# LED Candle Enhancement



## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Okay, I've been following along with niblique71's LED Spotlight tutorial, and made some of the lights. Then I got to thinking, I like the little LED Flickering candles for my Paper Mache pumpkins, but they aren't bright enough for my taste.

What if I were to take the idea of 12v power supply with 3-6 LEDs, and hook them to the guts of one of these little flicker candles. The voltage certainly wouldn't be healthy to hook straight into the candles boards, as it runs on 1.5-4.5v (differing brands vary).

BUT... (and here is where my ignorance is going to shine) ...what if I were to take a transistor, hook the base of it to the candle, and let that do the switching to make the LEDs flicker? I have no idea if this is even viable.

Haven't tried it, just a brainstorm at lunch...


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## pshort (May 6, 2008)

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=10038


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

and...

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=24483

and...

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=16052

Transistor operation is discussed on page 5...

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=16052&page=5

FWIW, if the candle runs on 3V and the LED's run around 3V, I would try and stick with a supply around that voltage, too. 5V is popular and would work well. As I show, I put everything behind one resistor...not the 'proper' way, but I have had a set running nearly continuously since October and they still keep flickering away...


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Yep, that will work. I've used similar circuits to drive lots of LEDs from a single flickering tea light. Only downside is that they all flicker at the same rate.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

From looking at these other threads, it appears my idea wasn't nearly has hairbrained as I feared, just under-developed. Cool


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

I will look more natural if you use 2 flickering tea light circuits because they will flash at slightly different times creating a more realistic flame. You can also use both yellow and orange leds but do not use both in the same circuit unless there specs are the same.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

That's a good idea. I had bought a single candle with the flashing LED and it looks more "digital" than the older ones I had that have a PCB card they are attached too...


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

hpropman said:


> I will look more natural if you use 2 flickering tea light circuits because they will flash at slightly different times creating a more realistic flame. You can also use both yellow and orange leds but do not use both in the same circuit unless there specs are the same.


I had considered something like this but had a couple of additional thoughts:

The overall 'flicker' probably wouldn't change too much...at least not enough to be noticeable to the casual observer. What would change the most is the shadow/light cast would appear to 'dance' with the light coming from more than one discreet source. If you notice in my video, the light hitting the ceiling is static as it comes from a single stationary source (3 LEDs)

One thought I had was to make a circuit which would drive multiple LEDs off a single tea light, but in a manner where one LED is bright, the other(s) are dim - this would add to the flicker effect at least as far as the light/shadows cast are concerned.

I have a couple of what I would consider 'high end' wax / electronic candles. They use 3 LEDs which seem to flicker in sequence. This looks pretty darned realistic, except the color is straight yellow...which no candle burns that color.

May have to head back to the workbench for a little more tinkering.


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