# Flicker LED Discussion / Demo



## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Been meaning to do this for a while now, but finally got a sampling of various flicker LEDs / circuits I've used over the years and made a quick demo video. Thought this may serve as a reference for anyone wondering what is available in the flicker world.






If you don't feel like dedicating 10:46 of your life to this...

Table of contents:

0:00 - Intro
0:37 - "Birthday Card" flicker chip
1:36 - ebay / tea light discreet flicker LED
3:05 - tea light LED driving single 8mm warm white LED
4:50 - tea light LED driving 8mm warm white LED, self contained with 2AA batteries
6:00 - tea light LED driving 4x 8mm warm white LED, 'Landscape / Path Light'
6:59 - Evil Mad Scientist 'warm' white LED
8:27 - NEW "flicker chips" circuit board / driver with green LEDs


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## diggerc (Feb 22, 2006)

I'll have to check this one out. Flicker is something that I really want to get right.


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## SPOOKY J (Nov 20, 2009)

Great info! Thanks for sharing.


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## brd813 (Nov 29, 2012)

Very well done, actual empirical data.

Thanks,

Bill


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

Dang. And I JUST ordered a batch of 20 flicker LEDs on Sunday off eBay. No idea that there were so many options.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

*but*

What did you find on ebay? As shown, I've used the cheap yellow ones as a basis for what I'd consider a 'real' warm white set-up. I've also seen various colors starting to come out, but haven't seen anything in a single LED which is a 'true' warm white that someone might reasonable think, "That's a real candle".

The only way I've been able to do that is with the warm white LED and a driver...though even buying warm white LEDs has been somewhat hit or miss lately. I've got a couple bags which were 'supposed' to be warm white, but were 3600K color temp and a couple others which have a real greeny/yellow tint.

I had high hopes for the Evil Mad Scientist 'warm white' LEDs, but you saw the color temp in the video - I'd have to call that 'snow white'. I've considered trying some type of dye for the plastic case, but then you'd have even less light output... and why the heck is it so hard to duplicate a true candle color in a flicker LED... I would have thought that would be the FIRST thing to come out...I mean, you can buy a 2700K warm LED and you can buy a flicker LED...just can't buy a 2700K flicker LED!


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

These are the ones I bought off eBay. Probably the cheapest ones out there

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221412482097?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

That is not a bad deal considering the current limiting resistor and wiring already attached. I think the yellow LED at the heart of it is the same one I demo'd in the video. They will work OK as-is, or you could strip it down and use it as a driver.


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## phillipjmerrill (Mar 19, 2009)

Are the flicker chip circuit boards something that you came up with? Where can they be purchased?


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Man... I'm still trying to duplicate the City Theatrical Candle Lite (LED) version. I think you sent me a diagram or something but I can't find it. The trick is 3 leds stacked, each flicker (or pulse) at different speeds to get a flame affected by light air draft.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

phillip - The circuit board was just something I whipped up over lunch one day. Was curious what it might look like to have a small board for the LEDs as opposed to just lumping them together with solder.

There are quite a few options:
- You can 'hide' the drive LED on the back side, or it can go on the same side as the regular LEDs
- Compatible with 3, 5, 8 or 10mm LEDs
- LEDs can go in straight as I show, or bent out if you want a radial angle
- LEDs are in parallel, so you can add any number 1-4 and it doesn't change the circuit.

If there is enough interest, maybe we can do a group buy and get the price down some. If not, I can share the file and people can get the prototyped version on their own, though would run about $0.60 each. If it goes there, I do need to make one mod for 2 current limiting resistors - one for the driver LED and one for the driven LEDs, this would allow use of LEDs (mainly red ones) with a different forward voltage than the 3.0V driver LED. Right now, the whole board is controlled by 1 resistor, so all LEDs need to have the same forward voltage - around 3.0V - which works fine for the warm whites I had intended. Perhaps a video on just the chip next, to see if there is any interest.

Lord H - The City Theatrical candle is under that thread. My circuit for that was here:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showpost.php?p=641971&postcount=41






Though I think the 'most realistic' has to go to the Luminaria candles:

www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=34435






The downside being ~$30 each, and I haven't found them much cheaper. The best I've seen would be around $11 each, but that is imported in quantity of 1000. I don't need THAT many!


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