# Broken Florescent look, anyone able to re-create?



## fg4432 (Sep 18, 2007)

I am not looking for strobe, or even a flasher, but a random flash or random power up like when a florescent bulb is coming on in winter when there isn't a zero start ballast.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to re-create that?

The closest I am able to get to randomness like that is to take a set of Xmas lights, place a flasher bulb at the first light, then on the second section, place another flasher at that point. Then it is two half lights flashing at different rates. When the lights are wrapped at 4 ft overlapping lengths, it creates a randomness to it. You know, I am not even sure randomness is even a word, but it's late and I will just have to go with it.

I guess I could try to model something of a florescent light tube fixture by taking the Xmas lights and placing them in the light tube protector sleeves, frost painting the clear plastic to resemble lights and somehow throw into a real fixture.

I hope someone can come up with another idea than this though.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Are you familier with this? : http://www.halloweenpropmaster.com/u-build-it3.htm


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## slash (Aug 17, 2007)

That project with the starter looks like a good idea, I may have to try it.


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## gadget-evilusions (Jan 26, 2007)

an effect like this?

http://www.evilusions.com/flickeronclamplight.MPG


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## fg4432 (Sep 18, 2007)

Gadget, yes, the video that you linked is what I was looking for. Oddly enough, I didn't realize that even as SI suggested that I would be creating a flicker effect. I honestly thought they were two different things. Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate all the feedback.


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## fg4432 (Sep 18, 2007)

*Is this adding too much?*

Placing the florescent starter midwire will work for a semirandom start or flicker, but what about adding one of those flasher buttons as in this thread by SI?

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=7100

Flasher on top of a flicker effect to make the flicker longer in between. Or is this asking for trouble with the double mod?


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## gadget-evilusions (Jan 26, 2007)

That effect was actually made from one of my circuit boards, but there are a variety of ways to achieve the effect.


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## fg4432 (Sep 18, 2007)

*Disregard last post, 2nd flasher or mod if ruled out by 1st*

I just tested something similar and I should have thought about it prior to typing it.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Here's some pics of the circuit that I use for AC light flicker. It uses an FS-2 fluorescent starter.
http://halloweengallery.com/displayimage.php?pos=-3751
http://halloweengallery.com/displayimage.php?pos=-3750


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

fg4432 said:


> Placing the florescent starter midwire will work for a semirandom start or flicker, but what about adding one of those flasher buttons as in this thread by SI?
> 
> http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=7100
> 
> Flasher on top of a flicker effect to make the flicker longer in between. Or is this asking for trouble with the double mod?


It won't hurt anything to try it, and it isn't hacking anything with the button so it's easy to remove if it doesn't work.

My guess is that the button requires enough steady energy to click on and off, but I could be wrong.


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## fg4432 (Sep 18, 2007)

Otaku said:


> Here's some pics of the circuit that I use for AC light flicker. It uses an FS-2 fluorescent starter.
> 
> The flicker circuit that you provided links to, is it basically a photo sensor that turns the circuit off once it lights up and then the starter turns it back on once it builds the proper juice?
> 
> I have seen first hand what a dawn to dusk photo sensor does when inside of a glass exterior light fixture, it doesn't flash really but more like pulsates, but is always on.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

The circuit is just a fluorescent starter in series with a fuse and an AC outlet block. There's no sensor involved. I used this how-to as the model:

http://hometown.aol.com/hauntscapescd/ProjectsPage2.html

I just didn't like having exposed wires and taped connections. It also makes it easy to experiment with different starters and to replace them if they burn out.


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