Circuit Labs - Electronic Circuits Collection

Light effects have always been popular. Now that LEDs are available in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors for reasonable prices, a whole gamut of possibilities has become feasible. Examples are case modding (embellishing PC cases with all kinds of lights, windows, etc.), adorning scooters, motorcycles and cars with various light ornaments, mood lighting in different colors and we could go on.

In Elektor Electronics we also regularly feature circuits with LEDs. One circuit flashes LEDs, another drives multicolored LEDs. On one occasion standard logic (counters, shift registers, etc.) is used to drive the LEDs, on another occasion a microcontroller is used. But there are also solutions that do not require additional driving electronics.

Ordinary flashing LEDs that require no more than a series resistor have been around for donkey’s ages. They are quite nice, but spectacular they are certainly not. The company I.C. Engineering offers something much nicer: a three color LED in a package with a diameter of 5 mm, which also contains all the control electronics.

This ‘LED’ only requires a power supply voltage of 3 V to give a continuous ‘light show’. The colors blend slowly from one to another. This effect is even nicer if the components are used next to each other. Because of small variations between LEDs, one LED will change colour a little faster than another, which results in a colorful play of lights. This ‘LED’ is eminently suitable to make a nice light ornament without too much effort.

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(Elektor Electronics Magazine – 2006)

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