Train hobiest needs help with led arrays.

[George2]

Train hobiest wishes to light up an HO model train Ferris Wheel. Currently using mechanical on/off contacts wishing to use random flashing system for infinite visual display. I have a twenty piece led array in parallel connected to nineteen such arrays. Twelve volts available. I found a toy led spinning light which has an unknown chip randomly lighting four independent LEDs running off three volts. I believe that in order to light up one hundred LEDs off one of these led contacts I would burn up the chip generating the random on/off. I have no electronics experience and need kindergarten help to pull this off. I know how to work with SM devices and could put anything together.

 

[Resqueline]

You could replace the original toy led's with optocouplers and then amplify the opto output with one (or more) extra transistor(s). 12V could allow you to run 5 led's in series in each string, and each transistor could run several strings in parallell.
Look for optocouplers with a high transfer ratio. It can be anything from 50 to 500%.
A high rating here just means less amplifier transistors later in the line, nothing critical.
Hehe, soldering smd's with no elecronics experience, - not bad..

 

[George2]

Train hobiest

Finished project of Ferris Wheel. Mounted twenty strings, four colors, total of 320 LED's, five spokes having same color lighting up at the same time. Running off regulated eleven volts. Cont-actor has twenty positions and as the Ferris Wheel turns a color lights up. It is really cool, now you know how old I am (cool). Finished just in time for our annual open house. Hoping to get a video and positing it. I don't know how to do that so it might take time.

 

[Resqueline]

Hey, congrats, & thanks for posting back!
Here you can only post pictures so you'll have to use utube or something and then post a link to it here.
We'll be patiently waiting with anticipation (but even a picture could do in the meantime)..

 

[George2]

Lighted Ferris Wheel

Managed to get it on You-Tube, made a change to contactor by using a curved brass strip, resulting in lighting more than one array. Because contact tabs were irrgegular the sequence was random. Can be found under "samadams2ful". Fair goers were thrilled with the effects. Especially when the lights went out.

 

[(*steve*)]

Well done!

 

[PAFMElb]

Looks really good. Would have liked the video to run longer!