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Led Strobe Light

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killer007

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I am in need for a circuit / diagram to build a LED 12V Strobe light that has different flash patterns!!! eg f-f-f, ff-ff-ff, fff-fff-fff, ffff-ffff-ffff, and steady on!!
 

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This would be absolutely trivial with a microcontroller. A masochist might prefer to do it with logic gates. Since you don't give any information about your own skill level or any preferences as to how you might like to do it, I can't make a more specific recommendation.
 
Go with a microcontroller. It is trival like evandude said. Even I can make a micro do that.;) If you don't know how to use them, that would be a good first project.

Be careful with making a red/blue light. If you do make it, don't put it in your car unless your allowed to do so. as far as I know, even volly fire and first responders don't get to use red/blue in most states. If in doubt, check the law!
 
Most first MCU tutorials involve flashing an LED, can be done literally in minutes. That's where I started, and I hadn't programmed anything in a good 10 years. I chose AVR, as the instruction set was most similar to the 6502, which I work with before. An ATtiny13V costs $1.16 (about a month ago).

You could also use a 555 timer and 4017 counter. There are at least 2 other threads here that cover the circuit details well. Not sure what the title was, some searching should turn them up for you.

Finally, if you put this on your car or bike, the police won't like it, and at the very least take it away, maybe you too. Bummer if your name is Rodney King...
 
HarveyH42 said:
I chose AVR, as the instruction set was most similar to the 6502, which I work with before.

Interesting idea!, I would say AVR was more like Z80 than 6502, with the PIC being a closer 'move' from the 6502 (which is where I originally came from as well).
 
Nigel Goodwin said:
Interesting idea!, I would say AVR was more like Z80 than 6502, with the PIC being a closer 'move' from the 6502 (which is where I originally came from as well).

I only did assembly on the 6502, so nothing to compare with. You are definately more experience. Guess the point was that if you already know how to program something, a microcontroller is very simple to get started with, just look for something you already know. There are also free compilers for most high level languages, so if you know C or BASIC, it's pretty much the same. The BASIC I start with, is nothing like today's BASIC, would be the same as learning a whole new language.
 
HarveyH42 said:
Most first MCU tutorials involve flashing an LED, can be done literally in minutes. That's where I started, and I hadn't programmed anything in a good 10 years. I chose AVR, as the instruction set was most similar to the 6502, which I work with before. An ATtiny13V costs $1.16 (about a month ago).

You could also use a 555 timer and 4017 counter. There are at least 2 other threads here that cover the circuit details well. Not sure what the title was, some searching should turn them up for you.

Finally, if you put this on your car or bike, the police won't like it, and at the very least take it away, maybe you too. Bummer if your name is Rodney King...



Everybody tells me about pic's and micro's, but can someone please help me with a diagram or schematic?

This is the effect I am looking for!!!
 

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Follow the link HarveyH42 posted above, if you scroll down you'll see a schematic I posted last year. It's not as simple as a PIC ,but it's not too complicated. The drawing doesn't show current limiting resistors, the leds I used had them built into them. It'll flash 2 times on one side then 2 times on the other just like the headlights on you're last post.
 
HarveyH42 said:
Back to the project...

Searched 'police' on the forum, must be about 5 other threads on the first page of results, might check those out.

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/please-help-led-strobes.13482/?highlight=police

This one had several non-MCU circuits using 4017 counter.


I did point you to several schematics. This ideas has been done several times in the past year.

There are several circuits in the thread I linked you to, thanks for taking the time to read it, I enjoyed wasting my time digging it up for you. Oh, I chose that particular thread for two reasons... First, it contain circuits not involving microcontrollers (if you were able to use one, you wouldn't need to ask, it's just that simple). Second, the origional post (first one), is almost identical to the starting post in this thread.

Now, if you can't put something together from the link above, you might need to get a grown-up to solder for you, as suspect it exceeds your capacity.
 
This project is also illegal, and if you're caught using it by a cop they will very likely prosecute. Not to mention being plain stupid, the roads are not for toys and games, it's from driving from point A to point B, without killing anyone. And don't say it's just for flash when you're parked cause no one means that.
 
Sceadwian said:
This project is also illegal, and if you're caught using it by a cop they will very likely prosecute. Not to mention being plain stupid, the roads are not for toys and games, it's from driving from point A to point B, without killing anyone. And don't say it's just for flash when you're parked cause no one means that.

Can't be much worse then those damn cellphones people are always fiddling with these days...

Doubt it makes much difference if he's driving or parked, it's still illegal as hell. Considering some of crap police impersonators typically pull, getting arrest might be the least of your worries.
 
Sceadwian said:
This project is also illegal, and if you're caught using it by a cop they will very likely prosecute. Not to mention being plain stupid, the roads are not for toys and games, it's from driving from point A to point B, without killing anyone. And don't say it's just for flash when you're parked cause no one means that.


Yes I know this might be illegal for you, but I am a registered EMT-Paramedic and have permission to use this.

Why i want to build 1 is cause it is cheaper than going to buy 1.
 
killer007 said:
Yes I know this might be illegal for you, but I am a registered EMT-Paramedic and have permission to use this.

Why i want to build 1 is cause it is cheaper than going to buy 1.

So you want flashing lights which are to be used in emergency situations, and you're planning to build them YOURSELF just to save a little money, with little knowledge of what you're doing? And that seems like a great idea to you?

I wouldn't touch this one with a 10-foot pole...
 
Is electronics somthing that interests you? If not, just buy the light.

I am in the process of building a traffic advisor (amber directional thing that is used by police and service trucks).
I thought I could build one cheaper then buying a used one off ebay. Its only half done, and I have spent half what a used one goes for already.
Not to mention the time I have spent researching, asking questions here, learning to program micros, fitting a zillion leds onto protoboard, ect.

But I am learning alot and having fun with the project, so its all good for me. If your in the same boat, go for it, read up and give it a shot. But your also talking about emergency use. Somthing I am not worried about. If my light fails, no biggie, i'll fix it and I won't be on my way to a call with no light. At very least, I would use a home made light for your primary traffic clearing device.
 
evandude said:
So you want flashing lights which are to be used in emergency situations, and you're planning to build them YOURSELF just to save a little money, with little knowledge of what you're doing? And that seems like a great idea to you?

I wouldn't touch this one with a 10-foot pole...

I guess the reason he is asking here is because he doesn't know,
and also i believe his work efficiency as a paramedic isn't directly related to his flashing lights effectiveness.

Hell, if he wants some, surely that means he currently has none, so anything that works just HAS to be better than none?

(just my 2p worth).
 
I only did assembly on the 6502, so nothing to compare with. You are definitely more experience. Guess the point was that if you already know how to program something, a microcontroller is very simple to get started with, just look for something you already know. There are also free compilers for most high level languages, so if you know C or BASIC, it's pretty much the same. The BASIC I start with, is nothing like today's BASIC, would be the same as learning a whole new language.

Sorry to dig up an old thread.
I have been wanting to learn to do this for a long time. I am majoring in electrical engineering and we haven't gotten passed programming the D12 board. I know C++, Assembly, and some C. I am guessing I would need assembly to program a micro controller. I know how to do basic mathematical calculations and input and output text in assembly. I am not sure where to start with a mirco controller. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mooney

Here is the board:
h t t p : / / w w w . e v b p l u s . c o m / h c s 1 2 . h tml
 
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