µC implements Pushbutton Light Dimmers: 06/18/98 EDN-Design Ideas

0 to 10 Volt Analog Control Protocol:

0 to 10 Volt Analog Control Protocol:

1.5 Volt LED Flashers: four circuits with description

10 Channel Follower for Austin Hotel:

10 Channel LED Sequencer:  based on4017

10 Stage Light Sequencer: flashes10 low voltage bulbs, operates at10-25-Volt voltage, in PDF format, text in Finnish

12 Stage Neon Sequencer (NE 2 / NE 51): uses small power 70-Volt neon bulbs

12 Volt Color organ and Reverb unit:

12 Volt DC Fluorescent Lamp Driver: This fluorescent lamp driver uses a normal120 to 6V step-down transformer in reverse to step12V to about350-Volt to drive a lamp without the need to warm the filaments.

12 Volt Lamp Dimmer: dimming d1-by controlling the duty cycle of a astable555 Timer oscillator

12 Volt or 24 Volt DC Pulse Width Modulator: This circuit can be used as a light dimmer or DC motor speed controller.

12 Volt Strobe Circuit: this circuit uses12V DC instead od mains AC. This is very good idea if you dont want to mess with direct mains voltage connected circuit or you want to run the stroboscope from batteries.

120 VAC Lamp Chaser Using Solid State Relays:

120 Volt AC Lamp Chaser using Solid State Relays: This circuit is similar to the LED clock using12 neon indicator lamps instead of LEDs. It operates from2 high capacity ni-cad cells (2.5 volts) which keep it going for a couple weeks. High voltage (70 volts) for the neon lamps is obtained from a small switching power supply using a 74HC14 Schmitt trigger Squarewave oscillator, high voltage switching transistor, and10 mH high Q inductor. Most any small PNP transistors can be used that have a C/E voltage rating of 80 or more.

120 Volt AC Lamp Dimmer (full Wave SCR):

16 Stage BiDirectional LED Sequencer:

2 Transistor LED Flasher #2:

2 Wire DC Lamp Dimmer Replaces Rheostats: 10/23/97 EDN-Design Ideas / Low-cost DC lamp dimmer that can control more than100W of incandescent panel lighting from12V DC, originally designed for use in commercial trucks

220 Volt Flashing Lights: Especially designed for Christmas tree lamps to replace old thermally-activated switches

3rd Brake Light Pulser:

4 Channel Dimmer Rack:

40 Watt Fluorescent Lamp Inverter: This40W fluorescent lamp inverter allows you to run40W fluorescent tubes from any12V source capable of delivering3A.

8 Bit Digital Firing Circuit:

8 Bit Digital Light Intensity Controller:

Adjustable Strobe Light: 120-Volt mains power source, up to20 Hz flash rate

Advance Power System Experimenters Kit:  runs low voltage bulbs from mains using dimmer like method for reducing the voltage

All Digital Circuit Fires TrIAC: 07/21/94 EDN-Design Ideas / This digital circuit allows a µP to control ac power precisely without using any digital-to-analog circuitry

Analog Encoding: This schematic is a example of a analog board with0 -10 volt output.

Audio Trigger Circuit for Lamp Chasers: works with almost any light sequencer circuit with clock input, better working beat sync than in many commercial light controllers

Audio Trigger Circuit for Light Chasers:

Auto Trigger Circuit for Light Chasers:

Automated Crib Lights:

Automatic Control Starts Loads Softly: 10/13/94 EDN-Design Ideas

Automatic Headlight Brightness Switch:

Basic   Infrared Light   Train Detection:

Basic Incandescent Light Dimmer Circuits:

Bass Beat Extractor: an automatic gain control circuit followed by a low pass filter, converts the beat into a sharp pulse suitable for triggering the strobe or chaser

Battery Powered Night Lamp: Ultra-Low current drawing1.5 Volt battery supply

Beat Tracking Strobe: project description using AT90S8515 microcontroller and some electronics

Bedside Lamp timer:

Bells Ring Generator: 3-Circuit options Can be synchronized to Christmas tree flashing lights

Bicycle Back Safety Light: Flashing13 LED unit,3V supply Also suitable for jogger/walkers

Bicycle Safety Lights:

Bike Lights Mk IV: Bike lights built using12V20W12 degree spread halogen globes.

