OK you control gurus - I need your help with a Halloween lighting project

[spike]

Decided to get into Halloween this year, with porch decorations and all...

Bought a coupla mini strobe lights to simulate lightning.

Trying to build a timing system to where the strobes come on for about 3-4 seconds, then stay off for about 15, repeatedly. I'm thinking I'll use the timed control circuit to wire up a contactor to cycle the 110 for the strobes...

I had a system rigged up with dual klixon stack relays and a peanut relay that worked good, but I'm not sure they can take the punishment of constantly cycling on and off for 3 hours.

Then I thought of using ICM adjustable DOB and DOM timers and some holding relays...

Man I racked my pea brain for about 2 hours, and wound up with brain-lock...

Then I thought of you Einsteins. Sheet, y'all otta be able to whoop me up a schematic in no time...

Thanks.

[markco]

Man, your thinking way too much.

[markco]

Oh yeah, You will need alot of this...

[mattm]

OOOO I know.


Run the 110V through a contactor. Grab the 24V control voltage from your condensors low pressure switch and recover just enough refrigerant for it to cycle on the switch. If you've got a time delay relay you'll have to jump that out.

[Green Mountain]

Got the strobing part figured out. Get a lever switch(Graninger 6X292-$2.67 or equal). Get an old 9W condenser fan motor. Attach a wood or metal slat to the motor in place of the fan blade. Mount the slat a little off center. When the motor is energized the longer part of the slant will hit the lever on the switch in rapid succession.

Now all you have to do is time the motor.

[cynic]

Cam and microswitch setup like on the older scottsman cubers. slow running motor with a disk mounted to it,then cut in as many spaced out areas as needed to get the switch to make and break when wanted. I'd use the microswitch or a relay to switch an outlet and just plug the stobes into that instead of cutting the cords up.

[ozone drone]

All ya need is one 120 coil relay and 2 Mars solid state time delays.

Take the hot thru the normally closed relay contacts (R-1)
Then to the first SSTD Then to your first strobe.
Parralel the hot to the first strobe to the 2nd SSTD and the coil to R-1.....it'll keep repeating, till ya unplug it.

R-1 NC SSTD-1 1st strobe
H-----------o/o------o o-----0------()---------------N
l SSTD-2 2nd strobe l
l---o o------()--------l
l R-1 Coil l
l----------()----------l

The second strobe wont be on for but a flash , but that's what you want. Or ya might need a third SSTD for the coil,

My drawing was square till I posted it..maybe you get my drift.

[Edited by ozone drone on 10-14-2004 at 08:49 PM]

[Green Mountain]

Well all I got to say is, "There is more than one way to skin a BLACK cat."

[condenseddave]

I think that everyone has a little too much free time, here.

[Diceman]

Just get drunk and when the little kidies come to the door start chasing them with a hammer.

[mattm]

Originally posted by Diceman
Just get drunk and when the little kidies come to the door start chasing them with a hammer.

Or hit on the moms.

[spyman]

Originally posted by Diceman
Just get drunk and when the little kidies come to the door start chasing them with a hammer.

I don't know weather to avoid Dice's house to protect my kids or set up a lawn chair outside and watch a live tapeing of COPS.

Dice I would recommend not wearing a shirt and have your belt buckle undone and flapping arround as you swing the hammer at the cops... it's the latest in hillbilly style.

Oh - and throw candy at camera too! That would make some great TV and the kiddies could pick it all up after the COPS haul you away. It's a win-win situation.

[markco]

Spike, what did you end up doing for your halloween display?

[spike]

I took adjustable DOM and DOB ICM timers and a peanut relay and wired it up to a contactor that controlled the 110 to the strobes. The timers were wired to energize the contactor (and the strobes) for about 3 seconds every 3 seconds. I connected all this to a remote-controlled 110 relay that I could turn on and off as needed (one where you can turn on a lamp from your car as you pull in the driveway).

I was going for a lightning effect, so the house looked dark from the front, except for the porch lights which I swapped out with red ones. Some people would pass by and not really look, thinking the house was unoccupied and not participating. I'd peek out the window and hit the strobes for a quick burst of lightning, and up the driveway they would come. Scared some of the littler ones away, though.

All in all, got a lot of good comments