+stormcloud Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Can anyone give me a link to make a led flasher for a night cache. I am a electronics neophite but have always wanted to have a night cache. We have one in our area that uses fire tacks. I want to something thats different. It will need to be a poster child for the KISS principle. I have no idea what the components are but we have an electronics wholesale, and The Source by Circut city in town so i know i can get the parts and guidance. Quote Link to comment
+Kit Fox Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 (edited) Can anyone give me a link to make a led flasher for a night cache. I am a electronics neophite but have always wanted to have a night cache. We have one in our area that uses fire tacks. I want to something thats different. It will need to be a poster child for the KISS principle. I have no idea what the components are but we have an electronics wholesale, and The Source by Circut city in town so i know i can get the parts and guidance. electronic Caches www.radioshack.com Bright-Red Blinking LED Modules Model: 276-299 | Catalog #: 276-299 http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...rentPage=search This module works great, your only requirement is to build a waterproof housing unit. It is pretty easy to buy "blinking LEDs" that blink automatically when the correct voltage is applied http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...rentPage=search Model: 276-036 Catalog #: 276-036 Edited October 20, 2006 by Kit Fox Quote Link to comment
+GreyingJay Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 The poster is in Canada, where we no longer have "Radio Shack" per se (they were bought by Circuit City and now operate as The Source). However, for all intents and purposes it is still Radio Shack and they may have the appropriate flashing LED. A self-contained blinking LED would be ideal because they are self-contained (even the current-limiting resistor is built in). With a couple of long-life alkaline batteries, they should last for months. Do you happen to have the Pink Floyd album "Pulse"? Quote Link to comment
+JohnTee Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 I just saw something really neat in the Sporting/Hunting section of Wal-Mart. It's a red LED blinker, about the diameter of a driveway reflector and twice as thick. It comes with a remote. Intended to help you find something like a tree stand or blind in the dark, it would work great for a night time cache. When the LED/Receiver is turned on, you use the remote to trigger that light. Put the remote control in a first stage and you're off and running. No idea of what battery life would be like in either part . . . Runs a little under $20. JohnTee Quote Link to comment
+Kit Fox Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 I just saw something really neat in the Sporting/Hunting section of Wal-Mart. It's a red LED blinker, about the diameter of a driveway reflector and twice as thick. It comes with a remote. Intended to help you find something like a tree stand or blind in the dark, it would work great for a night time cache. When the LED/Receiver is turned on, you use the remote to trigger that light. Put the remote control in a first stage and you're off and running. No idea of what battery life would be like in either part . . . Runs a little under $20. JohnTee Been done already Control the night. The circuit costs about $5.00 to build, I've made two of them, but the 20 to 25 foot maximum range has deterred me from setting them up on a night cache, yet. Quote Link to comment
+stormcloud Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 Thanks for all the help guys. This is bringing a multi stage night cache to Prince George in the near future. When i figure out the math. I would close this thread but i am uncertian how to do that. Could someone help with this. Quote Link to comment
+webscouter. Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Being that it is Halloween you might look at the store displays to see if they have flashing lights on them that will be thrown away at the end of the month. They flash for a long time on one battery. Quote Link to comment
bogleman Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Been done already Control the night. The circuit costs about $5.00 to build, I've made two of them, but the 20 to 25 foot maximum range has deterred me from setting them up on a night cache, yet. Would changing things to work off a garage door opener/car alarm fob work better? Quote Link to comment
+Kit Fox Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Been done already Control the night. The circuit costs about $5.00 to build, I've made two of them, but the 20 to 25 foot maximum range has deterred me from setting them up on a night cache, yet. Would changing things to work off a garage door opener/car alarm fob work better? The sky is the limit if you're electronics savvy. Quote Link to comment
+Team Noltex Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Been done already Control the night. The circuit costs about $5.00 to build, I've made two of them, but the 20 to 25 foot maximum range has deterred me from setting them up on a night cache, yet. Would changing things to work off a garage door opener/car alarm fob work better? A garage door opener or car alarm uses an RF (radio frequency) transmitter and receiver combo, along with a code scrambler (so that your neighbor can't open your garage door). My Control the Night cache that Kit Fox referenced and the other LED flasher from Walmart use infrared light, which is the same that is used in virtually all TV remote controls, as well as remotes for your stereo, DVD, etc. I'm no electronics engineer, but I think the reason they use IR is to avoid RF interference with the other electronic circuits. The beauty of using IR for the caches is the simplicity, as there are very few components, and no interference from anything except sunlight, which at night isn't a problem. I have found a very good resource website at All About Circuits. They have a tutorial section, as well as a forum where electronic geniuses hang out and answer circuit questions. Also, if you search the internet for electronic supply businesses, many of them sell small inexpensive kits that can easily be adapted to cache uses. I used an IR switching kit coupled to a small laser to make the final for my night cache. It's an easy way to make you look smarter than you are! Quote Link to comment
