What is Strobe Light?
A strobe light or a stroboscopic lamp is one that can produce regular flashes of light. So in this tutorial, we are going to make an “LED Strobe Lights Circuit using 555 Timer IC“. The proposed LED strobe light circuit will not only flash a group of LEDs with strobe pulses but will also create a sequentially chasing effect over the strobing LEDs.
The main component of this circuit is a NE555 Timer IC. The IC possesses an oscillation frequency ranging from 670 to 680 Hz. Here, this NE555 timer acts as a monostable multivibrator. A monostable multivibrator (MMV) often called a one-shot multivibrator, is a pulse generator circuit in which the duration of the pulse is determined by the R-C network, connected externally to the 555 timers. In such a vibrator, one state of output is stable while the other is quasi-stable (unstable). For auto-triggering of output from a quasi-stable state to a stable state, energy is stored by an externally connected capacitor to a reference level. The time taken in storage determines the pulse width.
Hardware Components
The following components are required to make Strobe Light Circuit
| S.No | Component | Value | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Breadboard | – | 1 |
| 2. | Connecting Wires | – | 1 |
| 3. | Battery | 9V | 1 |
| 4. | IC | NE555 Timer | 1 |
| 5. | High Power LED | – | 1 |
| 6. | Potentiometer | 1M | 1 |
| 7. | Resistor | 10k | 1 |
| 8. | Ceramic Capacitor | 0.01uF, 0.1uF | 1, 1 |
555 IC Pinout
For a detailed description of pinout, dimension features, and specifications download the datasheet of 555 Timer
Strobe Light Circuit
Working Explanation
In this project, we will develop an LED Strobe light circuit using the popular 555 timer IC. Once the connections are set, simply power the circuit using a 9V battery. You should notice your LED flashing. If it looks stable, it means that it is flashing so fast that it is not visible to the naked eye. So gradually adjust the potentiometer to achieve the desirable flashing frequency.
Applications
- A simple yet effective tool for inspection and quality control at full production speed.