Black Light:

Block Occupancy Detector Helper:

Christmas Star:

Circuit uses Simple LED for Near IR Light: 09/01/98 EDN-Design Ideas

CMOS Gate implements Reverse Phase Control: 05/21/98 EDN-Design Ideas

Color Organ #1: make different colored bulbs light at different frequencies of music, connects to speaker outputs

Color Organ #2: one lamp color organ

Color Organ #3: makes3 lights to blink and flash to music

Constant Current White LED Flashlight:

Constant Directional Lighting #1:

Constant Directional Lighting #2:

Constant Directional Lighting #3:

Controller Provides Multimode Phase Control: 12/12/97 EDN-Design Ideas / 16C508 multichip controller, you can implement a phase controller that provides a two-key, indexed processor for ac power

Courtesy Lamp: 15 seconds delayed switch-off for220-Volt AC lamp, a good idea for bedroom lamps

Coutesy Lamp:

Dancing LEDs:  A LED sequencer, following the rhythm of music or speech 9 Volt Battery-operated portable unit

Dark / Light Activated Relay:

Dark Activated Switch or Porch Light Switch:

Darkness monitor :

Day and Night Infrared Detection:

Dimmer Circuit for Normal Light Bulbs:

Dimmer Switch: This dimmer switch is suitable for230-Volt incandescent lamps with a total power of up to300-Watts. The circuit is wired in series with the lamp so it can directly replace the wall switch.

Disco Light Controller:

Disco Lights: software and hardware for controlling disco lights from your PC

Disco Style Strobe Light:

Disco Style Strobe Light: low power, works on110VAC

Disco VU Lights:

DMX Lighting and Special Effects:

Dome Lamp Dimmer: Efficiently dim the cars dome or map light (low voltage light), PDF file

Dome Light Dimmer for Cars: Usually when the car door is closed, the dome light just goes OFF. With this circuit, you can have our dome light fade slowly in brightness and finally go OFF.

Dome Light Dimmer using Mic4680 Switching Regulator: simple circuit which outputs +5-Volt

Dome Light Dwell Extender / Dimmer : allows you to dim your dome light and keeps the dome light of your automobile on after you close the door

Dual Alternating Flashing Light:

Dual MonoStable Drives Quasiresonant Inverter: 02/17/97 EDN-Design Ideas / Circuit to power a fluorescent lamp from12V

Dual Tandem Flashing Light:

Dual Tandem Flashing Light: A dual tandem flashing light circuit

el Cheapo Lightning Effect: Plans to simple floodlight using an office rubbish bin made of metal and a "photoflood" bulb.

Electric Power Controller: suitable as dimmer for100-Volt lamp up to1200W

Electronic Ballasts using the Cost Saving IR215X: application note AN-995 from International Rectifier

Electronic Candle V2:

Electronic Candle:

Electronic Fluorescent Lamp Ballast: International Rectifier application note in PDF format

Electronic Light Intensity Control to Simulate Dusk & Dawn Conditions: Simulation of sunrise and sunset light conditions is achieved with an electronic light intensity control using DC- or AC-powered incandescent lamps. The duration of the sunrise and sunset is easily adjusted and the photoperiod is controlled with a standard24-h Timer.

Electronic Night Light:

Electronic Transformer Dims halogen Lamp: 05/11/00 EDN-Design Ideas /  (jkj0 Switched-mode power supply for a halogen lamp, commonly known as an electronic transformer, is a clever and simple device which can be enhanced with dimming control

Emergency Backup Lamp:

Emergency Light & Alarm: Powered by2-AA NI-CD batteries Four switchable options

Emergency Strobe Flasher Generates 250V: 08/05/99 EDN-Design Ideas /  PDF contains multiple circuits - scroll to find this circuit.

