photoflash circuit

[kell]

I'm going to build a circuit that flashes a strobe rapidly. If anybody
would like to know why, look up "dreamachine." There was an article in
the New York Times recently about it. The classic dreamachine uses a
motor and rotating cylinder with a light bulb in it to flash at 10 Hz,
but it will be much easier just to use a strobe.
I just need to know the voltage and the joules for each flash of the
strobe so I can build a circuit. I may use this bulb:
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item=FLT-8&type=store
Open to suggestions for better strobe bulbs in terms of durability,
because the device I build may go through hundreds of thousands of
flashes in its life, perhaps millions. But mostly I need to know
required voltage and energy per flash for the example flash tube, or
flash tubes in general.

 

[Si Ballenger]

On 26 Jan 2005 17:29:11 -0800, "kell" <kellrobinson@billburg.com>
wrote:

I'm going to build a circuit that flashes a strobe rapidly. If anybody
would like to know why, look up "dreamachine." There was an article in
the New York Times recently about it. The classic dreamachine uses a
motor and rotating cylinder with a light bulb in it to flash at 10 Hz,
but it will be much easier just to use a strobe.
I just need to know the voltage and the joules for each flash of the
strobe so I can build a circuit. I may use this bulb:
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item=FLT-8&type=store
Open to suggestions for better strobe bulbs in terms of durability,
because the device I build may go through hundreds of thousands of
flashes in its life, perhaps millions. But mostly I need to know
required voltage and energy per flash for the example flash tube, or
flash tubes in general.

You may want to look at modifying the guts of a disposable flash
camera. I've found info on mods using google.

 

[Jim Yanik]

"kell" <kellrobinson@billburg.com> wrote in
news:1106789351.195070.227400@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

I'm going to build a circuit that flashes a strobe rapidly. If
anybody would like to know why, look up "dreamachine." There was an
article in the New York Times recently about it. The classic
dreamachine uses a motor and rotating cylinder with a light bulb in it
to flash at 10 Hz, but it will be much easier just to use a strobe.
I just need to know the voltage and the joules for each flash of the
strobe so I can build a circuit. I may use this bulb:
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item
=FLT-8&type=store Open to suggestions for better strobe bulbs in terms
of durability, because the device I build may go through hundreds of
thousands of flashes in its life, perhaps millions. But mostly I need
to know required voltage and energy per flash for the example flash
tube, or flash tubes in general.

Doesn't Radio Shack sell something that does this?
You hook it to your stereo and it flashes the strobe with the music.
Probably can get one at Spencer Gifts,too.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

 

[Fritz Schlunder]

"Al" <no.spam@wanted.com> wrote in message
news:no.spam-AE3FC7.11040029012005@news.verizon.net...

In article <pan.2005.01.28.23.00.26.626759@example.net>,
Rich Grise <richgrise@example.net> wrote:

You want strobes? Try small airplane strobes. You can get blinded by
these.

Is that really a selling feature? Something tells me that the OP doesn't
want to be blinded...

Generally speaking though aircraft stuff easily costs ten times what it
seems it aught to cost due to special reliability requirements and the FAA
and whatnot.

 

[Graham Orme]

In message <no.spam-B9FA40.09205627012005@news.verizon.net>, Al
<no.spam@wanted.com> writes

In article <rpWdnSwMAamV0GXcRVn-qA@comcast.com>,
"Mike Fields" <spam_me_not_mr.gadget2@comcast.net> wrote:

"kell" <kellrobinson@billburg.com> wrote in message
news:1106789351.195070.227400@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
I'm going to build a circuit that flashes a strobe rapidly.

Something to check out -- seems to me that is somewhere around
the frequency that can trigger epileptic seizures in people who are
susceptible. Not sure the exact frequency, but it seems it is around
8 or 10 Hz.

mikey



Yes, pilots have been know to experience this when the strobes flash
back from the rotating propellers. Some people may have a latent
susceptability to it. The frequency has to match the alpha wave of a
susceptable person.

Al

Another thing to check out is the level of UV produced. A lot of Xenon
lamps produce wavelengths down to around 200 nm and come with a warning
not to view them with the naked eye.
--
Graham

 

[Al]

In article <3620drF4qed6aU1@individual.net>,
"Fritz Schlunder" <me@privacy.net> wrote:

"Al" <no.spam@wanted.com> wrote in message
news:no.spam-AE3FC7.11040029012005@news.verizon.net...
In article <pan.2005.01.28.23.00.26.626759@example.net>,
Rich Grise <richgrise@example.net> wrote:

You want strobes? Try small airplane strobes. You can get blinded by
these.

Is that really a selling feature? Something tells me that the OP doesn't
want to be blinded...

Generally speaking though aircraft stuff easily costs ten times what it
seems it aught to cost due to special reliability requirements and the FAA
and whatnot.

If you want power, why screw around.

And the cost was not bad, $160 or so. And it will be reliable.

Al