Throbbing/Fading/Flashing LED with 555 Timer

Step 7 Done

You can solder on the wires for a battery terminal and connect as you please.
Or add a switch and turn it on at your discretion.
Check out a short vid here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9f3BoPnGu0
I'll try to get a schematic up soon.

Props to this instructable
http://www.instructables.com/id/Beating_LED_Heart_Picture_Frame
Same basic schematic, different implementation.

Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Comments

[dsmith84]

top notch instructable! this project was a lot of fun to build.

[MrBeta]

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm going to be redoing it soon so that things are a bit more clear and include videos. I'm going to also try an SMS version of the same circuit.

[biteme556]

i have just made the fadeing light but i cant get it to fade when i put the battery wires in difrent places on the 555 timer and it will be bright in one spot and dimm in another but it doesent fade can you help me?

[nodoubtman]

I only succeed fading once.. after nothing happens..what would be wrong??

thanks !:)

[brit]

Try it like this..

[gnub_daemon]

I'm trying to follow your schematic on perf-board but the only thing that happens when I apply power is that the 555 gets really effing hot. :( I've spent 2 days on a 30 minute project. lol I don't have a clue what I'm doing right or wrong. -.-

[brit]

Check you have not bridged the tracks on your board with Solder. Also check you have the pin numbers correct. It may be you have done the Soldering upside down and not allowed for the Pins being mirrored.

[gnub_daemon]

Hmmm. I did have pin 2 bridged with pin 7 instead of 6 but when I fixed it I still got the same result. Maybe i fried the 555? Aside from a couple Velleman kits from Radio Shack I've never done any circuit building. Guess I'll buy a breadboard and try to get it working on there first. Thanks for the help.

[brit]

If you cooked the 555 then it will more than likely need replacing. The Breadboard is a good idea. You did remember to Cut the tracks Under the 555 to prevent the Pins shorting?.
Let me know how you get on.Good Luck :-)

[gnub_daemon]

I finally got it with a new 555 and after watching a youtube video of someone who already had it set up. The breadboard confused me at first but I think I have the basic concept. Was using round pad perf board so no tracks to cut. Here's a short video of my project all finished and working. http://youtu.be/LvWgBM89QBs. Thanks for the help. :)

[brit]

Good Job, well done!!

[mischka]

Thanks for the schematic. It helped a lot building the circuit!

[Ugifer]

Thanks for the schematic - very clear and useful.

And MrBeta - good project. Thanks.

[silentstone7]

I am trying to make something like this for a PC mod, using either 5V or 12V DC source voltage. I have no idea what to buy, with what specifications to make this work off that voltage. Can anyone help me out?

[Ugifer]

The 555 should be happy at 5V so the only things you might need to change are:

At 5V the current limiting resistor doesn't need to be so large - about 120 Ohm for blue/white or 150 Ohm for red I think.

The frequency might change as the voltage decreases (I'm not too sure on that one) so you might prefer to use the 100K pot in place of the 33K resistor so that you can tune it to your preferred rate.

Beyond that it should be fine.

[chipper35]

A top rate instructable!! ....I mean that!!

[sprasad1]

I used the circuit as " Brit " says above. i replaced 33k R with 100k pot, 100uF with 1000, 220R with 470R, source 14.4V.    Flashing of 1 led did happen. But when i connected it to an array of 5(series) X 8 in total 40 led. Voltage dropped across output, only max of 10 led flashed and later on npn failed. now its not flashing, glows steady. Plz suggest me " Capacitor and NPN ". amp used by array is 250 mA and 3012 mW

[kitztaz]

Hi there, was just wondering how many led's this set up could drive ! I'm looking to build a name sign for my lad with about 200 led's in it ,and a fading sign would look more cooler than a static one Cheers

[Adam Manick]

How much current can you get from this. I need it to give me 12 volts at 300 milliamps with a 12 volt 1 amp input

[spooge]

Hi thanx for sharing this, I want to make this project but I am not sure what u meant by Generic NPN Transistor, I dont know much about which compunants to use. just have a basic knowledge of soldering,

[MrBeta]

By generic NPN Transistor, I mean that you can walk into any RadioShack and buy them. Just ask for NPN transistors. They come 15 to a pack for a couple bucks.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062586
I used the 2n2222 but I've used the others as well with good results.