RGB LED Color Cycling Circuit

How to re purpose a the RGB LED color cycling circuitry from a Glade LightShow air freshener.

I was in the process of creating a red, green , blue color cycling circuit based on a PIC microcontroller when I spotted the Glade LightShow air freshener.
I wanted to know if it could be hacked up and used for other purposes. I found a couple of online coupons and when it went on sale in the store, I got 2 for $3 a piece.

WARNING!!!! If you run this with the wall plug, PLEASE let it cool down first. The resistor inside WILL BURN YOU.

Step 1: Rip it apart

I started by drilling out the plastic rivets on the bottom of the airfreshener. This is not nesscesary, but makes it easier to open. If you don't have a drill, just rip
the darn thing open with a screwdriver.

Comments

[AndyGadget]

If you're in the UK, Poundland are selling a battery operated version of this for . . . One Pound!

[theburn7]

lol, isnt it obvious

[WriotE]

BRiLLiAnT!!!!!

[JackandJohn]

Question: Could I use this board with more voltage, and more (brighter) LEDs? Looking for something to light a closet

[lilpunk1302]

Good idea, so let me get this straight, basically all you did was open 'er up and figure out how to bypass the "Heating element". Just one question, what kind of relays did you use( 5v in, 120v out?) and any possibility of pictures of the relay setup?

[cclontz]

I admit that t was not difficult to do, I just had not seen anyone else on the net document it so I put this out there. I don't have any photos of the relay setup that would do it any justice. I amusing a kit74 8 port relay board that interfaces to a PC parallel port. I am running VSA software from Brookshire Software. Because I had 2 extra relays on the board that were not being used, I used one to switch the power lead to the circuit, and another relay that grounded the button, that I programmed two quick pulses to in order to put this circuit into slow cycle mode.

[lilpunk1302]

K, so let me get that straight, you bought the kit, but had 2 relays left over, so you wired those in with this thing, and got a time switchable type thing?

[cclontz]

A Kit74 is a well known relay board. Here is a link. http://www.web-tronics.com/pcprinporrel.html Lots of companies sell this same board as "kit74". It will control 8 devices (AC/DC) off a printer port. And yes, it uses timing software that fires the relays as events. These boards are often used for Christmas light displays and Halloween props. I had two channels/ports unused on my Halloween controller so I hooked up the RGB circuit as explained earlier.

[lilpunk1302]

Yeah, I figured out what a Kit74 is, but did you just pull the relays off and solder to them, or did you get a db-25 and ran the data pins to the "timer"?

[cclontz]

I can't think of any simpler way to say this. I used a kit74 as intended connected to a PC with software running on the PC to control the 8 relays. I connected the RGB circuit to the relays of the kit74 so that the RGB circuit would be controlled by the the PC.

[lilpunk1302]

OHHHH, Ok I get it now :) thanks for stickin' with me though :) you pplz can now go on with your regular lives :)

[zm634]

I saw one of these in a little light thingy my sister brought home. it's a single LED with red, green, and blue elements that actually has all the circuitry in it to change colors and blink. It's pretty wild.