Thread: AC flicker power strip hack

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I like this idea, but I'm trying to figure out where it would be useful. Anyone care to share some ideas?

Some ideas - signpost lights, cemetery column lights, hallway lights, JOL lights, walkway lights. Places where one needs a flickering light thats brighter than a hacked tea light. Use all three together to simulate a large fire.

Just FYI, I tried to use 100 watt floods under my Boneyard BBQ with FS2 Flicker Circuits, I also noticed slower flicker rates & the starters failed after 2 nights or so....I then went to 50 watt colored bulbs (yellow, red & blue) and the affect was great. I don't recomend putting more than 50 watts per starter if you want the circuit to last for longer than a week or so. I have done alot of experimenting with these so I have the dope on them.

Originally Posted by Troy

Just FYI, I tried to use 100 watt floods under my Boneyard BBQ with FS2 Flicker Circuits, I also noticed slower flicker rates & the starters failed after 2 nights or so....I then went to 50 watt colored bulbs (yellow, red & blue) and the affect was great. I don't recomend putting more than 50 watts per starter if you want the circuit to last for longer than a week or so. I have done alot of experimenting with these so I have the dope on them.

That's great information Troy. I was hoping to set up a number of yard flood lights like this but now I think I will concentrate on the accent lights as flickers. Probably safer than having my main lights go out with the lightning anyway!

Originally Posted by wilbret

I like this idea, but I'm trying to figure out where it would be useful. Anyone care to share some ideas?

I plan to use them in the bathrooms at our next party.

Originally Posted by Troy

Just FYI, I tried to use 100 watt floods under my Boneyard BBQ with FS2 Flicker Circuits, I also noticed slower flicker rates & the starters failed after 2 nights or so....I then went to 50 watt colored bulbs (yellow, red & blue) and the affect was great. I don't recomend putting more than 50 watts per starter if you want the circuit to last for longer than a week or so. I have done alot of experimenting with these so I have the dope on them.

Hey, Troy, good info - thanks! Have you tried using the FS-5 starter? I see that they're rated for higher wattage, but don't know if they'd work in this application.

Originally Posted by Otaku

Hey, Troy, good info - thanks! Have you tried using the FS-5 starter? I see that they're rated for higher wattage, but don't know if they'd work in this application.

Sure... you ask that after I already picked up my FS-2's! Oh well, Menards didn't have sockets anyway so maybe I can exchange if the 5's work better.

Dont want to hijack the thread, but if you want to use floodlamps, get a color organ kit.. the kind from the 70's, that flashed colored lights to the beat of the disco songs.. these can take up to 200w lights

http://www.gibsonteched.com/G-107P.html
http://www.chaneyelectronics.com/products/color-organs/ (first 3 items)

I used these type kits for my pirate ship cannons.. plug the kit into the headphone jack, play the sound of a crackling fire, cannon battle, thunder, etc on a CD or MP3 player, plug in a floodlamp(up to 200w), the sound flickers the flood lamps.. Abt $10 for the kits, or find the schematics online, get parts from Radio Shack and build one.. The idea is the same, instead of using a starter to make the lamp flicker, the sound varies the voltage of a silicon controlled rectifier(SCR) to make the flood flicker..

TJ

Spilsbury has this little gem for cheap -

http://www.spilsbury.com/viewProduct...LD21513&mid=88

Of course, all the lights will flicker at the same time. But at this price, you could get 2 or 3 of them. An AC relay can be attached to the unit to increase the lamp wattage.

Troy - I did some quick tests with FS-5 starters and found that with < 20 watts the rate was very fast and there was little difference among the 3 starters. A 60 watt load was equivalent to an FS-2 with a low watt bulb. A 100 watt load still had a good blink rate with the FS-5's. Don't know about the life expectancy with that high of a load, though. Did you do any experimentation with the FS-5?

Originally Posted by Otaku

Hey, Troy, good info - thanks! Have you tried using the FS-5 starter? I see that they're rated for higher wattage, but don't know if they'd work in this application.

The FS-5 works good, I've found that if you use a Flood (100 watt) the flicker is faster but the circuit still doesn't last very long....The FS-5 makes a 50 watt buld flicker very fast, almost too fast but again it depends on what your looking for. I prefer the FS-2 for the best "flicker fire" sim. I feel anyone would be pleased with either.....Another tip is not to cover the starter in electrical tape, I've found this also caused premature failures (heat?), just put them under something to keep them from getting wet. I had 14 circuits going for my yard haunt or 3 weeks and only one failed. IMO this affect can't be beat for so little investment.