Thread: flickering LED light

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ok, so i now find myself in Dante's first circle of hell...my big project for this year are columns. everything has gone to plan, that is until now.. i am working on the lanterns for the tops.i have pulled the guts out and plan on using mini LED lights(bought from minispotlight) i want a certain look, so i am go to paint the glass with a paint from gallery glass... and have the LED "flicker", how can i get the light to flicker???.. i know what you are going to ask, " why not use regular flicker bulbs??" they are too orange, and i want a more realistic gas lantern look, the gallery glass paint will help me to that end... the LED light is from minispotlight the weather proof light bar 80ma 12 VDC, the power supply 12VDC regulated power supply 2000 ma... any help will be appreciated.. thanks

You can purchase flicker led's. Just wire it inline with the other one, and hide the flicker led in the casing somewhere, leaving the desired one visible.

You could try removing a flicker circuit from a tea light and use it to provide the flicker effect. Here's an easy-to-make circuit that uses the output from a tea light flicker circuit to drive a higher amperage LED array.

Could always do the ol' flourecent starter in the extention cord trick?

(yes I know Otaku I hadn't done the viddy on my results with that yet LOL)

ok guys, i have a converter that converts ac to low voltage dc to power these lights, so my question is do i add something to the ac side or the dc side???? i am open to alot, but self induced electrocution is not an option, LOL

I like the fluorescent starter flicker effect, too, but I think The Good Witch already invested in the LED bars and power supply. The circuit I attached is good for 500mA (max), so she could easily run both the 80mA LED bars with no problem, except that they'll both have the same flicker rate. The parts are cheap, though, so building two is not expensive to do.
My flicker strip hack would work for multiple locations and gives a different flicker pattern from each outlet:

Flicker strip demo video by Otaku1031 - Photobucket

Originally Posted by Otaku

I like the fluorescent starter flicker effect, too, but I think The Good Witch already invested in the LED bars and power supply. The circuit I attached is good for 500mA (max), so she could easily run both the 80mA LED bars with no problem, except that they'll both have the same flicker rate. The parts are cheap, though, so building two is not expensive to do.
My flicker strip hack would work for multiple locations and gives a different flicker pattern from each outlet:

Flicker strip demo video by Otaku1031 - Photobucket

this is good...

Originally Posted by the good witch

ok guys, i have a converter that converts ac to low voltage dc to power these lights, so my question is do i add something to the ac side or the dc side???? i am open to alot, but self induced electrocution is not an option, LOL

Adding the flicker device to the AC side won't work, because the capacitors in the 12VDC power supply will buffer the voltage highs and lows. You need to have the flickering effect on the DC side between the power supply and the LEDs. There is a way to solder in the tea light flicker circuit directly to your LED bars, but the 80mA current draw will really diminish the effect, and I think the 12VDC will probably burn out the board after a short time. Most tea lights run on 4.5VDC. The circuit I posted would work very well for your needs. How's your soldering/assembly skills? It's really easy to make.

Originally Posted by the good witch

this is good...

If you want to go this route, I recommend making two of the fluorescent starter thingies using extension cords rather than hacking a power strip. The only thing with the starter flicker is that it blinks the lights on and off in a fairly random pattern - it's not an actual brightening and dimming effect. I get around that issue by placing a dim light next to the one that is flickering, so that you get the bright-dim effect. If you are glazing or clouding the glass on your lanterns, you won't notice that there are two lights in there.
Here's a link to a simple single-starter flicker circuit how-to:

U-Build-It

Originally Posted by Otaku

Adding the flicker device to the AC side won't work, because the capacitors in the 12VDC power supply will buffer the voltage highs and lows. You need to have the flickering effect on the DC side between the power supply and the LEDs. There is a way to solder in the tea light flicker circuit directly to your LED bars, but the 80mA current draw will really diminish the effect, and I think the 12VDC will probably burn out the board after a short time. Most tea lights run on 4.5VDC. The circuit I posted would work very well for your needs. How's your soldering/assembly skills? It's really easy to make.

OK, i will give this try. My soldering skills?? well, there is a first time for everything.. if you see flames, call the fire dept. LOL