Question about Time Delays! Help!

[yamaz]

Hello, I'm working on a shadow wall project for fun but I've seem to run into a problem getting the light to operate on a delay. To explain, I'm trying to make it so that someone can flip a light switch then about 5 seconds later a light will flash on for 1 second and turn off. A friend suggested getting a 555 TIMER 8 Pin DIP and hooking it up to that but from my limited knowledge, I think this will only make is so the light turns on for a second and turns off after someone flips the switch but what I really don't understand is how to make it first start out with e a 5 second delay before lighting up for the 1 second.

Also can anyway explain the difference between the 555 timer dip and this time delay relay in the link below?

https://www.macromatic.com/products/products.php?series=TR-602

If anyone can offer any help or assistance that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[ericgibbs]

hi yamaz,

The obvious difference between the 555 and the link device is price!.

What size/power/voltage is the light you are planning to switch??

 

[yamaz]

hey

Thanks for the response! Well for a shadow wall I think any bright light would work maybe 100-200 watts would be sufficient but I was actually going to use blacklights instead. I was thinking of hooking about (4 or 6) - 4ft blacklight bulbs up for the light source.

Each bulb is about 40watts so 6 of them would be ~160-240 watts. I was going to hook them into a standard 110v power surge protector, which ultimately is going to be hooked into a generator for outdoor use.

 

[yamaz]

oh ya

I think what I need is the dual time delay so that it will start off for a period of time, then switch on for a period of time then switch back off. The company in the link shows two of these type with the only difference being a control switch trigger....do you know what that does?

Thanks!

https://www.macromatic.com/literature/catalog/php/catalog.php?search=Y&prod_series=TR-602

 

[ericgibbs]

hi,
A timer circuit could give you a 5 second ON delay, with 1 second Light/ON period.

In addition to the 555 timer you referred to, you would require a small DC psu to provide power for the timer and the relay.
The relay would switch ON/OFF the lights.

If you use 'black' light lamps, as I understand it, they are flourescent type tubes/bulbs.
If I am correct I think you may have a problem trying to get 1 second flash.
They tend to 'flicker' when powered ON and they take a few seconds to reach maximum light intensity.

A standard tungsten lamp would be OK.

Does this help?

 

[yamaz]

hey

Ya that does help but I'm totally new with electronics but if successful with this project am definitely inclined to learn much more! So are you saying that what I need is that small 555 relay dip chip and a small power supply? How would I wire the dip chip to have dual timers like that...perhaps with blacklights I could have it delay off for 5 seconds then turn on for about 3-5 seconds then turn off. If I end up using just a regular spot light I would need it to do the same thing but could have it just turn on for 1 second instead of the 3-5. Either way I'm not exactly sure how I'd wire the dip chip to do this.

From my understanding I'd have to have this setup hooked in between the light and a power outlet or power strip....

I also don't know what a control switch trigger does for the expensive $70 relay in the link. I'm also confused as to way there's such a vast price difference and which one would be best suited for my purposes.

Thanks for the help!

 

[things]

if you do use incandescent bulbs, you will find it doesn't have the same effect as a flourescent tubes. (don't ask me why because i don't know).but they don't really give that "glowing" effect

 

[audioguru]

Black light is ultraviolet light. A fluorescent tube produces it but an incandescent light bulb produces a lot of lower frequency infrared heat instead.

 

[Hero999]

You can get blacklight incandescent bulbs but they're crap and have a very sort life-time.

 

[yamaz]

hey

Ya so you're saying flourescent bulbs and blacklight uv fluorescent are better at charging glow stuff than incandescent right? That's been my observation in the past...

 

[things]

basically yes, flourescent bulbs are better at making things glow. Audioguru had a good and simple explanation why.

 

[Hero999]

Glow in the dark items are phosphorescent which is similar to fluroescent but the item carys on glowing after the light source is removed.

Glow in the dark items are charged by the blue, violet and ultraviolet end of the spectrum.

You'll notice that red LEDs won't charge glow in the dark items at all. The light needs to be a higher frequency than the light the glow in the dark item emits in order for the phosphor to become exited.

Use blacklight or insect killer tubes to charge your glow in the dark items.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorescence

 

[gramo]

Ya so you're saying flourescent bulbs and blacklight uv fluorescent are better at charging glow stuff than incandescent right? That's been my observation in the past...

What about these guys;

**broken link removed**


12mW of UV light @ 20mA

 

[Hero999]

Quite good for an LED and reasonably priced too. However it's still expensive per unit of power and less efficient than a fluroscent tube.

I don't know if they still make them but RS used to sell small wire ended black light tubes about the same size as a neon lamp but they might be obsolete now due to UV LEDs replacing them. It's a shame because they were probably more efficient but LEDs are easier to drive from low voltages and give a more direct light source so I can see why they are probably more popular.

 

[yamaz]

ah

Thanks for the info on blacklights guys! I had planned on using these for the shadow wall before but am glad that you guys have confirmed that as a good choice.

I'm still confused as to how to wire this delay unit though. Can anyone explain what process is involved in using the 555 delay dip chip to get it to do what I need. Again basically I need to wire a delay to some blacklights so that someone can flip a switch or press a button and will delay off for 5 or so seconds then turn on for 1-5 seconds and then turn off until someone switches it again. Would I need to wire together two of these 555 chips to get this effect?

Also still unsure of what a control switch trigger would be for on this particular dual time delay unit I found in the link below, which makes it 11pin octal instead of 8:

https://www.macromatic.com/literature/catalog/php/catalog.php?search=Y&prod_series=TR-602

** Thanks for your help guys! **