[ThroneOfAnguish]

Hello, I have two cheap ($1) strobe lights from the Dollar Tree. I was wondering if anyone knew of a way I could butcher - I mean - "politely modify" them to sync their strobe timing together, as well as their power switch?

My setup -

I am filming a short, and when the demon pops out, I would like to have all the lights shut out, and have two strobes on either side of the demon, but I would like to have the strobes flicker at the same time. I would also like to have some way to have them "hard wired" to a single power switch.

Could this be accomplished?

Thank you for your time, and for any help you can give!

 

[Blarghity]

Single power source with a master switch.

From the batteries in the strobes, you know what voltage you need. Get a C-cell battery pack that holds enough batteries to produce the same voltage. Put a "master" switch on the battery pack. Wire the strobes to the other side of the master switch. When you turn on the master switch, both strobes will be powered at the same time and should flash with the same timing.

Added bonus, the C-cells will provide far greater power capacity and outflow than the watch batteries or AAA cells normally used for those dollar store strobes. You could probably get away with wiring up at least 10 strobes to a single battery pack

 

[annamarykahn]

i suspect that blarghity's solution wouldn't work ... but i don't know with a high degree of certainty ... this would likely be due to the components that make up the timing circuit for the flashes ... a variance in these components would cause the time that the they are on and off to be different ... again, let me emphasize, without taking one apart, i'm just making an educated guesstimate ...

for example, lets say that the value of a capacitor determines how/when the leds flash ... typically the measured value of a capacitor could be +/- 40% or more, of the nominal rating of said cap ... so even if both units are powered on at the same time, they'll likely not be synchronized with each other ...

amk

 

[theedwin]

I am with annamarykhan

I don't think it is possible.

Strobes are strobes. They strobe when they get enough power. They are not set to strobe on any set power supply or system. They are all different.

UNLESS.. you would like to spend a bunch of money (which I am sure you don't).