Experimental Cross Fader: ideas to modify simple rotary light dimmers to make a cross-fader

Fading LEDs: 2-strips of LEDs fading in a complementary manner 9 Volt Battery-operated portable unit

Fading Red Eyes: can be used to slowly illuminate and fade a pair of red LEDs

Flashing Beacon:

Flashing High Intensity LED 3rd Brake Light: This circuit to make a flashing3rd brake light assembly was designed to be easy to locate all the needed components and reasonably in expensive to build.

Flashing Light Circuit #1:

Flashing Light Circuit #2:

Flashing Light Circuit #3:

Flashing lights: for a roadwork warning and a train shop sign.

Flashing Neon Christmas Lights:

Flashing Neons (NE 2 / NE 51): one, two or3-neon indicator bulbs can be made to flash in sequence

Flashing Neons (NE 51 / NE 2):

Flickering Fire Effect: This simple circuit uses four low-Wattage colored bulbs and four fluorescent lamp starters to make nice flickering flame effect.

Fluorescent Ballast: Design uses Passive PFC and Crest Factor Control. Also available in PDF format

Fluorescent Desk Lamp: This circuit will power a 6 inch4-Watt fluorescent tube off a12 volt supply, consuming300 mA. It may also be powered by a suitably rated universal AC/DC adapter.

Fluorescent Lamps, Ballasts, & Fixtures:

Fluorescent Light Dimmer:

Four Channel Dimmer Rack:

Garden Light Switch:

Hacking the Kodak Max Single Flash Camera Into a Self Repeating Strobe: this approach is recommended mainly for homebrewing a strobe that is powered by a single1.5 volt battery. If you can use a higher supply voltage, there are better ways to do this.

Half Bridge Inverter has Variable Frequency: 10/09/97 EDN-Design Ideas

Hand Clap Lamp Control :

High Efficiency Halogen Bike Light Dimmer: This circuit uses a PIC16F84 microcontroller with some software to control20-Watt12V DC halogen lamp

HighEfficiency Inverter Drives Compact Fluorescent : 08/19/02 Electronic Design - Ideas for Design / The inverter circuit shown is designed to drive a 7-W, four-pin compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) from a 12-V dc power supply. The main features of this inverter circuit include direct-drive capability, preheat for improved startup, high efficiency, and...  

IC Controlled Emergency Light With Charger:

Idea for a Low Voltage Light Dimmer: A light dimmer is a means of controlling the "brightness" level of a lamp, in this application we will use a555 Timer to control the brightness level of a low voltage incandescent bulb of up to 60-Watts. For the light dimmer to work the555 Timer is configured as a "variable cycle", astable oscillator running some where around300 Hz.

Lamp Dimmer #1:

Lamp Flasher / Dimmer:

Lamp Switch Delay:

Lantern Flasher / Dimmer #1:

Lantern Flasher / Dimmer #2: Add this circuit to an existing lantern or and your batteries will last much longer, PDF file

Laser Pointer Train Detector:

LED dimmer uses only two lines: 03/21/2002  EDN - Design Ideas / The circuit in Figure 1provides 32 steps of brightness control-from 0 to 100%-for a backlight or instrument panel, using just two general-purpose-microprocessor signals. In addition, the circuit requires little board space, because it uses only three SOT-23s and one Max package. .

LED Headlamps : This article includes circuits of DC-DC LED drivers (click PICs for bigger ones) step downs to run LEDs on less than Battery Volts, Boost for above.

LED Lamp Dimmer:

LED Mood Light:

LED Pilot Light (AC or DC): LED current is constant between 6 and 8 mA at5 to30Vdc

LED7 Solar Tracker:

Light / Dark Detector:

Light a white LED from half a cell: 06/12/03  EDN-Design Ideas / Whether you use them as indicators or to provide illumination, LEDs are hard to beat in efficiency, reliability, and cost. White LEDs are rapidly gaining popularity as sources of illumination, as in LCD backlights, but with forward voltages typically ranging from 3 to 5V, operating them from a single cell presents obvious difficulties...

