Homemade Sequential Light Timers

Common Timers

• You can build a sequential light timer yourself, or you can buy a timer circuit and simply wire it into your system, connecting your lights to it to save time and the possibility of errors in the engineering. The common timer used in homemade applications is the 555 timer IC, an integrated circuit that can act as an oscillator to measure time. These timers are useful because they can be built for a variety of system sizes, and you can purchase complex versions with dial controls for your project.

Processes

• At a basic level, 555 timer circuits work by balancing electrical current between capacitors. The resistors charge one capacitor, which only discharges when it reaches a certain level of current, providing a time delay as the capacitors fill and trade current. This can help when creating strobe lights and flashers -- although a more complex version, with a switch that can open the circuit according to measured vibrations from an isolator, may be needed for longer delays.

Materials

• Ceramic and electric capacitors are often required for a homemade sequential timer, and a printed circuit board helps channel current through the timer. Carbon film resistors modify and direct current to the right spots. The system also needs lights: For many versions, LED lights are the easiest to use because of their small size and long life.

Purposes

• Homemade sequential timers are often made for entertainment, as they can serve as a fun party device, a system to manipulate decorative lighting, or a method to control accent lighting for a display. More complex designs with dials and extended timers can also work for driveway lights or security light sensors, for instance.