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Project for school

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compute_a_nerd

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Hi, I'm doing a project for school, and I need a special effect, does anyone have any ideas on what I could make electronically for this?
Thanks a bunch
Chris
 
What kind of special effect? Is it audio or visual?
 
The project would probably be visual, not audio, but other than that the sky's the limit.
 
It all depends on how easy your crowd is to please..
You can go from an array of blinking LEDs to a Jacob's ladder..
Please be specific on how much time you have, how much money you want to spend, how experienced you are, and how dangerous it can be.

Steve
 
i got a project with 12 leds arranged in a circle and its divided into 3 parts-red green and yellow an it gives you the impression that it rotates, quite nice.....
or, use a RGB led wich goes trough all colours and white too....i find hard to buy RGB leds....
or, how about a strobe light made from a camera flash....hm...too shocking
or you would go just for some flashing leds?
you can make a led matrix and use an EPROM to store data and so display a certain message.....too complicated!
or have some leds dance to music? this will be more interesting...
 
Thanks for all the imput. The thing is that I have only 3 days to make this so I am kindof limited on time. I think a jacobs ladder would be awesome , and and all the other ones too. I was wondering if you could send me some schematics on the jacobs ladder?
Thanks for all the help
Chris :D :D
 
You can get lots of info by using your web 's search feature under "jacobs ladder circuit" such as:

**broken link removed**

Why only 3 days? I have an idea but what's the deal?
 
well it was only 3 days till our performance, but now I'll just wait till our next one, so the sky's the limit as far as time
Thanks
Chris
 
To make a Jacob's ladder is dead simple. (It is also simple to make you dead, so be careful).

All you need is a neon sign transformer, two straight metal rods (coathangers, if you have nothing else), a few wires, and a wooden or plastic base of some sort, to mount it on.

The transformer takes mains voltage on the primary side, and gives you about 10-15kV on the secondary side.

Wire up a mains plug to the primary.

Mount your rods on the base, so that they are angled slightly apart - about a half inch apart at the bottom, and 2 inches apart at the top.

Connect one side of the secondary to each rod. Note that the insulation on most common cables is only rated at 1kV. Hence, you may wish to provide some sleeving over the cables.

A good idea, is to have a perspex shield around the rods. This serves two purposes:
1) It forces the hot air to move upwards, instead of sideways
2) It keeps unwanted fingers away from high voltages
Note that you need to leave the top open (for the hot air to escape)

If you're not sure which connections are the primary and secondary on the transformer, the secondary (high voltage) usually has large ceramic insulator on each connection, and are spaced well apart from each other. The primary connections do not have so much insulation, and are closer together.

Having connected it all up, plug it in, and switch it on! (The first time, you may want to use an extension cord, and stand in another room, in case something is screwed up and it goes bang :lol: )

If it doesn't give you a satisfactory result, you may need to adjust the rods (bring them closer together / reduce the angle). REMEMBER TO SWITCH IT OFF BEFORE DOING THIS!!!!

The transformer may be a little difficult to find - I'm lucky, I got mine from my work (I work for an electricity distributor) - you might find one in scrapyards, or maybe a neon sign manafacturer can give you an old one for a few bucks.
 
I just want to remind you again, that the Jacobs ladder can be LETHAL.

Some reminders for working with high voltage:

* When you switch it off - don't rely on the switch. PULL THE PLUG OUT.
* When the plug is in, don't put any part of your body within 24 inches of the HV connections or rods.
* Make sure everyone around you knows this too.

Be VERY, VERY careful.
 
haha

in sixth grade i built a jacobs ladder for our engineering fair and as a celebration for winning i hooked this girl in my class up to it (it only used a 12v car battery). she can kick really hard :!:
 
Hey thanks guys for all the help, I'm trying to find the transformer, and I'll keep you posted. Thanks again
Chris
 
Re:

Bogdanfirst, do you have a schematic or a link to a project which deals with leds and EPROM(or EEPROM? if there is)? Like a message board thingy with leds
 
**broken link removed**
this is all i can find, the idea with the EPROM came to me when i saw a circuit with 8 leds wich were flashed in a preset way.
the memory used in this circ is cind of old, but you might still find some....
 
Bipolar eeproms are still available here in the uk.......

Remember if you dont use up all the locations, to fill them up with 1's.....
 
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