Light Bulb Voltage Regulator :

Light Chaser:

Light Controlled Switch #1: switch that will be activated by light falling on a sensor

Light Controlled Switch #2: output a control signal suitable for relay depending on the light level

Light Dimmer #1: dims220-Volt light

Light Dimmer Circuit With 0 to 10 Volt Input: This is a simple dimmer circuit that can be controlled with0 -10 VDC. It is designed for110-Volt AC.

Light Operated Switch: Originally published in Everyday Practical Electronics, December1995

Light Organ for Car: flashes3 low voltage lights, operates at10-25-Volt voltage, in PDF format, text in Finnish

Light Processor 434 Piano Touch Panel: circuit diagram in PDF format, check also power supply circuit diagram

Light Sequenced Candelabra:

Light timer:

LIGHT/DARK ACTIVATED RELAY: This is actually two circuits a light activated relay being the first and a dark activated relay being the second, once again all components and values are displayed in the gif image.

Lighting System: how to inexpensive, portable lighting system that add a great deal of ambiance to the music performance, includes simple controller circuit

Linear Constant Current LED Lamp Dimmer: This circuits drives24 white light LEDs with an adjustable constant current.

Low Cost Converter Drives Fluorescent Tubes: 03/31/94 EDN-Design Ideas

Low Cost Fluorescent Lighting System: lighting system suitable for videography

Low Voltage Light Dimmer: A light dimmer is a means of controlling the "brightness" level of a lamp, in this application we will use a555 Timer to control the brightness level of a low voltage incandescent bulb of up to 60-Watts. For the light dimmer to work the555 Timer is configured as a "variable cycle", astable oscillator running some where around300 Hz.

LX 800 Lighting System:

Magic Lamp: Old idea, newtwist.

Microcontroller MultiChannel Light Dimmer: The project is a microprocessor-controlled multiple channel lighting dimmer, that could be used in theatrical and other applications. The device will accept input from a wide range of interfaces: RS232 input, DMX512 (theatrical lighting standard) or RS485, or a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI). The device will control a number of lamps by using some form of AC power control. The firmware in the microcontroller will handle all functions, from decoding the protocol on either of the input interfaces through to Timing the firing of power triacs for the output.

MIDI Controlled Switches: can drive up to128 individual relays, solenoids, motors, etc. with a MIDI note-on and note-off messages

Mini Pocket Strobe Circuit: works from two1.5-Volt AA batteries, based on modified camera flash unit

Mini Strobe Light using LED : adjustable for flash rates between40 Hz and166 Hz, based on555 Timer

Mini Stroboscope: low power stroboscope that operates from220-Volt AC

Miniature Strobe Light:

Modulator 220 Volts: simple1-channel light organ for220-Volt AC

Motorcycle turn Signal System:

Multimedia Electronic Crib: microcontroller based light controller which generates sequence of day-night with light fading, optional serial control interface, based on 87C51

Neon Desk Lamp:

Neon Dimmer: idea how to dim neon lights

Neon Lamp Dimmer:

Nocturnal Animals Whisker: A low-rate flashing lamp drives away undesired visitors Automatic on-off operation

PC Based Lighting Control: short pointer to each of the available commercial PC based lighting console systems

PC Controls Light Dimmer: 08/19/99 EDN-Design Ideas / Circuit design idea from EDN Magazine to control one light dimming from PC

PC Parallel Port Output Capabilities: includes instructions how to connect a relay to PC parallel port

PIC 16C63 Midi Controlled Light Dimmer: four channel dimmer controllable using MIDI interface, operates at110-Volt AC, design can be modified to use standard baud rates, and the RS-232 Electrical interface

PIC Micro LED Projects:

PIC12C508 Night Light Saver:

PIC16F84 LED Chaser:

PIC16F873 Light Controller:

Picxie 2 8x8 Animated LED Signboard:

Powering Fluorescent Lamps From Low Voltage DC!: inverter circuits

Preheat Starter for Electronic Ballast: 10/04/01 EDN-Design Ideas / PDF contains multiple circuits - scroll to find the one of interest / Electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps use %