Resistors and types of resistors

a) Carbon composition type resistors:
This is the most common type of low wattage resistor. The resistive material is of carbon-clay composition and the leads are made of tinned copper. These resistors are cheap and reliable and stability is high.
b)Wire wound resistors:
These resistors are a length of wire wound an insulating cylindrical core. Usually wires of material such as constantan (60% copper and 40% nickel) and manganin which have high resistivities and low temperature coefficients are employed. The completed wire wound resistor is coated with an insulating material such as baked enamel.
c) Metalized resistors
It is constructed using film deposition techniques of depositing a thick film of resistive material onto an insulating substrate.Only approximate values of resistance can be had by this method.
2) Variable resistors
For circuits requiring a resistance that can be adjusted while it remains connected in the circuit(for eg: volume control on radio), variable resistors are required. They usually have 3 lead two fixed and one movable.

Flashing Brakelight

In broad daylight, two-wheeler brakelight is not quite `visible' in the heavy city traffic. The circuit described here provides a highly noticeable flashing brakelight suitable for two-wheelers and cars. The timer IC NE555 is wired as an astable multivibrator with adjustable frequency. The output waveform at pin 3 is a periodic rectangular wave. The on/off time period of the circuit and its frequency is given by formula:
ton = 0.693 (R1 + VR1) x C1 sec.
toff= 0.693 VR1 x C1 sec.
Frequency f = 1/(ton+toff)
= 1.44/(R1 + 2 VR1) x C1 Hz
(Note: Here VR1 denotes the in-circuit resistance of preset VR1.)
The output of multivibrator is fed to the base of current amplifier 2N3055 via resistor R2 (1kilo-ohm). The brakelight bulb is connected in series with the collector of 2N3055. The flashing rate of this bulb is adjusted by 100k preset (VR1). Transistor 2N3055 may get heated due to high current switching action; hence a small heatsink, similar to the type used in television power supply, is recommended.
The category of 2-wheelers which do not have a battery, can use the bridge rectifier circuit shown here. Several designs of round, square and rectangular reflectors are available which may be used in conjunction with any suitable 12V bulb with proper rating (around 20 watts). However, if flashing of the brake- light affects intensity of headlight bulb, reduce the rating of brakelight bulb to 10 watts.

Light Flasher

This is a very basic circuit for flashing one or more LEDS and also to alternately flash one or more LEDs.
It uses a 555 timer setup as an astable multivibrator with a variable frequency.
With the preset at its max. the flashing rate of the LED is about 1/2 a second. It can be increased by increasing the value of the capacitor from 10uF to a higher value. For example if it is increased to 22uF the flashing rate becomes 1 second.
There is also provision to convert it into an alternating flasher. You just have to connect a LED and a 330ohm as shown in Fig.2 to the points X and Y of Fig.1. Then both the LEDs flash alternately.
Since the 555 can supply or sink in upto 200mA of current, you can connect upto about 18 LEDS in parallel both for the flasher and alternating flasher (that makes a total of 36 LEDs for alternating flasher).

Miniature Strobe Light

Strobe lights are widely used by disco lovers to create wonderful visual effects in disco halls and auditoria. The circuit of a battery operated portable miniature strobe light, which can be constructed using readily available inexpensive components, is described here. For convenience and simplicity, an ordinary neon lamp is used here in place of the conventional Xenon tube. The whole gadget can thus be easily accommodated in a small cabinet, such as a mains adaptor cover, with a suitable reflector for neon lamp to give a proper look. Since current requirement of this circuit is very small, it may be powered by two medium-size dry cells (3V) or Ni-Cd cells (2.4V). Transistors T1 and T2 in the circuit form a complimentary-pair amplifier. When switch S1 is momentarily depressed, the circuit oscillates because of the positive feedback provided via resistor R2 and capacitor C1 to the base of transistor T1. The sharp pulses in the secondary winding induce a high voltage in primary winding of transformer X1, which in fact is a line driver transformer (used in reverse) which is generally used in 36cm TV sets. High voltage pulses induced in primary side are rectified by diode D1 and rapidly charge reservoir capacitor C2 to nearly 300V DC. When switch S1 is released, capacitor C2 holds the voltage level for a finite period while capacitor C3 charges slowly through resistor R3. When voltage across capacitor C3 becomes high enough, neon strikes and the capacitor rapidly discharges through the lamp. When voltage across capacitor C3 falls below the extinguishing potential of neon lamp, it goes off and capacitor C3 starts charging again. This cycle keeps on repeating for a short time, based on the reservoir capacitor C2’s value. Precautions. The neon lamp flasher section of this circuit carries dangerously high voltages. All precautions should therefore be taken for protection. Before any repair work, discharge capacitor C2 using a short length of wire with a 100k resistor connected in series.

Alternating Flasher

This circuit uses three easily available 555 timer ICs. All three work as astable multivibrators. The first 555 has an on period and off period equal to 1 sec. This IC controls the on/ off periods of the other 2 555s which are used to flash two bulbs through the relay contacts.
The flashing occurs at a rate of 4 flashes per second.
The diodes are used to protect the 555 ICs from peaks. The relays should have an impedance greater than 50ohms i.e, they should not draw a current more than 200mA.
The flashing sequence is as follows:
The bulb(s) connected to the first relay flashes for about 1 sec at a rate of 4 flashes per second. Then the bulb(s) connected to the second relay flashes for 1 sec at a rate of 4 flashes per second. Then the cycle repeats.
The flashing rates can be varied by changing the capacitors C3 and C5. A higher value gives a lower flashing rate.
Note that the values of C3 and C5 should be equal and should be less than that of C1.
The value of C1 controls the change-over rate ( default 1sec). A higher value gives a lower change-over rate.
If you use the normally open contacts of the relay, on bulb will be OFF while other is flashing,and vice versa.
If normally closed contacts are used, one bulb will be ON while the other is flashing.

Dancing light.

Description:

Here is a simple dancing light circuit based on NE555 (IC1) & CD4017 (IC2) .The IC1 is wired as an astable multivibrator to provide the clock pulses for the CD4017.For each clock pulse receiving at the clock input (pin14) of IC CD4017, the outputs Q0 to Q9 (refer pin diagram of CD 401) becomes high one by one alternatively.The LEDs connected to these pins glow in the same fashion to give a dancing effect.The speed of the dancing LEDs depend on the frequency of the clock pulses generated by the IC1.