I have a couple of Model Power traffic lights up around the track as warning signals. I want to have the yellow lights flash instead of being on steady. Or better yet, I'd like to have two yellow lights flashing alternately. I know little about electricity and/or electronics, but I know some basics including how to solder.

I assume there's a simple device available at Radio Shack that I can add to the yellow lights' circuits to make them flash, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Interestingly, neither did the clerk at Radio Shack who seemed more interested in selling me a cell phone.

Can anyone tell me what I need? And if it's any more complicated than just splicing it into one of the wires running to those lights?

Thanks.

Can anyone tell me what I need?

I'll try.

If you want to be able to check email, you should look into a Blackberry, or Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone. If that isn't important, then you can choose between a whole array of flip phones, sliders, candy bars, etc.

Hope this helps!

:thumbsup:


(But seriously...Maybe a turn signal flasher from an autoparts store would do the trick. Maybe not for the alternating aspect...)

If I'm not mistaken there are LED's that are made to flash. Having them flash alternately is a different story, but there is a railroad circuit board that comes ready to hard wire into things like flashing grade crossings. Check with a model RR supply site like www.hobbylinc.com.

This page has some strobes, like for emergency vehicles that may work.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s7.cgi?cat_s=UM&str=lights

Doh.. Now I really regret not paying attention in Electronic class, back in H.S. The circuit you describe it is the first thing in the book using a 555 timer. I'm sure some one will find or post a circuit to make it.. I remember it being pretty easy.

-Robbie

Quick google search on 555 timers and railroad crossing came back with a few hits.. heres one that is fairly simple, I'm sure there are easier and also more sophisticated ones out there. .

http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/railway_crossing.htm

Use a 555 timer circuit. If you need to operate at higher amperage, have the output to the circuit tied into a power transistor. The 555 timer circuit schematics are all over the internet.

Edit: My bad, didn't see it posted above.

if you wire a relay with the n/c contacts in series with the coil it will toggle the relay on and off. Add a small electrolitic capacitor to the plus side of coil, it will have to charge the cap before the relay will pick up so you can slow the flickering down. try different cap. to get the desired flickering speed.
Then wire the power to the lights to the second set of n/c and n.o contacts to the lights. if you need a wiring diagram I.m. me with your e-mail and I'll send it over

Yeah, the versatile 555 is the first thing that popped into my head too. A simple resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant based transistor timer would work too. Here's a how-to with diagrams:

http://wild-bohemian.com/electronics/flasher.html

Yeah, sort of sad to see what has happened to Radio Shack. However, I quit going there many years ago when they kept trying to gather a complete background history on me, up to an including submitting a DNA sample and supplying three generations of genealogical records, every time I went in there just o buy a 79 cent calculator battery. Geezo, no thanks, I'm still getting JC Whitney catalogs 25 years and six states after the last time I bought a set of floor mats from them. That kind of intrusive marketing alienated a lot of people but it took them 20 years to fix it. Too late, now they sell cell phones and cell phone accessories. "Maybe you'd like an Ultrasuede faux leopard skin cover for your RAZR?"

...JC Whitney catalogs ... now they sell cell phones and cell phone accessories. "Maybe you'd like an Ultrasuede faux leopard skin cover for your RAZR?"

Oooooh! Say it ain't so.
Still, if it could be handled in classic J.C. Whitney style:
-----
"THIS - [b/w image of sleek thin mobile phone]
NOT THIS - [b/w image of wooden 1920s wall phone with speaking trumpet, separate earpiece, and exposed bells]"
-----
Yeah, yeah, it might be okay after all.
-- D

Ha Peacefield you're on the same track as I am. A few weeks ago I was looking for the same thing. The links here are good. There are also complete circuit boards at Walthers too: Since you want to drive multiple lights you want something like these: These will drive 4 pairs of lights depending on the power source. That should be plenty.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/514-N8013

Variable Rate:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/514-N8015

If you're interested I have a schematic to build a circuit that drives many lights based on IC timing circuits and uses relays on the output. I haven't tried building it yet but plan to try it when I get to rebuilding my track lights.

I tried the car flasher once but it didn't work. My guess is there isn't enough resistance in the small HO bulbs to make it work right.

If you want the simplest solution, there are flashing bulbs you can find.

And yes Radio Shack has gotten relay lame in keeping some of their electronic supplies inventory up to date. 3 different stores I went to in my area had empty drawers for the bright LED's and some resistors. The salesman at all 3 stores had no idea when their inventory would be restocked. They seem much more focused on cell phones and RC vehicles.

If you have a Fry's Electronics (http://shop4.outpost.com/template/ecomponents) in your area, THAT is the place to find a lot of electronic components. I even found the JKL mini flourescent bulbs there along with the high voltage dirvers. They have tons of super bright LEDs and have a full line of the super mini surface mount components and tons of electronic tools and do-it-yourself kits. I even found a flashing LED circuit project for @ $12

Think SMD`s = Surface Mounted Devices are very small and they are cheap.

Thanks everyone for all the insights. I'll poke around some of these links, do a little more digging and let you all know what I end up with.

Sorry, I've removed this post in order to re-edit it for a separate thread. - D

The last circuit on this page may be what you're after:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/SimpleSignal.html

HTH!

Richard