help on making or buying a strobe circuit for my tail light

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MaxPower

MaxPower

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Jul 1, 2009
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Sierra Vista AZ
First off, I have never built a circuit. I do understand that electrical systems work by keeping smoke in the wires but that's about it. I would love to build my own flashing circuit and would really like some supervision on the project. I'm looking for either a place to buy an already built one (which would be no fun) or a sources for each components I would need. What I really like is someone to post links to parts and I could buy them all together as a kit. I know I'd need resisters, transistors, and capacitors from the research I've done but I have no Idea how it goes together. Maybe someone could give me an education on each component and how they work together.

here is the system I have on my bike.
2- 12v 55 watt halogen headlights
1- 12v LED tail light Walmart.com: Blazer 4" LED Oblong Combo Marker Light, Red: Automotive
1- 12 volt 8 amp SLA battery
negative ground on bike frame

My plan is to use a switch on my brake to turn the strobe circuit on or off when I pull the leaver.
 
rohmell

rohmell

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Jun 2, 2010
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Super simple circuit using just a relay and capacitor, choose 'A' or 'B' for the flash more to your liking, A= long on, short off, B=long off, short on:

 
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MaxPower

MaxPower

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Jul 1, 2009
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Sierra Vista AZ
that's great I'm still a little confused on what I should buy. Is 1000 uf a type of relay? and what resistor should i buy?

I should of posted this picture before but this is what I was thinking. would your circuit work like this?
 

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rohmell

rohmell

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Also, I would think that there should be a resistor in the "brake off" line, so that it is dimmer than when the "brake on" line is used.
 
MaxPower

MaxPower

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Jul 1, 2009
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I'm still a little confused by your diagram. Can you draw it in plan language? what is NC and NO? If I put the switch to NO on the bottom switch does that turn off the strobe? and what does the top switch do? A and B wires look like they do the same thing?
 
rohmell

rohmell

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Average current will be less, but don't forget, you will have a relay that draws power as well, so any LED savings will be negated by the relay.
 
rohmell

rohmell

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The flash rate can be changed by changing the value of the capacitor; larger uF = slower flash rate.
Additional circuitry is needed for strobe effect.
 
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