Externally mount a disposable camera flash tube onto other objects.

Some of you may be familiar with the many fun things you can do with a Disposable camera's circuit board. One of those things, mounting the flash tube externally from the circuit board, may have been problematic for you. The reason for your problems is most likely due to you not noticing a very small detail of the circuit board. Today, I will show you how to overcome this problem, so you don't have to spend hours trying to solve the problem.

Things you will need:
Breadbord that is big enough to fit a few capacitors.
Disposable camera circuit boards. (x5 recommended)
Soldering iron
Solder
Needle nose pliers
Magnet wire, I used 30 gauge
Graphite pencil lead (The wooden pencil thickness, not the mechanical pencil type), for shorting the Capacitor leads, minimizing damage.
Wire cutters
Hookup wire, I used 22 gauge.

I am assuming that you have a basic knowledge of electronics and soldering, so read up on these fields before attempting this instructable to prevent harm to yourself, and to make this a lot easier.
Also, ignore the capitalized improper nouns, I'm thinking German.

Step 1 Explanation of the problem.

To start, in Camera flashes there is a primary transformer, and a secondary transformer.
The Primary transformer on the circuit board converts the 1.5-volt source of the battery to the 300-volts that the board needs to charge the capacitor.
The secondary, on the other hand, performs a completely different operation. When the capacitor is fired, some of the electrical energy is passed through the secondary, where it is converted to over 1000-4000 volts. This energy passes through a small portion of wire, which is placed near the flash tube. When this happens, the neon gas in the tube is ionized, which allows the 300-volt payload of the capacitor to run through the flash tube, and emit light.

Most likely, when and if you mounted the flash tube externally, you forgot this important detail. This is why you likely had problems with it.

Comments

[TFElite]

Does anybody have any clue on how to sustain the flash, like being able to use it as a flashlight or say, some...disclosed project...(insert evil smirk here)

[lightningfreak25]

you wouls need a compact source of some thousand volts in order to do that. It would still be a very bad idea, because you could only use it for a short amount of time (probably less then 20 seconds) before it overheats and goes kaplooey. If you want something bright, either use a flare(unless you're indoors or near flammable/explosive items of course), or some white L.E.D's easily found at radioshack or any other store that sells electrical components.

[circuitmage]

Please build a discharge tool before working with these, and make sure caps are discharged.

You guys shocking yourself is not a good idea, especially with the cap bank described.

[cescu]

great job! i have only 1 question, can i operate 3/4 flash tube in parallel (not soldered togeder) configuration with only 1 camera board?
thx

[Young Cyrus]

What brand of camera are you using in this? I'm having trouble finding some of the pieces on the few that I've looked at.
Also, what type of capacitor leads are you using? I know they have different resistances and such.

[Derin]

Is it OK that I keep the trigger on after the bulb ionizes?

[TheDeviant13]

I know what getting shocked by these suckers feels like I have gotten shocked by 5 of these so far and 3 out of the 5 were still charged enough to fire the flash tube after it shocked the crap out of me.

[Owzcarde]

yeah it happened to me yesterday it hurts as hell. but the amps is so low(2-10mA) so your arm just tingles a bit after the shock. no deaths.