Simple Strobe Light Circuits using Transistors

You might think strobe lights can only be created using complex xenon tubes, but that's not true if you find them interesting.

Having the right driving circuit that can handle various lighting devices can easily turn any light into a strobe light to create the desired effect.

The article demonstrates how a multivibrator circuit can be altered in various ways to work with common light sources like bulbs, lasers, and LEDs in order to generate impressive light flashes.

A strobe light can be utilized for alerting conducting research or for entertainment purposes no matter the use the results are truly impressive. It is actually feasible to transform any light into a strobe light with the right driving circuit. Illustrated using Electrical Schematics.

Comparison of Flashing and Strobing

A blinking or flashing light is very attractive which is why it is commonly used for decorations or as a warning device in many different locations.

Nonetheless a strobe light can be classified as a type of flashing light but it has distinct characteristics compared to standard light flashers. Unlike them the ON/OFF pattern in a strobe light is optimized to create bright, flashing pulses of light.

They are commonly paired with fast music to boost the party atmosphere.

Green lasers are currently gaining popularity as a strobe tool in party venues and gatherings becoming a top choice for the younger generation.

All types of lighting sources such as LEDs, lasers, or regular filament bulbs can be made to flash by utilizing an electronic circuit that can create the necessary pulsed switching in the connected light source.

In this tutorial we will learn how to turn any standard light into a strobe light with a basic electronic circuit.

The next part will familiarize you with the circuit specifications. Let us take a look at it.

Creating a strobing effect by pulsing a light.

In a previous article of mine we discovered a small circuit that can create captivating strobe effects on some of the attached LEDs.

However this setup is only appropriate for powering small LED lights and therefore cannot be used to light up large spaces or buildings.

The circuit design enables the driving of various lighting sources such as incandescent bulbs, lasers, CFLs, in addition to LEDs.

The initial diagram depicts the simplest version of a multivibrator circuit utilizing transistors as the primary active elements. The LEDs that are linked together can be set to flash by properly adjusting both potentiometers VR1 and VR2.

UPDATE: Revise or make changes to the current information.

I have detailed various transistorized strobe light circuits in this article but the design presented below is the simplest and has been personally tested by me. You can start with this template and then tweak it to suit your personal taste and preferences.

The simple design mentioned above can be adjusted further as described below to achieve better control and improved results.

The circuit mentioned serves as the foundation for all subsequent circuits with necessary adjustments and enhancements.

Utilizing a flashlight as a strobe light.

If you wish to light up and make a small torch bulb flash using it you just have to make the same adjustments as indicated in the second illustration.

By incorporating a PNP power transistor and activating it via the collector of T2 a flashlight bulb can be effectively turned into a strobe light. Proper adjustment of the two Pots is key to achieving maximum effect.

As previously mentioned in the earlier section green laser pointers are currently quite popular the diagram depicted explains a straightforward way to transform the circuit into a pulsating green laser pointer strobe light.

In this setup the zener diode and transistor form a constant voltage circuit to prevent the laser pointer from receiving a voltage exceeding its maximum rating.

This also guarantees that the lasers current will never go above the designated value.

The zener and transistor act as both a stable voltage source and an indirect stable current source for the laser.

Incorporating a 220V or 120V lamp as a strobe light

The following diagram illustrates how a lamp connected to an AC mains can function as a strobe light using the circuit mentioned. A triac serves as the primary switching element getting the necessary gate signals from the collector of T2.

Therefore it is evident that by utilizing the circuit designs mentioned above, converting any light into a strobe light can be achieved quite effortlessly by making appropriate modifications in a basic transistor-based circuit as demonstrated in the examples.

Parts List

Making a Police Strobe Light Circuit

Slow Astable

Fast Astable

Strobe LED Light with Current Control up to 36 Watts

One of the loyal readers of the website, Mr. Robby, asked for a 36 watt LED strobe light circuit that includes current control.

The design concept can be understood from the following explanation:

I am attempting to create a quick blinking LED strobe light similar to the ones utilized by photographers for capturing images. I have come across a few circuits on your site related to LEDs such as constant current driver, powering high wattage LED lights, and LED strobe light. Nonetheless, I believe my app is a amalgamation of these undertakings.

What I aim to achieve is to briefly illuminate 18W or 36W LEDs for 1 microsecond and require a steady current source to ensure consistent brightness for each flash.

I am looking forward to receiving a message from you soon. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via email or give me a call for further discussion.

The full circuit diagram of the 36 watt high power LED strobe light with current control feature is shown in the image below:

Parts list