Introduction: Flip Flop LED Circuit
This is a simple circuit based on transistor 2N 2222A and some resistors, there are 2 LED s and when one is on other will be off and this will be repeated in equal intervals of time
Step 1: Parts List
2 x 2N2222 transistor
2 x 10k resistor (brown black orange)
2 x 390 ohm resistor( orange white brown)
2 x 100uf electrolytic capacitor
1 x blue LED (or other colors u like)
1 x red LED (or other colors u like)
battery ( 3 - 9v)
switch
Step 2: Circuit Diagram
complete the circuit according to the circuit diagram,here i have used a common circuit board, there is a simple way to find the polarity of the LED ie, by looking for the flat part in the diameter of the LED the leg in that side will be negative
Step 3: Conclusion
use safety scissors to decrease the length of the legs of components, do not use more than 9v which will make the transistor hot and some times burned,use alligator clips while soldering the transistors which will reduce the heat of the transistor thus saving it,comment if u have any doubts

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42 Comments
Question 2 years ago on Introduction
Hey I’m wanting to make this but using a 12v power supply and the leds I have are maid for 12v but I want to use them to make this what would I have to replace the parts with to be able to get it to work like this please
Question 3 years ago
Hi I googled for a flip flop circuit but for 12VDC and came out here, the diagram looks ok, but how can I mod this for use with 12VDC? Comming from a open collector output from a Velleman K8055 printboard? Thanks in advance, and thanks for sharing this :)
5 years ago
Can somebody please tell me about the dependence of frequency on the capacitance used. does it vary as the root of the capacitance or is there a linear relationship??
7 years ago on Step 2
Would someone please explain in detail exactly how that schematic works to produce the flip-flop effect?
Thanks
Reply 7 years ago
hi friend,
its called an oscillator circuit.
the capacitors are the real key to this circuit. The caps alternatively charge and discharge, which causes the two transistors to alternatively turn on and off.
check this circuit here. for better understanding.
Reply 6 years ago
Hello i think your link is broken.
If anyone want to see how this circuit works i have made a model of it:
http://tinyurl.com/jn9wcpf
Reply 7 years ago
in this circuit, can i give a supply of 3.3 V or 5V? if I can then i have to change the value of capacitor and resistor?
Reply 7 years ago
I do appreciate your help, but instead of detail you have given me an overview and an animation. The animation shows what is happening in the circuit except nothing about the orientation or state of the capacitors. It doesn't tell me what the graphs at the bottom mean. What it really doesn't show is why these things are happening. Why does one capacitor charge while the other discharges? Why are both transistors not "ON" at the same time?
I feel this understanding is important to my continued advancement in the electronics field. To understand how is meaningless if you don't understand why.
I built this circuit and it works, but I still don't understand it.
Reply 7 years ago
Which capacitor is charging when the left led is on? Thanks
Reply 7 years ago
consider the circuit from the link in my previous reply. c1 is discharged when left led is on. change the simulation speed(top-right corner of page) in the link for better understanding.
10 years ago on Step 2
I am wondering are the transistors 3904 or 2N2222A because all I have is 3904. And for the 390 ohm resistor can I use 330 ohms, sorry I don't have many parts!:)
Reply 7 years ago
Yes, I did that... I thing is for the LED's so I think you can use down to 220 Ohms
Reply 7 years ago
Its been a long time!
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
This is a late post but for anyone in the future, yes, you can substitute all of those parts and it will work.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Those should work, as long as its NPN, (to an extent)
8 years ago on Introduction
hello..can this circuit use 3v of voltage?
Reply 7 years ago
Sure, I already tried it
9 years ago
Next time solder the transistors at last as they are quite heat sensitive.
10 years ago on Introduction
Can I use BC547 instead of 2N2222A ?
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Any NPN will work for the most part.