How do I make a set of say 4 incandescent bulbs pulsate in brightness?

I would like to make a display where incandessant bulbs throb like they are being powered by a varying vlotage. The bulbs would be 75 watt or 25 watt depending on what I end up doing. I am even considering some 30 watt edison type bulbs. How do I make a controller for something like this?

Comments

[steveastrouk]

If you don't know how to do it, don't build the mains side of the circuit, but you can buy something like this Velleman kit<a href="http://www.rapidonline.com/productinfo.aspx?tier1=Educational+Products&tier2=Projects+%26+Robotics&tier3=Project+Kits&tier4=DC+Controlled+dimmer&moduleno=73983">www.rapidonline.com/productinfo.aspx</a><br />which will do all the scary stuff. Then you need to add something to make a suitable "throb" you could make that with a few simple parts like a 555 timer in a circuit like this one<br /><a href="http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_6/8.html">www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_6/8.html</a><br /><br />Feed the output of THAT into the input on the Velleman kit, and you have what you need. <br />

[Re-design]

A <a href="http://www.techlib.com/electronics/power_control.htm">circuit like this</a> would work but you'll have to come up with a way to cause the variation to happen like you want it to.<br /><br />There are several good instructables that you should look at also.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />