STROBE is a xenon strobe light (stroboscopic light) that can flash automatically or it can be controlled by a PC, by other lights or by a microphone. Please note that the components are grid power supplied (230Vac), hence do not touch them! Please also consider that the xenon lamp is powered by a 600Vdc voltage (at A, K pins) and the trigger voltage (lamp pin 1) is more than 4KV!
Xenon strobe light schematic
I / O:
- 1, 2 – power input (220-230Vac), please note that components are not insulated, please do not touch them
- 3,4 – input to trigger a flash (opto insulated, 5-15Vdc)
- 5, 6 – low power output (12Vdc)
- S1 – main switch)
- S2 – internal oscillator ON (enables auto flash)
- S3 – internal oscillator frequency scale
- R11 – internal oscillator frequency selection
Auxiliary module 1: it allows to trigger a flash when another flash or sound is detected.
Auxiliary module 2: it allows to connect the xenon strobe light to a parallel PC port to trigger flashes.
Components list, resistors:
- R1 – 1 KOHM 17 W (it must dissipate heat)
- R2 – 1 KOHM 17 W (it must dissipate heat)
- R3 – 5600 OHM 5 W (it must dissipate heat)
- R4 – 27 KOHM 1/2 W
- R5 – 1 MOHM 1/2 W
- R6 – 270 KOHM 1/2 W
- R7 – 330 OHM 1/4 W
- R8 – 100 OHM 1/2 W
- R9 – 1 KOHM 1/4 W
- R10 – 680 OHM 1/4 W
- R11 – 10 KOHM logarithmic potentiometer
- R12 – 1 KOHM 1/4 W
- R13 – 470 OHM 1/4 W
Components list, capacitors:
- C1 – 22 uF 350 V or more, electrolytic
- C2 – 22 uF 350 V or more, electrolytic
- C3 – 22 uF 350 V or more, electrolytic
- C4 – 22 uF 350 V or more, electrolytic
- C1, C2, C3, C4, choose capacitors with high discharge current
- C5 – 100 nF 630 V polyester
- C6 – 470 uF 25 V electrolytic
- C7 – 100 nF polyester
- C8 – 10 nF polyester
- C9 – 47 uF 25 V electrolytic
- C10 – 470 uF 25 V electrolytic
Components list, other:
- IC1 – NE.555
- TR1 – BC.237
- SCR1 – TYN.612
- OC1 – 4N.25
- D1 – 1N.4007
- D2 – 1N.4007
- D3 – 1N.4007
- D4 – germanium diode
- DZ1 – zener diode 12 V 1 W
- S1 – switch (main power switch)
- S2 – switch
- S3 – switch
- T1 – xenon trigger transformer
- F1 – fuse 250 V 1/2 A
- LN1 – neon lamp without resistor
- LP1 – xenon strobe tube
Auxiliary modules components, resistors:
- R14 – 4700 OHM 1/4 W
- R15 – 1 KOHM 1/4 W
- R16 – 10 KOHM 1/4 W
- R17 – 10 KOHM 1/4 W
- R18 – 470 KOHM trimmer
- R19 – 470 OHM 1/4 W
- R20 – 100 KOHM 1/4 W
- R21 – 820 OHM 1/4 W
Auxiliary modules components, capacitors:
- C11 – 100 nF polyester
- C12 – 10 uF 25 V electrolytic
- C13 – 220 pF ceramic
- C14 – 2,2 uF 25 V electrolytic
- C15 – 100 uF 25 V electrolytic
Auxiliary modules components, other:
- IC2 – uA.741
- MIC1 – pre-amplified electret microphone
- FD1 – photodiode BPW.34
- DL1 – led diode
- TR2 – BC.237
- CONN1 – D connector, 25 poles male (for LPT PC port)
Xenon strobe light PC controller
The original xenon strobe light PC software has been developed in QuickBasic for DOS. It is possible to set a memory array to trigger flashes. Of course you can write your own software, in a modern programming language… simply give 5V to pin 3, 4 of the stroboscopic light.
Project started on: Jan, 1994. Status: just for personal use.