555 strobe?

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MillenniumFalsehood
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555 strobe?

Post by MillenniumFalsehood »

I was wondering if there was a way to use a 555 timer as a strobe. Normally you can't get less than a 50% duty cycle with them, but I'm thinking that if I use a transistor as a switch to somehow discharge a capacitor into the LED, I can make a strobe instead of a simple blinking LED. Is there a ready-made circuit for this I can take to the electronics store and get the components for it? I'm feeling a little lazy and don't want to actually design this myself. :P
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brt
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Post by brt »

Use your basic layout for making a nav flashing led and then put a signal diode (1n4148) in parallel with R2. It works well. Picture is in this link.

http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.ph ... 568.0.html
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MillenniumFalsehood
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Post by MillenniumFalsehood »

Thanks. :)
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Sloucher
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Post by Sloucher »

Here's a very useful online calculator for astable 555 circuits, including one for duty cycles <50%.

http://www.horrorseek.com/home/hallowee ... rCalc.html

I use microprocessors now, but when I used to use 555s or 556s this was always my goto calculator.
WiredFX

Small Lighting and Effects UK
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