+JohnTee Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) Been done already Control the night. The circuit costs about $5.00 to build, I've made two of them, but the 20 to 25 foot maximum range has deterred me from setting them up on a night cache, yet. These from Wal-Mart are RF instead of IR and have a range of 300'. Downside is 18 day battery life of the receiver . . . JohnTee Edited November 2, 2006 by JohnTee Quote Link to comment
+olbluesguy Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) I like this one....the one mentioned above. All you have to do is figure out the switching if you only want it to trigger when someone is near. Or if you want it on all the time,a small solar panel like you can put on your dashboard . you just have to figure out how to reduce the voltage. Is ther a way to find out how long it would blink on a set of batts? Edited November 2, 2006 by olbluesguy Quote Link to comment
+kingsting Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Yuo can buy flashing bicycle taillights any place that sells bikes or sporting goods. Some have several different strobe patterns. Quote Link to comment
+Night Stalker Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 If you add a solar panel for recharging batteries you should be good to go for and extended period of time. Quote Link to comment
DogFleazJR Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 If you add a solar panel for recharging batteries you should be good to go for and extended period of time. Solar patio lights - water proof, solar, with battery back up and a light. All you need is the circuitry to make it flash if that is important. Quote Link to comment
+olbluesguy Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 If you add a solar panel for recharging batteries you should be good to go for and extended period of time. Solar patio lights - water proof, solar, with battery back up and a light. All you need is the circuitry to make it flash if that is important. I use my solar patio lights to charge AA batterys when I'm out in the bush. Just don't let them turn on at night. Quote Link to comment
+nekom Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Almost any radio shack will carry their NE555 timer chip. Google that guy, it's probably the easiest way to make a simple blinking LED setup. You'll find hundreds of simple schematics, and won't need any addition parts beyond a few resistors and capacitors. And of course a battery or two. Quote Link to comment
+Kit Fox Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 Almost any radio shack will carry their NE555 timer chip. Google that guy, it's probably the easiest way to make a simple blinking LED setup. You'll find hundreds of simple schematics, and won't need any addition parts beyond a few resistors and capacitors. And of course a battery or two. It's far easier to find LEDs with built-in blinkers. All you have to do is apply the correct voltage and your "blinking away! " Quote Link to comment
+EScout Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 I agree with Kit Fox. Here is a source for LEDs. All Electronics Blinking/Flashing LEDs For your complete solar panel, battery, blinking LEDs already assembled for $4: All Electronics solar panel, battery, LED package Quote Link to comment
+Team Noltex Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 I agree, MUCH easier, cheaper and less bulky if you just buy the LED's that are designed to blink. I believe Radio Shack has them, as well as most other electronic supply sources. I have been very pleased in the past getting stuff from All Electronics. Cheap prices, quick shipping and instructions for their electronic kits are written in real english, not badly translated chinese. Quote Link to comment
+Fuzzywhip Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 I have been thinking about a night cache for some time, and have a creative way to do it without using a flashing LED or batteries. While in a US Wal-Mart, I found packages of retro-reflectors (in the hunting section). They are REALLY SMALL (approx 1/4 inch square) but reflect a flashlight beam very bright! They appear to be meant to be used as trail markers by hunters. You drop one every some many paces, then use your flashlight to find them on the return trip. I hope this helps as an alternative. Quote Link to comment
+Kit Fox Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 I have been thinking about a night cache for some time, and have a creative way to do it without using a flashing LED or batteries. While in a US Wal-Mart, I found packages of retro-reflectors (in the hunting section). They are REALLY SMALL (approx 1/4 inch square) but reflect a flashlight beam very bright! They appear to be meant to be used as trail markers by hunters. You drop one every some many paces, then use your flashlight to find them on the return trip. I hope this helps as an alternative. Hi Fuzzywhip, The majority of night only geocaches use a version of reflective markers to mark the trail to the geocache. Many cachers are trying to bring night caches to an additional level of creativity. LEDs are one novel idea that many of us are pursuing. I have a Scarecrow Owl that I modified with blinking red LEDs. The first and only finder liked the cache. Quote Link to comment
+michigansnorkelers Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 I have been thinking about a night cache for some time, and have a creative way to do it without using a flashing LED or batteries. While in a US Wal-Mart, I found packages of retro-reflectors (in the hunting section). They are REALLY SMALL (approx 1/4 inch square) but reflect a flashlight beam very bright! They appear to be meant to be used as trail markers by hunters. You drop one every some many paces, then use your flashlight to find them on the return trip. I hope this helps as an alternative. Hi Fuzzywhip, The majority of night only geocaches use a version of reflective markers to mark the trail to the geocache. Many cachers are trying to bring night caches to an additional level of creativity. LEDs are one novel idea that many of us are pursuing. I have a Scarecrow Owl that I modified with blinking red LEDs. The first and only finder liked the cache. Holy Cow! Owl #5 is enough to scare you silly! Quote Link to comment
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