How to Build an LED Strobe

LED strobes are a great way to attract attention.

Strobe lights can signify anything from excitement (at a carnival) to danger (on a police car). You can make a light-emitting diode strobe light that will attract attention or just provide personal amusement. All you need are some LEDs and supplies purchased from the lighting department of a hardware store along with an electronic circuit board purchased from a hobby store or electronics supply center. You will need some familiarity with electronics and how to use a soldering iron, but no great electronic skill is required.

Things You'll Need

• DCx16 circuit board
• Newspaper
• Needle-nosed pliers
• 3 LEDs
• 3 resistors, 3 volt
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• Electrical tape
• Electric wire
• Wire cutters
• Wire strippers
• Ruler
• "AA" battery holder
• 2 "AA" batteries

Instructions

1. Put newspaper down on a work surface. Straighten out the two electricity-conducting pins attached to each of the LEDs using the needle-nosed pliers. The "long" conductive pin is the positive contact, and the "short" conductive pin is the negative contact.

2. Place the three LEDs, with the short conductive pin on the left side, on the newspaper side by side.

3. Measure 6 inches of electric wire with the ruler. Cut the 6-inch strip of electric wire with the wire cutters. Cut another five strips of electric wire in the same fashion.

4. Strip a half inch of insulation off of each end of one of the electric wires using the wire strippers. Repeat this procedure with the other five strips of electric wire.

5. Solder one end of a resistor to the short conductive pin of the leftmost LED. Wrap electrical tape around the end of the resistor and the short conductive pin. Repeat this procedure with the other two resistors and the other two LEDs.

6. Solder the end of one of the electric wires to the long conductive pin of the leftmost LED. Wrap electrical tape around the end of the wire and the long conductive pin. Repeat this procedure with the other two LEDs.

7. Solder the end of a wire to the free end of the resistor soldered to the leftmost LED. Wrap electrical tape around the end of the resistor and the wire. Repeat this procedure with the other two LEDs.

8. Solder the free end of the wire attached to the resistor of the leftmost LED to the negative signal input-labeled contact on the DCx16 circuit board.

9. Solder the free end of the wire attached to the long conductive pin of the leftmost LED to the free end of the resistor connected to the center LED.

10. Solder the free end of the wire attached to the long conductive pin of the center LED to the free end of the resistor connected to the rightmost LED.

11. Solder the free end of the wire attached to the long conductive pin of the rightmost LED to the positive signal-labeled input contact on the DCx16 circuit board.

12. Solder the black wire from the "AA" battery holder to the positive power-labeled contact on the DCx16 circuit board. Solder the red wire from the "AA" battery holder to the negative power-labeled contact on the DCx16 circuit board.

13. Insert the two "AA" batteries into the
    "AA" battery holder to start strobing in the LEDs.

Tips & Warnings

• The LEDs will not function if they are wired incorrectly.

• Soldering irons get very hot. Take caution when handling a soldering iron that the user understands the hazards involved.

References

• Crazy Light Lady: LED Strobes: How-To Make Your Own LED Strobes the CrazyLightLady Super Cheap Way
• LSDiodes Optoelectronics: LED Tutorial

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• D-Light Designs: DCX16 circuit board