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Intermittent random porch light flicker

Lighting: 
11K views 26 replies 12 participants last post by  jscaldwell 
#1 ·
Hey all,

Trying to figure out how to make our porch lights flicker randomly/intermittently. Anyone know of a bulb or easy device for this effect?

Thanks.
 
#5 ·
Hey jscaldwell, welcome to the forum. If you want something super simple and if it fits your fixture, I'd suggest considering Gemmy's Short Circuit Bulb. Here's a link to Gemmy's website:

http://www.gemmy.com/Short_Circuit_Bulb_p/58677.htm

I found several of these last year at Home Depot before Halloween and bought them to use in our garage door outdoor fixtures (enclosed glass paneled light fixture) and also on our porch in place of the overhead porch flood light. They worked great. They have a toggle switch to make them either solid on or intermittent. Both locations at our home were wired to a switch inside our entry and it was simple to set up on intermittent in advance and just turn on at night for the effect.

Here's a link to my thread on our haunt last year, Frank N Stein, MD Brain Research Center:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/gener...ain-research-center-open-business-2015-a.html

You can see our porch ceiling lighting and the garage door lighting in Post #2. A video of the lighting effect can be seen in Post #5. Should give you a good idea of how intermittent the effect is and if this is what you are looking for. The camera wasn't on the garage area for long so gauge the effect by the overhead light above the nurse and dead body.

You can use the bulb indoors in your room lamps too if the bulb will fit. I thought it was a great product.
 
#6 ·
BTW if you need this now and can't wait until closer to Halloween when stores will be stocking it, I did find it at a reasonable price (incl. shipping) at this site. I can't vouch for this site, seems like an eBay/Amazon type of source/seller but thought I'd mention it in case your in a hurry to try out. Seems to have some recognized protections for buying on it and reviewed by some major magazines. They also take PayPal. Looks like 6 in stock right now.

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Hal...&ad_type=pla&gclid=CNTYnt2zhc0CFQaUfgodZMkLLQ


Amazon has it listed in stock and available through a number of sellers BUT the picture on the main page is the of the bulb but noticed the picture of the product under the Other Sellers on Amazon's "20 new" link was of a different product. Free shipping if you are ordering enough mdse through Amazon or are a Prime Member.

http://www.amazon.com/Gemmy-Short-Circ-LGT-Bulb/dp/B00U7ZTPOA


Also saw it from this seller on eBay with free shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIB-GEMMY-L...590792?hash=item2a61a15a48:g:8coAAOSwPc9Ww7uG

If I'm not mistaken these sold for basically $10-15 in most stores last year.
 
#12 ·
#15 ·
captpete, if I understand what the OP has to use, it's a porch light (assume mounted to the wall) that uses a chandelier bulb, and I think those have a much narrower base so the Flasher Button would be too large to fit in the bulb socket. Also isn't the effect of those a kind of regular "Flash" ? where as the OP was looking for intermittent flickering. Given a chandelier bulb's base, I can't say I've seen anything that will give the intermittent effect at that size. Those Gemmy light bulbs were the only ones that comes close--but at a standard bulb base.

Getting off the OP's request here but sort of relevant in discussing flashing lights, I have some of the Cooper "Winker" plug-in adapters and those provide more of an intermittent blinking effect than I think the Flasher Buttons do but then they aren't something you plug into a bulb socket. For those that aren't aware of what these are, they are a adapter of sorts that you plug your light strand into for example and then plug the adapter into the wall outlet. You do need a certain current draw to make them work (so incandescent bulbs are a better choice over LEDs). Back in the "early" days Winkers were what people used at Christmas time to animate their tree light strands and such.


Don't know where I have my winker plugs stored so searched YouTube for a video of them in use for you guys to see. I found this video that illustrates the effects of the Flasher Button and the Winker Plug. (compares the 2 starting at about 1:50).

 
#18 ·
There was a tutorial somewhere on how to build a random flickering light using a flicker bulb and a plug in dusk to dawn outlet adapter from Ace Hardware. I can't find the instructions right now but maybe somebody else knows where to look. I made one for my front porch and I like the effect. It's not for hardwired lamps but I hang lights on the porch for Halloween. The flicker light sits close to the dusk to dawn adapter sensor and the lights you want to flicker plug into the dusk to dawn module. I can dig this out of storage if you think it will work for you.
 
#19 ·
Built my flickering light prop. I wired 3 bulbs in parallel and they will hang 10 feet apart on the inside of my wood
fencing that will be on the front yard. Each side of the walkway will have the 3 sections of fencing that is 8 feet wide.
Im going with red bulbs that will light the front yard props. I might wire the bulbs to the one solar activated 120 volt
light in the yard so when it gets dark the lights will start flickering..... the bulb here is a 60 watt and really bright.
I might go with 40 watt bulbs.

Light Lighting Table Balloon Party supply



Click on the link below to see

https://youtu.be/IwQZUiKt8C4
 
#22 ·
For your porch lights the best would probably be the button just stick it in the light socket, screw the bulb in and your ready to go.
I built the one with the FS-2 starter and it works great with incandescent bulbs. I put the starter in series with one of the power line
in the extension cord. Than anything you plug in with turn on and off like a short circuit. I also bought the Dusk to Dawn
110 volt receptacle so anything you plug in it will turn on when the sun goes down. So...... when it gets dark my lights will come on
and start flashing like they are in a short circuit. Im going to run 3 red lights on each side of the yard...... a dry run will be done early
October. Also a video of the light bulb with the flasher and the dusk to dawn with a flashlight to simulate.


Dusk to Dawn 110 plug in to turn on anything when it gets dark
Technology Electronic device Electronics Soil Electronic component


Incandescent bulb with the flasher....

https://youtu.be/IwQZUiKt8C4


Dusk To Dawn 110 volt plug

https://youtu.be/O9xvA6tCoos
 
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