timer and counter


if you want to stay to basics transistors you need:

for your timer....
Google Image Result for https://www.covingtoninnovations.com/michael/blog/0502/050201-Garner2.jpg


and for your counter you need to make: a flip flop circuit for each LED state (or 4 flip flops with a decoder for 16 LED's) .........

here is a flip-flop circuit:
Google Image Result for https://talkingelectronics.com/FreeProjects/5-Projects/The-flip-flop-in-action-complete.gif
 
Do you know that LEDs have to be installed in a certain direction?

Unlike regular lightbulbs, LEDs will not light if wired backwards.

Also, LEDs require a minimum voltage to "get going"

If you look on the datasheet for the LEDs you have, you will see a number labeled 'Vf'. This voltage is the MINIMUM you need for each LED in series.
If you wired them in PARALLEL, and in the correct direction (not backwards) it will light, unless you fried it.

Here is a link for some info on LEDs:
How to wire an LED, Tutorial and Calculator
 
DemonicSandwich said:
While it is indeed possible with a micro-controller, this simple pattern would actually be easier with a few discrete components.
Namely, a 555 timer and a 4017 counter.
Click to expand...

Thank you, DemonicSandwich. I didn't even think of that. For some reason, I keep thinking the 4017 is a BCD chip Thank you very much for clearing that up

Der Strom
 
shortbus= said:
All Flux Capacitors are fake
Click to expand...

HOW DARE YOU! That is blasphemous!

How do you think we travel in time?

OP, have you seen the model Flux Capacitors?

They are quite detailed.

Here is an instructable on one:
**broken link removed**
 
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I know that the movie talked about Gigawatts but isn't the real storage of a capacitor Joules?
 
sorry its taken me some time to reply. my browser was screwy. anyway, thanks for all the replies. i am a senior in high school, so there is no deadline on this project. i love building circuits for fun. i almost have 3 years of programming experience through classes and robotics. i dont knownhow different programming apic is.

the reason i want to stay away from ics at the moment is because i wish to master basic components first. --doggy posted two links. i have built both of these. my question now is, do i add a third transistor to the flip-flop circuit to make three lights blink?

also, would i have to modify the circuit in any way to flash light bulbs instead of leds.

thanks, greeneyehawk
 
The oscillator circuit has one output. The flip-flop has two outputs. You need a counter-decoder circuit like a CD4017 IC for more than 2 outputs.

An LED produces light when it has a small current. But a light bulb needs a high current so that its filament can get white hot. Then a more powerful driver circuit is needed for the light bulb.
 

You could probably do this simply by using a transistor connected directly to the power supply and the light bulb.
 
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