Strobe Light

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Disco anyone? Actually, this strobe serves a much more useful purpose then making it look cool when you dance in the dark. You can use it to view fast moving objects, look for craks in PC boards (hold the strobe on the trace side of the board and look from the component side), and it is a great attention getter in a store window.

Schematic

Parts

Part	Total Qty.	Description	Substitutions
R1	1	10 Meg, 1/4 Watt Resistor
D1, D2	2	1N4003 Silicon Diode	1N4007
C1, C2	2	10uF 350V Capacitor
C3	1	0.1uF 400 Volt Mylar Capacitor
T1	1	4KV Trigger Transformer (see "Notes")
FT	1	Flash Tube (see "Notes")
L1	1	Neon Bulb
Q1	1	106 SCR
S1	1	115V 1A SPST Switch
MISC	1	Case, Wire, Line Cord

Notes

Where To Get Parts).

This ciruits is NOT isolated from ground. Use caution when operating without a case. A case is required for normal operation. Do not touch any part of the circuit with the case open or not installed.

Most any diodes rated at greater then 250 volts at 1 amp can be used instead of the 1N4003's.

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Comments

Add A Comment

anonymous Strobe Light Friday, March 23, 2012 2:36:36 PM

What is the battery voltage needed to power this?

Redhead parts locater Saturday, September 12, 2009 4:42:50 PM

Most all of theese parts can be found at Electronic goldmine .com if you look at the 9in strobe unit it will give you the pdf to get a schmatic of allmost the same curcuit shown here. You can get thr scr 106 at jameco.com. good luck all.mgbv

anonymous Strobe Light Monday, May 25, 2009 3:42:15 PM

Steve - The "106" notation for the SCR is short form for any device that has the main number of 106. There are many variations of these SCRs that pertain to the package type, voltage rating and in some cases the current rating. A typical number would be TIC106D, however different manufacturers will have different prefixes. The author of the circuit has specified a "106" device probably due to it's characteristic low current gate drive requirements, but being triggered via neon bulb would allow you to use almost any SCR that you wanted. Choose one that suits the load you want to drive. Cheers

saman Strobe Light Saturday, April 18, 2009 2:55:41 PM

i looked for this circuit too much And now i get it. thanks for your helps.best regard

Steve Strobe Light Monday, March 23, 2009 12:59:02 PM

Re: the SCR, to what does the 106 mean; I don't know what to look for when searching. Thank You, Steve

Brian Strobe Light Sunday, February 08, 2009 1:19:31 PM

Hi! Thanks for sharing your strobe light project. Could you share your source for the 4kv flash transformer and flash tube?

anonymous Strobe Light Monday, November 17, 2008 8:28:08 AM

it works i made it

Larry Oatman Strobe Light Saturday, October 04, 2008 1:26:39 PM

Get a disposable flash camera, take the pictures, wind the film all the way into the cartridge(just like a 35mm film can), break open the camera, take the film in for processing, and take out the flash unit. The flash is powered by a AAA battery, which is stepped up to 330 volts by an electronic circuit. You can replace the AAA battery with a D battery for longer run time. And you can replace the battery with a new one when necessary. I have taken many of the strobe units and converted them to run on house current for my Halloween decorations.

Adrian James Flynn Strobe Light Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:34:33 PM

Where is the missing information in the "NOTES:" for the following from the parts list? (T1 1 4KV Trigger Transformer (see "Notes") FT 1 Flash Tube (see "Notes") )
(Editor's notes: Oops. Will correct with the next update. But both a generic parts. Any 4KV flash trigger will work, any small Xenon flash tube will work as well.)

Benedict Khoo Portable Strobe Light Thursday, June 05, 2008 6:31:05 AM

Hi there. I need to find a good way to build a strobe light circuitboard that is portable. i am doing mosquito research w a university, and we are testing electrophysiological responses. i am trying to see the effects of a strobe light, and so i need a portable strobe light device that is low-voltage and long-lasting (typically for 12 hours at least) and safe for other students to handle. any suggestions guys?

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anonymous	Strobe Light	Friday, March 23, 2012 2:36:36 PM
What is the battery voltage needed to power this?
Redhead	parts locater	Saturday, September 12, 2009 4:42:50 PM
Most all of theese parts can be found at Electronic goldmine .com if you look at the 9in strobe unit it will give you the pdf to get a schmatic of allmost the same curcuit shown here. You can get thr scr 106 at jameco.com. good luck all.mgbv
anonymous	Strobe Light	Monday, May 25, 2009 3:42:15 PM
Steve - The "106" notation for the SCR is short form for any device that has the main number of 106. There are many variations of these SCRs that pertain to the package type, voltage rating and in some cases the current rating. A typical number would be TIC106D, however different manufacturers will have different prefixes. The author of the circuit has specified a "106" device probably due to it's characteristic low current gate drive requirements, but being triggered via neon bulb would allow you to use almost any SCR that you wanted. Choose one that suits the load you want to drive. Cheers
saman	Strobe Light	Saturday, April 18, 2009 2:55:41 PM
i looked for this circuit too much And now i get it. thanks for your helps.best regard
Steve	Strobe Light	Monday, March 23, 2009 12:59:02 PM
Re: the SCR, to what does the 106 mean; I don't know what to look for when searching. Thank You, Steve
Brian	Strobe Light	Sunday, February 08, 2009 1:19:31 PM
Hi! Thanks for sharing your strobe light project. Could you share your source for the 4kv flash transformer and flash tube?
anonymous	Strobe Light	Monday, November 17, 2008 8:28:08 AM
it works i made it
Larry Oatman	Strobe Light	Saturday, October 04, 2008 1:26:39 PM
Get a disposable flash camera, take the pictures, wind the film all the way into the cartridge(just like a 35mm film can), break open the camera, take the film in for processing, and take out the flash unit. The flash is powered by a AAA battery, which is stepped up to 330 volts by an electronic circuit. You can replace the AAA battery with a D battery for longer run time. And you can replace the battery with a new one when necessary. I have taken many of the strobe units and converted them to run on house current for my Halloween decorations.
Adrian James Flynn	Strobe Light	Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:34:33 PM
Where is the missing information in the "NOTES:" for the following from the parts list? (T1 1 4KV Trigger Transformer (see "Notes") FT 1 Flash Tube (see "Notes") ) (Editor's notes: Oops. Will correct with the next update. But both a generic parts. Any 4KV flash trigger will work, any small Xenon flash tube will work as well.)
Benedict Khoo	Portable Strobe Light	Thursday, June 05, 2008 6:31:05 AM
Hi there. I need to find a good way to build a strobe light circuitboard that is portable. i am doing mosquito research w a university, and we are testing electrophysiological responses. i am trying to see the effects of a strobe light, and so i need a portable strobe light device that is low-voltage and long-lasting (typically for 12 hours at least) and safe for other students to handle. any suggestions guys?